Flowers have long held symbolic meaning in cultures across the world. Throughout history, certain flowers have been associated with qualities like love, beauty, hope, and protection. When selecting a flower as a gift, it can be thoughtful to choose one that conveys a specific message to the recipient.
Meanings Behind Flowers
Flowers convey meaning in a few different ways. Some flowers have meaning based on their physical attributes. For example, roses symbolize love with their beautiful, layered petals and thorns representing sacrifice. Other flowers have meaning from folklore, mythology, and ancient traditions. The symbolic associations for certain flowers have carried into modern culture.
Giving a bouquet of flowers can communicate a variety of heartfelt sentiments. However, choosing a particular bloom that represents a specific meaning makes the gift even more special. This shows the recipient that time and care was spent in selecting each flower. When looking for a flower that symbolizes enduring love and lifelong protection, there are a few options with powerful traditional meanings.
Iris
The iris is a classic flower that has long symbolized love, valor, and wisdom. In Greek mythology, the goddess Iris was a messenger who traveled between heaven and earth on the rainbow. She delivered communications between the gods and mortals. Iris became a popular name for girls and the flower became associated with communication, connections, and hope.
Irises come in a diverse range of colors from vibrant purples and blues to white, yellow, pink, orange, and black. This diversity of shades gave irises additional meaning for conveying heartfelt messages. Purple irises symbolize wisdom and compliments, while blue irises represent faith and hope. Yellow irises signify passion, and white conveys purity and innocence.
Giving irises demonstrates faith in the recipient and the hope that the love between two people will remain constant. It communicates profound emotions that words cannot capture.
Gladiolus
With sword-shaped leaves and spiky blooms, the gladiolus flower has an eye-catching shape. Its name comes from the Latin word “gladius” meaning sword. The strength of its stems gives gladiolus an association with honor, moral integrity, and infatuation. The gladiolus signifies remembrance and calm.
In the Victorian era, giving gladiolus flowers conveyed that the recipient “pierces the heart” of the giver with passion. When given to a romantic partner, gladiolus expresses the sentiment “you pierce my heart.” It makes a thoughtful gift for someone who fills you with tenderness and deeply touches your spirit.
Gladiolus comes in a vibrant array of colors with each shade carrying its own unique meaning. Pink gladiolus represents grace and joy. Red signifies romance while white blooms symbolize purity and innocence. Sending a bouquet combining pink, red, and white gladiolus flowers expresses love filled with grace, romance, and purity of heart.
Carnation
Carnations are a popular flower choice for Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day celebrations due to their ruffled petals and wide range of colors. The carnation’s history dates back thousands of years to Ancient Greece and Rome. They became known as “Jove’s Flower” as a tribute to the Roman god Jupiter.
Over time, carnations became a symbol of love and fascination. Pink carnations indicate motherly love, red represents admiration, and white symbolizes pure love and innocence. Purple carnations convey capriciousness. When given to a partner, striped carnations signify regret that love cannot be shared.
Carnations are the official Mother’s Day flower, making them a perfect choice to honor a mother’s eternal love. A red carnation bouquet demonstrates deep affection for a romantic partner. For lasting love and protection, a mixed bouquet of red, white, and pink carnations covers the range of tender emotions.
Rose
No flower conveys love and passion more powerfully than the rose. Although roses come in many colors, red roses represent true love, passion, and romantic intent. The beauty and scent of a rose has meanings rooted in antiquity with goddesses like Isis and Aphrodite associated with this bloom.
Roses symbolize both love and confidentiality. Greek and Roman mythologies state that Cupid, the god of desire, offered a rose when two people fell in love. Romans and Greeks also associated roses with secrecy. Greek mythology shares the story of Cupid bribing the god of silence with a rose to hush the love affair between Venus and Adonis.
Red roses given to a romantic partner pledge true love. They also represent desire and confidentiality between two lovers. A dozen red roses delivers the traditional message, “Be mine.” Combining red and white roses promises unity and innocent love between partners.
Conclusion
Throughout history, cultures around the world have endowed flowers with meaning. Traditional associations emphasize the inherent beauty and essence of each bloom. Selecting a flower like the iris, gladiolus, carnation, or rose conveys love and protection for a recipient. With their layered symbolism, these flowers wordlessly communicate heartfelt emotions.
Next time you want to give flowers as a gift or for an occasion like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, consider the traditional meaning behind each type. With their elegance and fragrance, flowers have expressed sentiments for centuries that words cannot fully capture.