Flowers have long been a symbol of friendship, love, sympathy, and connection.
Giving the gift of flowers can be done as an anniversary present, for a romantic holiday, or even as an everyday gesture to remind someone that you care.
Flowers that symbolize love are: Carnations, Orchid, Forget-Me-Not, Bleeding Heart, Tulip, Rose, Peony, Gardenias, Chrysanthemums, Camellia and Jasmine.
Table of Contents
1. Carnations
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Carnations have a similar resemblance to traditional roses, and come in a variety of colors, both light and bright. Carnations are typically from the Mediterranean, and can represent everything from familial love to romantic connections.
Giving a carnation to someone can indicate that you care for them, wish to protect them or that you love them. It can also symbolize strength and healing, especially when giving flowers in a platonic relationship.
2. Orchid
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The orchid is a beautiful ornamental flower that is tall, colorful, and extremely unique. Orchids are sensuous flowers and are also used in many luxury and high-class settings or environments for decor purposes.
An orchid typically represents beauty, strength, a luxurious lifestyle, as well as deep love, depending on the context in which it is grown, displayed, or given.
3. Forget-Me-Not
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These cutesy-sounding flowers have a distinct name for a reason. Forget-me-not flowers are typically the flowers known to be given to someone to let them know that they are loved and that they will remain in someone’s heart forever.
Giving a forget-me-not flower to someone can let them know that you have feelings for them or it can inform them that you will always love them, even if you are no longer together with one another romantically.
You can also use forget-me-nots as a form of sharing sympathy, such as when visiting a grave site. A forget-me-not reminder of love that is everlasting does not have to be reserved for romantic scenarios only, and can also be used with platonic relationships with loved ones as well as friendships.
4. Bleeding Heart
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Similar to the Forget-Me-Not flower, the Bleeding Heart flower is also known to be given or used in situations in which an individual is going through a breakup, experiencing heartache, or even experiencing unrequited love for the very first time.
When you feel as though a prospective love interest is not interested in you or has moved on to another, the Bleeding Heart flower can help you to express or display how you truly feel.
5. Tulip
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The tulip flower is a classic flower that can be seen growing in gardens, displayed in shop windows, and even given as a token of friendship. However, the tulip can also indicate true love or affection, depending on when the flowers are given and to whom.
Tulips come in a wide range of colors, including pink, red, purple, peach, green, violet, and more. There is no shortage of tulip colors available, which makes the flower an excellent choice for both romantic and platonic relationships and scenarios.
Most often, when a white, pink, or red tulip is given to a romantic partner, it not only symbolizes love in the classical sense but also undying love that is everlasting and unbreakable.
6. Rose
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The rose is one of the most commonly displayed flowers in popular culture, in both romantic and platonic scenarios. Red roses are one of the most popular flowers that symbolize deep and undying love.
A red rose is a perfect gift to help demonstrate your love for a romantic partner or to share with the world how much someone means to you in a romantic way.
Giving a rose to a romantic partner is one of the most noticeable ways to demonstrate your love and your appreciation for romanticism. A red rose is rarely a symbol of friendship or for platonic relationships, and is best reserved only for special romantic relationships and connections that mean the most.
7. Peony
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Peony flowers are dainty, small, brightly colored, and extremely cute. They are typically found in Chinese culture, but can also be grown in many regions throughout the US and other countries around the world.
Giving a peony is possible if you want to show appreciation for a friendship or a platonic relationship, but it is best to do so with peonies that are mixed in color, lighter, or even colors such as yellow.
While the origin of the word peony comes from the Greek word Paeon, peonies are known as an official status throughout China. Peonies are known to come from Chinese culture, and the term peony translates to “most beautiful”. In China, peonies are used as an official status and are also one of the main symbols throughout China when celebrating the Chinese New year.
Giving a peony as a symbol of love is recommended when you want to convey the message that your partner or significant other is the most beautiful individual or flower in the world, similar to the literal translation of peony in Chinese.
8. Gardenias
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Gardenias are extremely popular flowers that have more than 200 varieties. Gardenias are actually part of the coffee plant family, Rubiaceae, and can be found typically throughout Australia, Africa, Asia, and Madagascar.
Most often, gardenias are found in white and pale yellow varieties, although there are hybrid colors and options available depending on the region in which the gardenias are from and grown. If you have a crush on someone or want to show someone that you are interested in them without a deep red rose or another sign of romantic feelings, you can do so with white gardenias.
White gardenias are typically known as a sign of trust, as they hold deep symbolism for both platonic and romantic relationships. While these flowers may appear unassuming at first glance, they are extremely luxurious and hold a special place in many flower lover’s hearts.
If you are ready to show someone your feelings for them but you do not want to move too fast, you can do so with a bunch or bouquet of white gardenias.
9. Chrysanthemums
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Another one of the most popular and well-known flowers to give to someone to show that you care about them or that you have a deep love for them includes Chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums were cultivated as a flower as early as the 15th century in China, and can now be found throughout most of the continents in the world.
Chrysanthemums come close to matching red roses when it comes to displaying romantic love or deep feelings for someone. However, it is also known that giving someone else yellow Chrysanthemums can indicate that you are not interested in romantic love, but that you simply prefer friendship.
Giving yellow Chrysanthemums to another individual can also symbolize slighted love or feelings of passive-aggressiveness, depending on the situation and context in which they are given.
Although giving a red or love-themed color of Chrysanthemum can indicate passion, love, and trust for some, in some regions, Chrysanthemums can also indicate grief, sorrow, or sympathy.
10. Camellia
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The Camellia flower is another flower that appears as a rose and a carnation mixed, giving a luxurious, yet romantic aesthetic to the flower itself. In Asia, Camellias are known to be given to those who are liked, adored, and found charming.
If you want to display your love for someone or if you are looking for a flirty and romantic flower that is not too deep or too emotional, the Camellia can be the perfect choice.
While pink and red varieties of Camellias typically indicate true love and everlasting love, there are also white varieties that can be given as well. When someone gives another a bouquet or bunch of white Camellias, it typically means that they like and adore them, even if they are not yet ready to express additional romantic feelings of love to the person.
11. Jasmine
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Another white flower variety that symbolizes sensuality, love, beauty, and grace, is Jasmine. Jasmine is native to both the East Indies as well as all of Asia. Jasmine flowers are small, delicate, luxurious, and beautiful.
They symbolize sensuality between romantic partners, beauty, and, ultimately, undying love. Although the Jasmine plant is considered to be a part of the vine of the olive family, the flowers produced by the Jasmine plant are invigorating with their inviting scent and adorable appearance.
Different colors of the Jasmine flower have various meanings, especially throughout Eastern Asian countries.
For example, if you are in a new relationship and experiencing new love, giving pink Jasmine flowers is best. If you wish to profess undying love and everlasting bonds with someone romantically, red Jasmine flowers are most suitable.
However, if you wish to express sensuality, beauty, and grace, you can do so with the white Jasmine flower. Other colors of the Jasmine flower include yellow, purple, and blue, which typically represent friendship, inspiration, honesty, joy, and trust.
Summary
While some flowers are known for friendship, sorrow, and even celebration, other flowers symbolize love. Learning which flowers symbolize love and what color variations indicate love or romantic feelings can help you to navigate what flowers are appropriate for any situation you find yourself in.
Sources
- https://www.proflowers.com/blog/which-flowers-mean-love
Header image courtesy: Sasukekun22 at the English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
