The Language of Flowers
Over the years, flower types and colors have become associated with different emotions and events. Going to prom? Roses are a given. Sending a get-well-soon bouquet? Sunflowers will do the trick. Attending a funeral? Lilies are expected. You know all of this because of floriography—the language of flowers. And although it informs how we treat today’s bouquets, it has deep roots in the Victorian era.
You could say that flowers were the emojis of the Victorian era. Posies spoke the language of love, saying what respectable Victorians could not or would not say out loud. Beyond courtship, flowers were also used as symbols during special events or ceremonies such as weddings. In 1858, Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter added a sprig of myrtle to her wedding bouquet. The sprig was cut from a bush sprouted from a cutting gifted to the queen by her husband’s grandmother. Myrtle symbolized good luck and love in marriage. The royal family has kept this tradition. As a bride, Kate Middleton used myrtle taken from Queen Victoria’s original plant in her wedding bouquet. Her entire bouquet was actually a nod to floriography with a meaning behind every flower used. Her bouquet contained Sweet William, which is symbolic of gallantry but was also a nod to her husband’s name. The arrangement also included lily of the valley (trustworthiness), ivy (fidelity and friendship), and hyacinth (which has a double meaning of sport or play and hinted at the couple’s athleticism).
During Queen Victoria’s reign, the British Empire stretched from the United Kingdom to the Caribbean, Africa, India, Australia, and New Zealand. These far-flung locales introduced exotic flowers, plants, spices, and herbs to the British Isles. This in part sparked the interest in flowers and their meanings, as did the rise in the science of botany during the same era.
Mastering these semiotics became a hobby for Victorians. The wrong interpretation behind a bouquet could crush a budding romance. To help, publishers issued floral dictionaries illustrating the flowers and their symbolism. These books contained hundreds of entries and sometimes the authors disagreed on meanings; however, a few flowers were consistent in the meanings ascribed to them. Often the traits of the plant itself, such as its color, growth habits, or medicinal uses, informed the symbolism. For example, the red rose symbolized passionate love, but its thorns showed how tricky and painful the emotion could be.
Floriography is no longer a typical hobby, but the symbolism of common flowers has carried over to today. Here are a few top flowers and their meanings to consider before sending your next bouquet.
Roses: Roses signify love and friendship, but the color of the rose contains more details. Red is for passion, white for innocence, yellow for friendship, and pink conveys gratitude and admiration.
Carnations: The scientific name for carnations is Dianthus caryophyllus. Some think the name comes from Diana, the goddess of the hunt. Others think it comes from the Greek dios (god) and anthos (flower) to mean flower of the gods. Like roses, carnation colors also carry meaning. White means purity, red is admiration and love, and yellow signifies disappointment and rejection.
Lilies: Lilies grow all over the world and many civilizations ascribed meaning to these blooms. They are associated with motherhood and rebirth. They are frequently used at funerals to symbolize passing from one life to the next.
Tulips: The name tulip came from a Persian word that meant turban and was inspired by its shape. Purple tulips in particular indicate royalty and abundant riches, whereas pink says “I love you,” but only as a friend or family member.
Orchids: These exotic flowers represent virility and fertility. In ancient Greece, parents believed they could set the sex of their child by eating certain types of orchid tubers, the thick buried part of the plant. In Victorian times, these glamorous plants were rare so they often symbolized wealth and luxury. To give them as gifts was a sign of profound love or passion.
Pansies: Pansies were used frequently by Victorian flirts. They indicated “I’m thinking about you” or “I have amorous feelings for you.” The name pansy comes from the middle French pensée, which means to think about or contemplate.
Chrysanthemums (or Mums): In Latin, Chinese, and Japanese etymology, the name of this flower translates as golden blossom. In Victorian times, this flower meant well wishes and friendship. Today, meaning varies by geography. In Japan, the mum indicates the royal family. In the West, it represents cheerfulness or optimism. But in New Orleans specifically, it’s used on All Saints Day in remembrance of loved ones who have passed on. Written by Ronda Swaney. Photography provided by ©iStockphoto.com/SrdjanPav.