Forget the secret life of bees. It’s flowers that have a hidden agenda.
Did you know that flowers convey a myriad of meanings? On Valentine’s Day and other occasions when you decide to say it with flowers, make sure you’re sending the message you intend. By choosing incorrectly, you may be conveying inappropriate or unwelcome sentiments.
It is safe to say that a very small percentage of the population knows the traditional meaning of most flowers. But the recipient of your gift might be that one person in a hundred who knows the pedigree and mythology of every blossom. So tuck this trivia away and it may help you to avoid embarrassment when you select and send flowers. And who knows, it might serve as a topic to break the ice when staring over the centerpiece at a dull dinner party.
Here is a floral lexicon to help you avoid pitfalls when choosing flowers for family or friends, colleagues or clients:
Carnation- Friendship, Pride, Admiration, Fascination
Pink carnations - Especially appropriate on Mother’s Day.
Chrysanthemum – Friendship
Cyclamen – Resignation, Goodbye
Daffodil – Regard, Unrequited love
Daisy – Innocence, Cheer, Friendship
Forget-me-not – Affection, Remembrance, Interest in pursuing/building a relationship
Gardenia – Secret love
Geranium – Friendship
Hyacinth (purple) – Apology, Sorrow
Iris – Faith, Admiration, Wisdom, Valor
Lily – Innocence, Purity, Rebirth (Spring), Condolence
Orchid – Love, Beauty, Refinement, Strength
Pansy – Thoughtful recollection
Petunia – Anger, Resentment
Poinsettia – “Be of good cheer”
Rose –
Coral/Orange –Enthusiasm, Desire
Pink – Grace, Gentility, Happiness, Trustworthiness
Dark pink – Thank you
Light pink – Admiration
Peach – Let’s get together, Closing the deal
Yellow – Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Welcome, Think of me
White – Charm, Secrecy, Silence, Innocence, Reverence, Humility
Red * – Romance, Passion, True Love
(* Steer clear of red roses unless you mean business – the business of love, not commerce. A red rose says “I love you” in most languages or cultures. If you choose to send roses for business occasions, you are sending the message that the recipient is valued and special, but go with any color other than red.)
Sunflower – Loyalty, Longevity, Admiration, Devotion
Tulip - Friendship, Admiration, Love*
(* Tulips are now a harmless symbol of friendship and not necessarily a declaration of love. It is not at all risky to give them to a business colleague, take them to a dinner party or send them to a sick friend.)
Violet – Modesty, Simplicity
Zinnia – Lasting affection
International Protocol Tips
Cultural nuances can torpedo your good intentions when it comes to giving flowers in the international arena. General rules to follow are:
- Types of flowers
– Chrysanthemums – Associated with death in Mexico (as are other yellow flowers)
– Lilies and carnations – Symbolize death in Japan
– Roses – In Saudi Arabia, they are considered too personal a gift for business colleagues or visitors to present.
- Colors
– In China and Korea, green, white and black are colors for funerals, and blue is for mourning.
– In Japan, avoid white flowers (associated with death), and avoid red flowers as a gift for a friend or colleague who is ill (signifies blood).
– In some Latin American countries, purple is a color for funerals.
– White flowers signify death in India and historically were used to remove spells in Mexico.
– Red roses (worth repeating) – Around the world, red roses symbolize passion or true love.
- Numbers
– In China, avoid gifts of items in even numbers (i.e., a dozen roses). 4 and 9 are unlucky numbers; 3 and 8 are lucky numbers.
– In Japan and Korea, avoid gifts in even numbers (i.e., a dozen roses.) 4 and 9 are unlucky numbers; 3 and 7 are lucky numbers.
– In India, never give gifts in even numbers.
- Presentation – In many Latin American and European countries, it is considered tacky to present flowers wrapped in paper, cellophane or plastic sleeves, even when tied with a ribbon.
- Choose another gift – In Caribbean countries where flowers are abundant, flowers are not an appropriate gift.
Still not fluent in flowers? Perhaps a nice box of candy instead…?
