Did you know that the Victorians gave each flower an emotion and created an entire language based on different blooms? However, this wasn’t just a pretty pastime, it had a deeper reason behind it, too. In Victorian times, women were always accompanied by a chaperone, making it much harder for men to express their feelings and desires. So, flowers took the place of words, and an entirely new language of love was born.
Today, we don’t have chaperones getting in the way, but sometimes, expressing ourselves needs more than just words. And flowers do the job beautifully, in more ways than one.
If you want to express your love or devotion to someone special, these are the most popular flowers for doing so.
Alstroemeria: Grace, Honor, Majesty, and Purity
Also known as the Peruvian lily, alstroemerias represent strong bonds between people along with prosperity. The Victorian language of flowers tells us that when you receive sweet-smelling alstroemerias, you’re someone’s beloved. Their ephemeral beauty also makes them the perfect choice as a way to express empathy for someone you love who’s going through a tough time.
White alstroemerias are a gift for a friend because they symbolize honest friendship, yellow Peruvian lilies are symbols of happiness and joy, and white flowers convey support, strength, and love.
Carnations: Fascination and Love
Not only are carnations one of January’s birth month flowers, but each color of carnation has its own special meaning.
Red carnations will tell the recipient that they’re loved with a deep and abiding passion, and white carnations will tell them that your love is as pure and straightforward as they are. Pink carnations tell your loved one that you’re grateful for having them in your life, and yellow carnations are a wonderful idea if you’re looking for a bouquet for a friend.
Chrysanthemums: Friendship, Happiness, and Wellbeing
If you’re looking for a bouquet of flowers for a dear friend, chrysanthemums are the perfect choice. Their delicate blooms send a message of fidelity, joy, and optimism. They are popular in corsages and are frequently used in formal settings to add a touch of glamor to the occasion.
If your feelings lean more towards the romantic side, you could choose pink chrysanthemums to symbolize how fragile love can be. Orange chrysanthemums convey a delicate love, and red chrysanthemums convey a deep and passionate love.
Orchids: You’re Beautiful
Orchids are found on every continent except Antarctica, and they have a rich and celebrated history that dates all the way back to 500 BC in Italy, Greece, and China.
Orchids’ special message is that the recipient is a thing of beauty, and this ties in perfectly with the luxury, mystery, and refinement these flowers convey. Green orchids can be symbols of harmony and good fortune, while orange orchids say that you’re excited about being with someone, enthusiastic about seeing how things go, and determined to be with them! Respect, courage, and majesty are the meanings associated with red orchids.
Peonies: Romance and Marriage
While the plum blossom is now officially the national flower of China, the peony has always been a hot contender for this honor, and remains a favorite both in the East and beyond. Peonies come in a variety of different colors, but the most popular peonies for wedding bouquets are pink, white, and yellow. Pink peonies signify beauty, love, and romance; white innocence and purity; and yellow happiness and the sun.
Peonies are associated with new beginnings, which is another reason they’re so often used at weddings. They also bestow fertility and good luck on the recipient.
Roses: An Expression of Love
Roses are at least 5,000 years old and are thought to have originated in Asia. They had a variety of different meanings in ancient Greek, Celtic, Christian, German, and Jewish cultures, but they’ve come to represent love almost universally.
Red roses are by far the most romantic flower and the most popular for expressing adoration. Each shade has a different meaning as well, with white roses symbolizing innocent love, orange ones conveying joy and admiration, and pink roses perfect for when you want to pair "I love you" with “thank you.”
Sunflowers: Adoration, Longevity, and Loyalty
Sunflowers are actually thousands of tiny flowers, and each bloom can contain as many as 2,000 seeds. They’re native to North America, and there are about 70 different species.
These bright yellow flowers will forever be associated with joy and positivity, as their sun-like appearance evokes feelings of warmth and happiness. Tell your beloved that they make your life warmer and uplift your spirits with a bunch of sunflowers, and they’ll know exactly how much you appreciate them.
Tulips: Perfect Love
If you’ve set an intention to tell someone how you feel this year, tulips are a fantastic way to do so. Like the other flowers on this list, different colors of tulips each carry their own significance.
Red tulips symbolize true love, and you could give your partner purple tulips if you want them to feel like royalty. Give yellow tulips to whoever brings a little sunshine to even the darkest days, and white flowers tell the recipient that you think they’re pure and perfect!
Violets: Modesty and Fidelity
Violets represent faithfulness, and their richly colored flowers specifically convey affection, faith, and intuition. Their deep purple-blue color is connected to royalty, and they show that you hold a person in high regard.
In ancient Greek mythology, violets signified fertility and love and were seen as symbols of devotion, faithfulness, and loyalty. Today, there are over 500 varieties, and some of them even feature yellow and white petals.
Zinnias: Lasting Affection
The Victorians assigned thoughts of an absent friend to Zinnias, but this has evolved over time. Zinnias nowadays symbolize joyous endurance, making them an excellent gift for someone you know is going to be in your life for a long time!
In some cultures, zinnias symbolize lasting love because the flowers are known for their endurance. This makes them a very meaningful gift for anniversaries or for expressing your commitment to someone special.
Flowers Can Say It All
When you’re looking to express feelings of love, devotion, adoration, passion, and romance, flowers send the perfect message. They’re also universally loved, so not only are they a great idea if you struggle to put your feelings into words, but they’re also beautiful to look at!
