Roses have been a symbol of love, beauty, war and politics over the course of history. Roses come in a variety of colors and each color has a different meaning. The symbolism varies slightly across cultures, but there are some common themes that roses represent. This article will explore the meaning behind 10 common rose colors and help you understand what every rose represents.
Red Roses
Red roses are the most common roses and the most popular for expressing romantic love. Their red color represents passionate, romantic love and deep respect. Red roses are given on Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and as romantic gestures. They convey deep emotions – be it love, longing or desire. Red roses are associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love.
White Roses
White roses symbolize purity, innocence, youthfulness, and higher spiritual love. They are used in weddings to represent unity, virtue, and the cleansing of the soul. White can also represent respect and honor. They express hope for the future, reverence and humility. In Victorian times, different nuances of meaning were attached to roses of varying shades of white.
Pink Roses
Pink roses symbolize sweetness, admiration and joy. They represent elegance, gentleness and poetic romance. Pink roses express your admiration and appreciation for someone, without the romantic subtext of the red rose. They can be used as an expression of sensitivity, nurturing and femininity. Pink roses also have ties to success.
Yellow Roses
Yellow roses represent joy, friendship and compassion. Sending yellow roses traditionally conveys unwavering friendship, cheerful joy and the promise of a new beginning. Yellow roses are given to celebrate new life, like the birth of a baby, or a new relationship. Yellow can also represent remembrance and a warm memory.
Orange Roses
Orange roses signify passion, boldness and enthusiasm. They can be used to express intense emotions, celebration and excitement for life. Orange roses also symbolize fascination, pride and fervor. They are typically given to convey intense romantic feelings or attraction.
Lavender Roses
Lavender roses convey enchantment, majesty and splendor. They are used to express wonder, impossibility, or love at first sight. Lavender roses are believed to have a mystical quality to them. The color lavender also has its own symbolism – serenity, grace, calmness and caution.
Blue Roses
Blue roses represent mystery and longing to attain the impossible. Since blue roses do not naturally occur, they have come to symbolize rarity and the unattainable. They ask the recipient to accept the mystery and strive for what seems impossible to attain. They can represent aspiration and the quest to make dreams come true.
Black Roses
Black roses signify death, farewell and tragic ending. They are used to express grief, sorrow and bereavement. They convey melancholic and bleak emotions associated with loss. Black roses are also seen as symbols of rebellion, independence and departure from the norms of society.
Green Roses
Green roses represent fertility, greenery, tranquility, peace and natural, organic beauty. They can be used to express best wishes for prosperity, good health, stability and healing. Green roses have ties to the natural world, growth and nurturing energy. They also embody rejuvenation and calmness.
Peach Roses
Peach roses convey gentleness, sincerity, gratitude and appreciation. They can be used to express modesty, friendship and simple, heartfelt emotions. Peach roses also represent loyalty and can be given to someone dear to honor long-standing attachments. The warm peach color emits a sense of closeness.
Conclusion
Roses have complex and nuanced meanings across their wide variety of colors. While red roses represent passionate love, pink roses convey gentler appreciative love. White roses embody purity and spirituality. Yellow roses signify joy and friendship. Orange roses express enthusiasm and attraction. Lavender roses denote enchantment and impossibility. Blue roses symbolize the quest for the unattainable. Black roses represent grief and farewell. Green roses embody natural vibrancy and tranquility. Peach roses convey sincerity, loyalty and modesty. Every rose color carries a different meaning that helps express exactly what you want to say.
| Rose Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Love, Respect, Courage, Passion |
| White | Purity, Spirituality, Innocence |
| Pink | Grace, Gentleness, Admiration |
| Yellow | Joy, Friendship, Promise |
| Orange | Desire, Enthusiasm, Attraction |
| Lavender | Enchantment, Majesty, Love at First Sight |
| Blue | Unattainable, Impossible, Mystery |
| Black | Death, Farewell, Sadness |
| Green | Vitality, Harmony, Prosperity |
| Peach | Gratitude, Sincerity, Modesty |
Roses have been admired and cultivated for thousands of years. Historical evidence shows roses were grown in China around 5,000 years ago and they were used in ancient Persia, Babylon, Egypt and Rome. Different rose colors gained symbolic meaning over time. Red roses were associated with the blood of Adonis and Aphrodite in Greek mythology. White roses were used in weddings to symbolize unity. The “War of Roses” in 15th century England was an actual series of battles between the House of Lancaster whose symbol was a red rose and the House of York whose symbol was a white rose.
Victorian floriography in the 19th century popularized the meaning of flowers, especially roses. Different rose colors came to express different sentiments, with red symbolizing love, white purity, yellow friendship and so on. Roses went on to become the most popular florist flower arrangement internationally. Today, roses remain a time honored way to convey romantic love, appreciation, mourning and celebration. With their wide variety of colors, roses allow you to choose just the right shade to communicate exactly what you wish to express.
When selecting roses, both the color and number have symbolic significance. A single red rose conveys deep love. A dozen red roses expresses true love stronger than one rose. Two entwined roses represent an engagement. Twenty-five roses arranged signify congratulations. Fifty roses arranged together communicate unconditional love. Rose color meanings apply to arrangements, gifts and bouquets. Next time you gift roses, be sure to select the color that embodies your specific sentiments.
Conclusion
Roses have a rich symbolic history and deep cultural significance. Over the centuries, different rose colors have come to represent different emotions and meanings. Red conveys passionate romance. White symbolizes purity. Pink expresses gentleness. Yellow signifies joy. Orange represents enthusiasm. Lavender denotes the mystical and impossible. Blue embodies the unattainable. Black signifies grief and loss. Green represents natural vibrancy. Peach conveys sincerity. Every rose color carries its own unique meaning. The rich rainbow of rose colors allows you to communicate exactly what you wish. Next time you see or gift roses, consider the deep symbolism behind their shades. With roses, one can express a full spectrum of human sentiment.
