What Are These Flowers' Hidden Meanings?

Almost all of us know that a rose symbolizes love (it also symbolizes passion), but do you know what the other flowers we are familiar with mean?

More than a hundred years ago, Victorian couples practiced floriography, which is the “language of flowers.” According to this practice, each species (and sometimes, color) of flower represents an emblematic meaning. So when a man presented his lover with coral-colored roses, that meant he absolutely desired her, and if a woman sent a cyclamen bloom to her man, she was bidding him goodbye. That is why Victorian lovers took their flowers seriously, having shops meticulously construct an extravagant bouquet that showed their beloved exactly what they meant.

The concept may seem old-fashioned today, but if you would like to make your bouquets extra-special (be it for a lover, your mother, or a best friend), pick flowers that express your feelings for that person. And before you send the bouquet over, write the blooms’ meanings on a note card as a sweet touch.

Here are some of the popular flowers and their meanings:

Orchid: Admiration, innocence

Tulip: Love, confidence

Chrysanthemum: Loyalty, love

Peony: Romance, prosperity

Calla Lily: Purity, passion

Gladiola: Strength, integrity

Hydrangea: Emotion, understanding

Sunflower: Adoration, loyalty

Source: “Flower Meanings and Symbolisms,” www.ftd.com