When someone has suffered a loss, such as the death of a loved one, it can be challenging to find the right way to express your sympathy and support. Sending roses is a traditional and meaningful gesture, but choosing the right color to send can be confusing. Each rose color has a different associated meaning, so it’s important to select the right hue to share your compassion appropriately. This guide will walk through the common rose color options for sympathy and help you determine which is best to send for funerals, memorials, or other remembrances after a loss.
Red Roses
Red roses are one of the most classic and recognizable rose varieties. Their vibrant crimson shade instantly conveys romance, passion, and affection. For this reason, red roses are often seen as inappropriate or too forwards for expressing condolences after a loss. Sending deep red roses could imply that you have intimate feelings for the grieving person, which is likely not your intent. They can come across as a romantic gesture, rather than a thoughtful sympathy gift.
However, lighter red rose shades, sometimes described as pink-red, can offer a softer look. These roses maintain the traditional symbolism of the red rose, but have a more subdued appearance. Rather than bold passion, they express gentler emotions like admiration and respect. So a lighter red rose bouquet can make a tasteful sympathy gift. But be sure to select a muted red hue, as deeper reds may still give the wrong impression.
White Roses
White roses are a classic choice for sympathy arrangements and funeral flowers. Their bright yet elegant white petals symbolize purity, innocence, and peace. They offer a sense of tranquility and serenity, making them an appropriate way to honor a departed loved one. White roses express sympathy through their meaning of spiritual love and eternal loyalty.
Their soft white shade also complements traditional funeral décor and arrangements. They look beautiful alongside common funeral elements like lilies and greenery. For these reasons, white roses stand as the most traditional sympathy rose color. They make a timeless, respectful gift for conveying your condolences to the family.
Pink Roses
Pink roses also serve as a popular rose color for expressing sympathy. Their soft pink hues symbolize grace, elegance, and sweetness. Light pink roses convey gentle emotions like admiration and joy. They can express that you want to uplift the grieving person’s spirits during the difficult times after a loss.
Deeper pink rose varieties can also work well for sympathy. Their appreciation symbolism carries a sensitive, thoughtful sentiment for someone grieving. Both light and deep pink roses make caring, compassionate gifts to comfort and encourage a grieving friend or family member.
Yellow Roses
Yellow roses have an optimist symbolism of joy, delight, and friendship. Their bright, sunny color expresses warmth and gladness. This cheerful meaning can work well for sympathy gestures, depending on the context. Yellow roses can communicate that you want to lift the spirits of the bereaved and inspire positive emotions and hope after their loss.
However, some may see yellow as too flashy or celebratory a color for consoling grief. If selecting yellow roses for sympathy, opt for softer, pastel yellow hues. These appear more soothing than bold yellows. With their gentler appearance and uplifting symbolism, pale yellow roses can make thoughtful sympathy bouquets and gifts.
Orange Roses
Orange roses combine the energies of red roses and yellow roses. They blend yellow’s sense of joy and delight with red’s passion and excitement. This creates a meaning of enthusiasm, desire, and vibrancy. For these reasons, bright orange roses are likely too flashy and lively for appropriate sympathy flower gifts.
However, softer peach-orange roses offer a more subdued look. Their lighter orange shades express gentler qualities like gratitude, thoughtfulness, and admiration. These qualities align well with condolence sentiments. So while bright orange varieties aren’t suitable, softer orange hues can work nicely for sympathy arrangements.
Peach Roses
Peach-colored roses offer beauty and elegance. Their sweet, delicate peach shade carries sentiments of gratitude, innocence, and sincerity. In Victorian flower language, peach roses also symbolize modesty and genuineness. These qualities give them a sensitive, comforting meaning perfect for condolences.
Additionally, the subtle peach color provides the soft, muted look appropriate for funerals and memorials. Peach roses appear sentimental, yet not overly showy. Along with their elegance and gratitude symbolism, this makes them a tasteful and thoughtful sympathy rose choice.
Lavender Roses
Like peach roses, lavender roses have an elegant, delicate beauty that suits remembrances and condolences. Their distinctive purple-pink hue has a calming, soothing effect. Lavender roses symbolize grace, refinement, and charm. Their color can express admiration and heartfelt appreciation.
These qualities give lavender roses a sensitive, nuanced meaning perfect for consoling grief and loss. Their calm aura and gentle charm create a lovely sympathy gift. Lavender roses convey your esteem and compassion, without appearing showy or celebratory. Their tranquil vibe makes them ideal for soothing and comforting someone dealing with grief.
Blue Roses
Blue roses are an intriguing, eye-catching alternative for sympathy gifts. While roses lack the blue pigment naturally, flower growers can use dyes to produce blue rose varieties. These uniqueness and rarity give blue roses a fascinating allure. Blue symbolizes patience, tranquility, and devotion. It can express sympathy through steadfast loyalty and commitment to supporting the bereaved.
However, some may see blue roses as too unusual for solemn occasions like funerals. Others may associate blue with sadness and depression, so may not see it as uplifting. If thinking of selecting blue roses for sympathy, opt for muted, gray-blue shades rather than bold royal blue. These appear softer and more appropriate for expressing condolences.
Mixed Rose Bouquets
Rather than select a single color, you can opt for mixed rose bouquets in complementary hues. Combining white, pink, lavender, peach, and soft orange roses creates a sympathetic arrangement. Mixing rose colors allows you to incorporate several condolence sentiments in one bouquet.
For example, white expresses remembrance, pink communicates gentle affection, and lavender conveys peaceful charm. Blending soft hues creates a cohesive arrangement that says “Thinking of you in this difficult time” without appearing flashy or cheerful. Mixed bouquets offer a beautiful, meaningful sympathy gift.
Green Roses
Green is an unconventional rose color, as roses lack chlorophyll to produce natural green pigments. But flower growers can use dyes or other techniques to create green rose varieties. Green symbolizes growth, harmony, and balance. It can express revitalization and peaceful blessing wishes for the bereaved.
However, green roses may be seen as too unusual or festive for funerals and sympathy gifts. Sticking with lighter, natural rose colors tends to make a more tasteful, meaningful statement when expressing condolences after a loss. If opting for green roses, select muted seafoam shades rather than brighter kelly greens for sympathy purposes.
Black Roses
Like blue and green roses, black roses occur due to dyeing, not natural pigments. Black roses represent death, farewell, and endings. They have an extreme Gothic association with death and darkness. For these reasons, black roses are entirely inappropriate for any sympathy or condolence gift. Their sinister meaning can appear offensive and thoughtless rather than comforting. Avoid black roses for any bereavement situation.
Conclusion
When preparing sympathy rose gifts, stick with lighter, softer natural rose colors over bold or dyed varieties. Opt for white, pinks, peach, lavender, or muted yellows over red, orange, blue, green or black shades. Mixing complementary pastels creates a cohesive bouquet that expresses grief, love, and hope. With their elegant appearance and uplifting symbolism, these lighter rose hues make ideal funeral and memorial tokens for sharing your heartfelt condolences.
