Flower meanings
Every stem is saying something.
The language of flowers, one stem at a time. Browse what each flower has meant for centuries, then send a digital bouquet that says it for you.
Baby's Breath
Everlasting love and a pure heart
The small white clouds of gypsophila mean love that lasts and sincerity of feeling. It is in almost every wedding bouquet for exactly that reason.
Wax Flower
Lasting love and patience
Wax flower keeps its bloom far longer than most, so it stands for patience and love that holds up over time.
Anemone
Anticipation, fragility
Anemones close at night and open again with the light, so they came to mean waiting for something good. Their thin petals also make them a symbol of how delicate a moment can be.
Calla Lily
Elegance, purity
The calla's single sweeping petal has made it the flower of clean, unfussy elegance. It marks fresh chapters, from weddings to quiet tributes.
Camellia
Admiration, perfection
With petals arranged almost too neatly to be real, the camellia stands for admiration of someone you think is close to perfect. A generous compliment in flower form.
Chrysanthemum
Friendship, joy, honesty
Chrysanthemums bloom late and generously, and they stand for cheerful, honest friendship. The flower to send a friend who always tells you the truth.
Gerbera Daisy
Cheerfulness, innocence
Big, bright and open-faced, the gerbera is about as cheerful as a flower gets. It carries simple happiness with nothing hidden behind it.
Purple Iris
Faith, wisdom, hope
Named for the Greek messenger of the gods, the iris carries word between people. It stands for wisdom and for faith kept over distance.
Pink Lily
Purity, virtue, devotion
The lily has stood for purity and a faithful heart for centuries, which is why it appears at weddings and vigils alike. A way to say your regard for someone runs deep and steady.
Marigold
Joy, warmth, creativity
Marigolds are the colour of festivals and garlands, strung up wherever there is something to celebrate. They carry warmth, good spirits and a spark of creative energy.
Pink Orchid
Exotic beauty, strength
Orchids thrive in difficult places and bloom anyway, so they have long meant strength worn gracefully. A gift for someone you find both elegant and tough.
Peony
Prosperity, good fortune
Peonies are the flower of prosperous, joyful union. They are a traditional gift for anniversaries and for wishing someone a rich and happy life.
Poppy
Restful sleep, consolation
Poppies have been tied to rest and remembrance since antiquity. They offer comfort to someone who is tired or grieving, without needing many words.
Red Rose
Love, passion, beauty
The red rose says one thing and says it plainly: romantic love. There is no ambiguity in it, which is exactly why it is chosen.
White Rose
Reverence and a fresh start
The white rose carries none of the red rose's declaration. It means respect, sincerity, and beginnings — which is why it belongs equally at a wedding and at a farewell.
Yellow Rose
Friendship, warmth, and gladness
Yellow roses were deliberately separated from romance: they mean friendship and plain happiness at someone's company. The safe rose to send anyone.
Sunflower
Adoration, loyalty
Sunflowers turn to follow the light, which is why they came to stand for devotion that does not waver. A warm, uncomplicated way to say you admire someone.
Zinnia
Thoughts of absent friends
Zinnias keep blooming long after other flowers give up, and they came to stand for friends kept in mind across distance. One to send to someone you miss.
Eucalyptus
Protection and healing
Eucalyptus has been burned and hung for cleansing and protection across many cultures. In a bouquet it quietly wishes someone well.
Fern
Sincerity and shelter
Ferns were thought to offer shelter and were carried for sincerity and magic. They soften a bouquet and mean the giving is genuine.
Ruscus
Endurance and quiet strength
Ruscus stays green and firm long after cutting, which is why it reads as steadfastness: the kind of support that simply stays.
Aster
Patience, elegance
Named for the stars, asters flower at the very end of the season. They mean patience, and a quiet kind of elegance that is in no hurry.
Bluebell
Humility, constancy
Bluebells bow their heads and return to the same woods every spring. They stand for humility and for affection that stays put.
Carnation
Love, fascination
Carnations are the classic flower of maternal devotion and are the traditional bloom of Mother's Day. They also carry fascination and warm regard.
Daffodil
Rebirth, new beginnings
Daffodils are the first flowers up after winter, so they mean a fresh start. Given in a bunch, they also carry a wish for happiness ahead.
Daisy
Innocence, purity, new beginnings
Daisies are cheerful and unpretentious, standing for innocence and a clean, hopeful start. A gentle way to say sorry, too.
Forget-Me-Not
True love, memories
The name says it. Forget-me-nots are given to keep a person and a shared time close, and they stand for love that holds across absence.
Gladiolus
Strength of character
Named for the sword its tall spike resembles, the gladiolus stands for integrity and strength of character. A salute to someone who held firm.
Hyacinth
Sincerity, constancy
Hyacinths carry sincerity: feeling that is meant and that lasts. A good choice when you want to be believed, including when you are saying sorry.
Jasmine
Sensuality, grace, elegance
Jasmine is loved as much for its scent as its small white stars. It stands for grace and for attraction that is felt rather than announced.
Lavender
Serenity, calmness
Lavender has been used to calm and to help sleep for as long as anyone has written about it. It is a wish for peace and an easier day.
Lilac
First love, youthful innocence
Lilacs bloom briefly in late spring, and they are tied to the first stirrings of love. They carry the sweetness of feeling something for the first time.
Primrose
Young love, eternal love
One of the first flowers of spring, the primrose stands for young love, and for the kind you cannot imagine being without.
Snapdragon
Graciousness, strength
Snapdragons grow happily out of stone walls, so they have long meant strength under pressure, carried with good grace.
Sweet Pea
Pleasure, gratitude
Sweet peas are the traditional thank-you for a lovely time. They carry gratitude and the simple pleasure of good company.
Pink Tulip
Perfect love, elegance
Tulips mean wholehearted love of any kind, not only romantic. Pink ones lean toward affection and good wishes, which makes them easy to give to anyone.
Violet
Modesty, humility
Violets grow low and half hidden, which is how they became the flower of modesty. They honour a person who never asks for attention.