Meaning of Flowers
Photo by Tori Rogers, Meaning of Flowers
ABUTILON Meditation
ACACIA (Rose or white) Elegance, friendship
ACACIA (yellow) Secret love
ACANTHUS Artifice, fine arts
ACHILLEA War
ACONITE Lustre, misanthropy
ADDER’S-TONGUE Jealousy
ADONIS Sad memories
AGRIMONY Gratitude
ALLSPICE Compassion
ALMOND (common) Indiscretion, perfidy
ALOE grief, misplaced devotion, religious superstition
ALSTOREMERIA Devotion
ALTHEA Consumed by love
ALYSSYM (sweet) Excellence beyond beauty, exemplary modesty
AMARANTH (coxcomb) Affectation, pretension
AMARANTH (globe) Constant, unchangeable
AMARANTH Foppery, immortality, pretension
AMARYLLIS Beautiful, timid, proud
AMBROSIA Love returned
ANEMONE Fading hope
ANGELICA Inspiration, magic
APOCYNUM Falsehood, figment, I doubt you
APPLE-BLOSSOM Preference
ARBORVITAE (American) immortality
ARBORVITAE I never change, live for me
ARBUTUS You only do I love
ASCLEPIAS Sorrowful remembrance
ASH Prudence, with me you are safe
ASMINE (night-blooming) Love’s vigil
ASPEN Excess of sensibility, fear
ASPHODEL Memorial sorrow, my regrets follow you to the grave
ASTER (China) Afterthoughts, love of variety
AURICULA (scarlet) Pride
AURICULA Painting, wealth is not always happiness
AZALEA Moderation, temperance, your blush has won me
BABY’S BREATH= Everlasting love, innocence
BACHELOR’S BUTTON Devotion, hope, love, celibacy, delicacy
BALM Social intercourse, sympathy
BALSAM Impatience
BARBERRY Sharpness of temper
BASIL Hatred
BAY-LEAF I change but in death
BABY’S BREATH Pure of heart
BAYBERRY Discipline, instruction
BEGONIA Deformity
BELLFLOWER Constancy, gratitude, I wish to speak to you
BELLWORT Hopelessness
BETONY Surprise
BILBERRY Treachery
BITTERSWEET Truth, platonic love
BLACKTHORN Difficulty
BLUEBELL Constancy, sorrowful regret
BLUEBOTTLE Delicacy
BLUETS Contentment
BORAGE Bluntness, talent
BRAMBLE Holiness, remorse
BROOM Humility, neatness
BRYONY Prosperity
BURDOCK Importunity
BUTTERCUP Riches
BUTTERFLY-WEED Let me go
CACTUS Grandeur, warmth
CALLA LILY Magnificent beauty
CALYCANTHUS Benevolence
CAMELLIA (Red) Unpretending excellence, innate warmth, alas my poor heart
CAMELLIA (White) Perfected loveliness, without blemish
CHAMOMILE Energy in adversity
CANDYTUFT Indifference
CANTERBURY BELLS Gratitude, acknowledgment, obligation
CARDINAL-FLOWER Distinction
CARNATION Fidelity, pure love
CARNATION (PINK) Woman’s love, boldness
CARNATION (RED) Love
CARNATION (WHITE)= Talent
CATALPA Beware of the coquette
CATCHFLY Pretended love, snare, unchanging friendship
CATTLEYA Matronly grace, mature charms
CEDAR I live but for thee, think of me
CELANDINE Joys to come
CENTAURY Delicacy
CEREUS (night-blooming) Transient beauty
CHERRY-BLOSSOM Spiritual beauty
CHESTNUT-BLOSSOM Do me justice
CHICKWEED Give an account of yourself, rendezvous
CHICORY Frugality
CHRYSANTHEMUM or MUM- Wealth, abundance, truth
CHRYSANTHEMUM (Chinese) Loveliness and cheerfulness
CHRYSANTHEMUM (red) I love
CHRYSANTHEMUM (white) Truth
CINERARIA Always delighted
CISTUS Popular favor
CITRON natured beauty
CLEMATIS (evergreen) Poverty
CLEMATIS Mental Beauty
CLIANTHUS -Self-seeking, worldliness
CLOTBUR Rudeness
CLOVER (four-leafed) Be mine
CLOVER (white) Think of me
CLOVES Dignity
COBAEA Gossip
COLTSFOOT Justice shall be done
COLUMBINE Folly
CONVOLVULUS Uncertainty
CORCHORUS Return quickly
COREOPSIS Always cheerful
CORIANDER Hidden worth
CORN-BLOSSOM Riches
CORN-COCKLE Peerless and proud
CORNEL Success crowned you
CORNFLOWER Delicacy, refinement
COWSLIP Comeliness, winning grace, you are my divinity
COXCOMB Foppery
CRABAPPLE-BLOSSOM Irritability
CRANBERRY Cure for heartache
CREEPING CEREUS Modest genius
CRESS Power, stability
CROCUS Abuse not, gladness, mirth, cheerfulness
CROWFOOT Ingratitude
CROWN IMPERIAL Arrogance, majesty, pride of birth
CURRANT Your frown will destroy me
CUSCUTA Meanness
CYCLAMEN Diffidence
CYPRESS Despair, mourning
DAFFODIL Deceitful, hope, unrequited love, regard
DAHLIA Elegance and dignity, forever thine
DAISY (coloured) Beauty
DAISY (Michaelmas) Farewell
DAISY (white wild) I will think of it
DAISY Innocence, share your feelings
DANDELION Coquetry, love’s oracle
DAPHNE Fame, glory
DARNEL Vice
DELPHINIUM Swiftness, lightness
DEW-PLANT Serenade
DIOSMA Your simple elegance charms me
DITTANY OF CRETE (white) Passion
DOCK Patience
DODDER OF THYME Baseness
DOGBANE Falsehood
DOGROSE Pleasure
DOGWOOD Forgetfulness, love undiminished by, duration
EGLANTINE Genius, I wound to heal, poetry, talent
ELDER Compassion, zealousness
ENDIVE Frugality
ESCHSCHOLTZIA Do not refuse me
EUPATORIUM Delay
EYEBRIGHT Cheer up F
ENNEL Strength, worthy of praise
FERN Fascination, magic, sincerity
FIG Argument, I keep my secret
FILBERT Reconciliation
FIR Time
FLAX Domestic industry, fate, I feel your kindness
FLEUR-DE-LIS Message
FLOWER-OF-AN-HOUR Delicate beauty
FLOWERING ALMOND Hope
FORGET-ME-NOT Constancy, true love, remember me
FOUR-LEAFED CLOVER Be mine
FOUR-O’CLOCK Timidity
FOXGLOVE Insincerity, stateliness, youth
FOXTAIL GRASS Sporting
FREESIA Innocence
FUCHSIA Confiding love
FUMITORY Spleen
FURZE Anger, love for all occasions
GARDEN DAISY Share your sentiments
GARDENIA Refinement, purity, joy
GENTIAN (closed) Sweet be thy dreams
GENTIAN (fringed) I look to heaven
GERANIUM (dark) Melancholy
GERANIUM (fish) Disappointed expectation
GERANIUM (horseshoe) Stupidity
GERANIUM (Ivy) Favour
GERANIUM (lemon) Unexpected meeting
GERANIUM (nutmeg) Expected meeting
GERANIUM (oak) True friendship
GERANIUM (pencilled) Ingenuity,
GERANIUM (rose) Preference
GERANIUM (scarlet) Comforting, consolation
GERANIUM (silver leafed) Recall
GERANIUM (wild) Steadfast piety
GERANIUM Gentility, peaceful mind, true friendship
GILLYFLOWER Bonds of affection, lasting beauty, she is fair
GLADIOLUS Ready-armed
GOLDENROD Encouragement, precaution
GOOSEBERRY Anticipation
GRANDIFLORA High-souled
GRAPE (wild) Charity, mirth
GRASS Submission
HANDFLOWER Warning
HAREBELL Grief, submission
HARLEQUIN Laugh at trouble
HAWKWEED Quick-sighted
HAWTHORN Hope
HAZEL Reconciliation, heart is agitated
HEARTSEASE Modesty, pleasant thoughts, think of me
HEATH Solitude
HELENIUM, Tears
HELIOTROPE Devotion, eagerness, intoxicated with joy
HELLEBORE Calumny, scandal, calming
HEMLOCK You will cause my death
HEMP Fate
HIBISCUS Delicate beauty
HOLLY Am I forgotten?, domestic happiness, foresight
HOLLYHOCK Ambition, fruitfulness
HONEY-FLOWER Love sweet and secret
HONEYSUCKLE (coral) Fidelity, generous and devoted love, affection
HONEYSUCKLE Bonds of love
HOP Injustice,
HORNBEAM Ornament
HORSE-CHESTNUT Luxury
HOUSELEEK Domestic industry, vivacity
HOUSTONIA Contentment
HYACINTH (purple) Jealousy, sorrow
HYACINTH (white) Modest loveliness
HYACINTH Constancy, sport and play
HYDRANGEA Boaster, heartlessness
HYSSOP Cleanliness
ICE-PLANT Old Beau, rejected, your looks freeze me
IRIS (German) Aflame, I burn adversity
IRIS Message, my compliments, eloquence, a message of faith, wisdom
IVY Fidelity, friendship, marriage, wedded love
JACOB’S-LADDER come down
JASMINE (cape) I am too happy
JASMINE (Carolina) Separation
JASMINE (Indian) Attraction, I attach myself to you
JASMINE (PINK) I attach myself to you
JASMINE (Spanish) Sensuality
JASMINE (white) Amiability
JASMINE (yellow) Grace and elegance
JASMINE I am too happy
JONQUIL Can you return my love?, I desire a return of your affection
JUDAS-TREE Betrayal, unbelief
KINGCUP Riches
LABURNUM Forsaken, pensive beauty
LADY’S MANTLE Comfort
LADY’S SLIPPER Capricious beauty, win and wear me
LADY’S SMOCK Ardor
LADY’S THIMBLE Grief, submission
LADY’S-TRESSES Bewitching grace
LANTANA I am unyielding
LAPAGERIA There is no unalloyed good
LARCH Audacity, boldness.
LARKSPUR (pink) Fickleness
LARKSPUR (Purple) Haughtiness
LAUREL (ground) Perseverance, token
LAUREL (mountain) Ambition
LAUREL Perfidy, treachery
LAURESTINE I die if neglected
LAVENDER Acknowledgment, distrust failure
LEAVES (dead) Sadness
LEMON Discretion
LETTUCE Cold-hearted
LICHEN Dejection, refusal, solitude
LILAC (purple) Fastidiousness, first love, first emotions of love
LILAC (white) Youthful innocence
LILY (water) Purity of heart
LILY (calla) Maiden modesty, beauty
LILY (day) Coquetry
LILY (frog) Disgust LILY (tiger) I dare you to love me
LILY (white) Purity and sweetness
LILY (yellow) Coquetry, falsehood, flirtation
LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY Perfect purity, return of happiness
LINDEN Conjugal love
LIVE-OAK Liberty
LIVERWORT Confidence
LOBELIA Arrogance, malevolence
LOCUST Affection beyond the grave, vicissitude
LONDON-PRIDE Frivolity
LOTUS Estranged love
LOVE-IN-A-MIST Perplexity
LOVE-LIES Bleeding, hopeless but not heartless
LUCERNE Life
LUPINE (rose) Fanciful
LUPINE (white) Always happy
LUPINE Voraciousness
MADDER Backbiting, tranquility
MAGNOLIA (swamp) Perseverance
MAGNOLIA Benevolence, high-souled, love of nature, magnificence
MAIZE Riches
MALLOW Mildness
MANCHINEEL Falsehood
MANDRAKE I wound to soothe
MAPLE Reserve, retirement
MARIGOLD Cruelty in love, inquietude, jealous lover
MARJORAM Blushes
MARSHMALLOW Beneficence in consent
MARVEL-OF-PERU Timidity
MEADOW-SAFFRON My best days are past
MEADOWSWEET Uselessness
MESEMBRYANTHEMUM Idleness
MEZEREON Desire to please
MIGNONETTE Your qualities surpass your charms
MILFORD War
MILK-VETCH Your presence softens my pain, comfort
MIMOSA Exquisite, fastidious
MINT Let us be friends again, virtue
MISTLETOE I surmount difficulties, I want to be kissed, you are a parasite
MOCK-ORANGE Counterfeit
MONARDA Your whims are unbearable
MONK’S-HOOD Chivalry
MONKSHEAD Danger is near
MOONFLOWER I only dream of love
MORNING-BRIDE I have lost all
MORNING-GLORY Affection, departure
MOSCHATEL Weakness MOSS Ennui
MOSS ROSEBUD Confession of love
MOTHERWORT Concealed love
MOUNTAIN ASH Prudence
MOURNING-BRIDE Unfortunate to attachments
MUDWORT Happiness, peace
MULBERRY (black) I shall not survive you, sadness
MULBERRY (white) Wisdom
MULLEIN Take courage
MUSK-PLANT Be bolder
MUSTARD I smart, I am hurt
MYRTLE (wax) Discipline, instruction
MYRTLE Love in absence, love
NANDINA My love will grow warmer
NARCISSUS Egotism, you love yourself too well
NASTURTIUM Patriotism
NETTLE Slander, you are spiteful
NIGHTSHADE Your thoughts are dark
OAK LEAF Hospitality, bravery
OAT I love your music
OLEANDER Beware
OLIVE Peace
ORANGE-BLOSSOM Chastity, eternal love, marriage, bridal festivities
ORCHID You are a belle, you flatter me, beauty, love
ORCHIS (bee) Error, industry
ORCHIS (butterfly) Gaiety
ORCHIS (fly) Error
OXEYE Be patient
PALM Victory
PANSY Modesty, pleasant thoughts, think of me, you’re in my thoughts
PARSLEY Useful knowledge, festivity gaiety
PASQUEFLOWER You have no claims
PASSION FLOWER Faith, holy love, religious fervour and superstition
PEA (Everlasting) Appoint a meeting, lasting pleasure
PEACH-BLOSSOM I am your captive
PEAR-BLOSSOM Not altogether lovely, affections
PENNYROYAL You had better go
PEONY Anger, indignation, bashfulness, the American spirit of ambition and determination
PEPPER-FLOWER Satirical thoughts
PEPPERMINT Warmth of feeling
PERIWINKLE (blue) Early friendship
PERIWINKLE (white) Harmony, pleasure of memory
PERSICARIA Restoration
PERSIMMON-BLOSSOM Bury me amid nature’s beauties, I shall surprise you by and by
PETUNIA You soothe me
PHEASANT’S-EYE I cannot forget you
PHLOX (star-shaped) Affability, trying to please you, agreements
PHLOX Unanimity
PIMPERNEL Assignation, change
PINE Pity
PINK (double-red) Ardent love
PINK (Indian) Always lovely
PINK (mountain) Aspiration
PINK (variegated) Refusal
PINK (white) Fascination, talent
PLUM (wild) Independence
PLUM-BLOSSOM Keep your promises, fidelity
PLUMBAGO Holy wishes
POLYANTHUS Purse-proud
POMEGRANATE BLOSSOM Mature elegance, perfection
POPPY (red) Consolation
POPPY (scarlet) Fantastic extravagance
POPPY (variegated) Flirtation, dreaminess
POPPY (white) Forgetfulness
POTENTILLA I claim your esteem
PRIDE OF CHINA Dissension
PRIMROSE (evening) Inconstancy, early youth
PRIMROSE (red) Neglected merit
PRIMROSE Believe me, youth and sadness
PRINCE’S FEATHER I blush for you
PRIVET Prohibition
PYXIE Life is sweet
QUAKING-GRASS My
QUAMOCLIT Busybody
QUEEN-OF-THE-MEADOWS Uselessness
QUINCE-BLOSSOM Temptation
RAGGED-ROBIN Ardor
RANUNCULUS I am dazzled by your charms, radiant with charms
RASPBERRY-BLOSSOM Remorse
RHODODENDRON Beware, I am dangerous
ROCKET Rivalry
ROSE (Austrian) You are all that is lovely
ROSE (bridal) Happy love
ROSE (Burgundy) Unconscious beauty
ROSE (cabbage) Ambassador of love
ROSE (Carolina) Love is dangerous
ROSE (China) Beauty always new
ROSE (Damask) Beauty ever new, young and brilliant
ROSE (deep-red) Admiration, bashful, embarrassment
ROSE (full-blown) Engagement
ROSE (guelder) Age, winter
ROSE (half-blown) Timid love
ROSE (Jacqueminot) I am true
ROSE (Japan) Beauty is your only attraction, illusion
ROSE (marechal niel) Yours, heart and soul
ROSE (montiflora) Grace
ROSE (moss) Superior, confessions of love
ROSE (musk) Capricious beauty
ROSE (pink) Ours must be secret love
ROSE (red) Unity, romantic love
ROSE (rock) Popular favour
ROSE (thornless) Ingratitude
ROSE (white) I am worthy of your love, silence, innocent love
ROSE (white, withered) Despair
ROSE (wild) Charming simplicity
ROSE (yellow) Jealousy, let us forget, love is waning, friendship
ROSE (York-and-Lancaster) Conflict
ROSE Love, joy, beauty
ROSE-LEAF You may hope
ROSEBUD (red) Inclined to love, pure and lovely
ROSEBUD (white) Too young to love
ROSEMARY Remember me, remembrance
RUDBECKIA Impartiality
RUE Disdain, fertility
SAFFRON Beware of excess pleasures, voluptuousness, you are perfectly lovely
SAGE Domestic virtues, great respect
SAINFOIN You confuse me
SALVIA (blue) Wisdom
SALVIA (red) Untiring energy
SATINFLOWER Fascination
SAXIFRAGE Affection
SCABIOUS (sweet) Widowhood
SCABIOUS Unfortunate love
SEA-BINDWEED Uncertainty
SENSITIVE-PLANT Fine sensibility
SENVY I smart
SHAMROCK Loyalty
SHEPHERD’S PURSE I offer you my all
SMILAX Constancy
SNAPDRAGON No, presumption
SNOWBALL Bound thoughts of heaven
SNOWDROP Consolation, friendship in trouble, hope
SORREL (wild) Ill-timed wit
SORREL (wood) Secret sweetness
SOUTHERNWOOD Bantering, jest
SPEEDWELL Womanly fidelity
SPIDERFLOWER Not so bad as I seem
SPIDERWORT Esteem but not love
ST. JOHN’S-WORT Animosity
STAR OF BETHLEHEM Atonement
STARWORT Afterthought
STEPHANOTIS Happiness in marriage
STOCK Lasting beauty
STONECROP Tranquility
STRAW Agreement
SUMAC (dwarf) Adoration
SUMAC I shall survive the change
SUNFLOWER Short-stemmed sunflowers mean adoration; long-stemmed sunflowers symbolize haughtiness
SUNFLOWER (large) You are splendid
SWEET BASIL Good wishes
SWEET-WILLIAM Grant me one smile
SWEET PEA departure, remember me, delicate pleasures
SWEET VIOLET Modesty
SWEET WILLIAM Sensitivity
SYRINGA You shall be happy yet
TAMARISK Crime
TANSY Resistance
TEAZEL Misanthropy
THISTLE (Scotch) Retaliation
THISTLE Austerity, sternness
THORN-APPLE Delusive beauty
THRIFT Sympathy
TRILLIUM Modest ambition
TRUMPET-FLOWER Fame
TUBEROSE Dangerous
TULIP (pink) Caring
TULIP (red) Declaration of love
TULIP (variegated) Enchantment, beautiful eyes
TULIP (yellow) Hopeless and perfect love
TULIP TREE BLOSSOM Rural happiness
TURNIP BLOSSOM Charity
TUSSILAGE You shall have justice
VALERIAN An accommodating disposition
VENUS’S FLY-TRAP Duplicity
VENUS’S LOOKING-GLASS Flattery
VERBENA Pray for me, tender and quick emotion
VERONICA Fidelity
VERVAIN Enchantment, superstition
VIOLET (blue) Faithfulness, love, loyalty
VIOLET (white) Candour, modesty hope
VIRGIN’S BOWER Filial love
VIRGINIA CREEPER I cling to you
WAKE-ROBIN Ardor-zeal
WALLFLOWER Fidelity in misfortune or adversity
WATER LILY Purity of the heart
WAX-PLANT Susceptibility
WHEAT Prosperity
WISTARIA Cordial welcome
WITCH-HAZEL Inspiration, Mysticism, a spell is upon me
WOLFSBANE Misanthropy
WOODBINE Fraternal love
WORMWOOD Absence
XANTHIUM Pertinacity, rudeness
YARROW Cure for heartache
ZEPHYRANTHES Expectation
ZINNIA Thoughts of absent friends