WHAT IS YOUR BOUQUET SAYING? FLORAL SYMBOLISM 101

Floral Symbolism in History

For millennia, gifts of flowers have been used as a way to
convey sentiments in circumstances ranging from weddings to
funerals. The physical beauty of floral arrangements can
visually communicate emotions such as love, fondness,
comfort, sympathy, or congratulations, depending on the
situation. But what many people don’t realize is that floral
arrangements often have a deeper symbolic meaning, as well.

Historians aren’t sure exactly when the tradition of floral
symbolism first developed, although evidence exists suggests
that different cultures all over the world often created
symbol systems based on local flowers. Anthropologists have
found artifacts proving that the ancient Greek, Roman, and
Chinese cultures all developed advanced systems of floral
symbolism.

In the West, the heyday of floral symbolism was the
Victorian era. In the eighteenth and early nineteenth
centuries, it was often seen as improper to express one’s
feelings directly. In keeping with the popularity of all
things formal and ceremonial during the period, a complex
system of floral symbolism was developed. This allowed
lovers to convey messages to one other in a discreet manner.
Although these traditions have died down a bit since that
time, most of our current floral symbols still date from the
Victorian era.

Deciphering the Secret Language of Flowers

You’ve probably already heard of some of the more basic
floral symbols. One well-known example is the tradition of
gifting red roses, which are said to symbolize romantic
love, to one’s sweetheart on Valentine’s day. But that age-
old practice barely scratches the surface of floral
symbolism. Here’s a summary of some of the most well-known
floral symbols and their meanings:

• Azaleas:  passion
• Baby’s Breath:  innocence; purity
• Bluebell:  gratitude
• Calla Lily:  extraordinary beauty
• Chrysanthemum:  gratitude for friendship
• Daffodil:  unrequited love
• Dahlia:  elegance and dignity
• Forsythia:  anticipation
• Geranium:  requesting a meeting
• Honeysuckle:  I love you
• Iris:  hope
• Jasmine:  sensuality
• Lavender:  devotion
• Magnolia:  perseverance, dignity in times of adversity
• Narcissus:  sweetness
• Orchid:  refined beauty, charm, thoughtfulness
• Phlox:  unity, solidarity
• Rhododendron:  danger, warning
• Sunflower:  adoration
• Tulip:  passionate declaration of love
• Violet:  modesty, virtue
• Wisteria: welcome, hospitality
• Zinnia:  warm thoughts of an absent or departed friend

Does all of that seem like a lot to remember? Well, believe
it or not, in Victorian times, the symbolism of flowers was
almost as complex as a foreign language. Based on an ancient
Turkish tradition known as "Persian Selam", the Victorians
developed an intricate system of coded communication using
flowers.

Each color and variety of a flower species often had
distinct meanings, and the exact significance of a flower
could shift in different social circumstances. Publishers
made a fortune releasing thick guidebooks that purported to
list all known flower meanings, and perplexed lovers would
often turn to these books to attempt to get at the secret
meanings of the arrangements sent by their paramours.

Today, most people don’t take floral symbolism as seriously
as they once did; instead, modern gift-givers usually rely
on a card to send their intended message and select flowers
for their visual impact, rather than their secret meaning.
Still, it may be fun to keep floral symbolism in mind the
next time you get or give a bouquet. You can refer to this
list or any of the many online references that exist to
decode any secrets that your flowers may hold.