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