Top 7 Flowers That Symbolize Purity

Flowers don’t have to say a word or make a sound to convey a message. Instead, they can communicate certain feelings and emotions based on their types and colors. (1)

Take, for instance, how the legendary post-impressionist Vincent Van Gogh used blue irises to illustrate faith and hope. Alex Katz used the same flower in his art piece, Blue Flags.

Moreover, flowers were also used during the Victorian era as a way for people to carry out their flirtatious adventures secretly. After all, it was against the law at that time for people to show their affections publicly. (2)

Today, flowers are still used to demonstrate how we feel. As it turns out, using arrangements to reflect a notion of innocence and purity is more common than you might think!

What we’re going to look at today are seven flowers that symbolize purity in particular, so let’s begin!

Flowers that symbolize purity are: Easter Lily, White Rose, Star of Bethlehem, Daisy, Lotus Flower, Baby’s Breath, and White Orchid.

Table of Contents

1. Easter Lily
2. White Rose
3. Star of Bethlehem
4. Daisy
5. Lotus Flower
6. Baby’s Breath
7. White Orchid
The Final Takeaway

1. Easter Lily

Easter Lily -- Lilium longiflorum. — *Easter Lily*
Jim Evans, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

You might see this white trumpet-shaped flower often in churches during Easter. All in all, it has a lot to say about tradition and spirituality. Apart from being a symbol of purity, the Easter lily can also signify hope, rebirth, and new beginnings.

For instance, this flower represents the resurrection of Jesus Christ during Easter. Pagans likewise used the Easter lily flower as a way for people to show appreciation and gratitude to their moms. (3)

The flower can also reflect hardiness. Generally, Easter lilies grow in warm places and bloom during the latter part of the summer season. However, they can also do well in cold environments, provided that you put them under glass. They can grow as high as 3 feet upon maturity. (4)

2. White Rose

With their charming shapes and colors, white roses could grace the aisle and complement the bride’s lovely dress. Overall, they symbolize purity, loyalty, innocence, as well as eternal love. (5)

The white rose also played a huge role in history, with notions of peace, purity, and bravery. For instance, it was a theme in 15th-century England’s War of the Roses. You can also see the flower’s symbolism in Germany’s “die Weiße Rose” or “the white rose” movement. (6)

3. Star of Bethlehem

The Star of Bethlehem is a native to the Mediterranean countryside. It blooms from spring up to the early part of summer. A plant of the Star of Bethlehem could produce between 12-30 star-shaped flowers.

When it comes to symbolism, this flower can signify purity, innocence, honesty, forgiveness, and hope. (7)

Legend has it that God created the Star of Bethlehem to lead the three wise men to the birthplace of infant Jesus. When they found the baby, God preserved the star instead of banishing it, broke it into millions of pieces, and sent it to earth as a flower. (8)

4. Daisy

Daisy flowers. — Daisy flowers
Eric Kilby from Somerville, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

According to Celtic legend, God used daisies to bring joy to parents who have recently lost a baby. In the stories, daisies might have emotionally healed a lot of grieving moms and dads. In reality, they also have several healing benefits, from bronchitis to inflammation. (9)

What’s so unique about the daisy’s simple yet elegant appearance is that it’s actually made up of two parts. You can find the disc floret in the inner section of the flower, while the ray floret sits on the outer section.

Plus, people recognized the daisy as the international symbol of purity and innocence. (10) In addition, some people might use this flower to celebrate extraordinary achievements because of its fresh appearance and striking colors.

5. Lotus Flower

Despite its charm, a lotus flower isn’t picky. It can thrive in various climates as long as it’s in a moist and muddy place. In fact, lotus flowers can grow without problems in countries like India, Iran, Russia, China, and Australia. (11)

Since the flowers emerge from murky waters in different regions around the world, many people consider the lotus as a symbol of purity. This could be because of their ability to stay spotless despite the surrounding environment. After all, their outer coating can deflect water and dirt. (12)

Meanwhile, in Buddhism, the lotus flower symbolizes spiritual purification and liberation, known as Nirvana. (13)

6. Baby’s Breath

A native of Eurasia, Baby’s Breath has about 150 species that researchers divide into two categories. The first one is the annual baby’s breath, which could grow up to 20 inches tall. The second one is the perennial baby’s breath. This one could grow as high as 40 inches. (14)

Either way, the simplicity of the baby’s breath symbolizes purity. That’s why some people use this flower in wedding bouquets to reflect notions of pureness and affection. (15)

Like other flowers on this list, the baby’s breath has some spiritual meanings, too. In the Christian faith, this flower symbolizes the Holy Spirit. It can also remind people of the divine power of God, demonstrated in a gentle whisper. (16)

7. White Orchid

The word orchid originated way back in 300 B.C. when Theophrastus mentioned in his research the word “orkhis,” which means testicles in English. As it happens, the orchid’s roots have some physical similarities with the male reproductive glands. (17)

Despite the etymology, orchids still symbolize various positive traits. For one, the whiteness of this orchid makes it a great symbol of purity. The flower could also signify innocence, elegance, and reverence. (18)

There’s also an element of royalty that comes with orchid flowers. For one, the white orchid was England’s symbol of wealth during the Victorian era. (19) Meanwhile, in 1934, Guatemala declared the white nun orchid the country’s national flower. (20)

The Final Takeaway

From the delicate appearance of the rose to the unique beauty of an orchid, flowers that symbolize purity have great historical and spiritual significance. These flowers also inspired many as part of legends and folklore.

Today, we still use them to honor achievements, reflect notions of innocence, and celebrate important occasions. This goes to show that time failed to diminish the language of flowers!

References