What Does The Kind Of Flower You Give Say About You?

Flowers can say a lot about the person that delivered them, whether it be for a cause of celebration or a somber occasion. 99% of people surveyed say that a person who gives flowers is thoughtful while 89% believe the giver is sophisticated, and even then, the type of flowers used in the floral arrangements can have a deeper meaning. If you’re going to a florist near you anytime soon, understand the different meanings a flower can have.

Carnations

A group of red and white carnations
Red and white carnations

Three different colors of carnations can represent wildly different meanings. If you’re going to florists looking for a carnation be sure that you pay attention to the color. Red carnations represent a deep love while white carnations represent a pure love. However, yellow carnations are sympathy flowers. They represent dejection and are therefore better for somber occasions such as funerals.

Red Tulips

A group of red tulips growing in a garden
Red Tulips

Like the red and white carnations, red tulips also represent love. In Russia, red tulips were used as a symbol of pure love. In Holland in the 17th century, Tulip bulbs were more valuable than gold as they symbolized immortality, life, and love. The rush for everyone to gain these tulips was known as “Tulip mania.” If you’re going to use tulips in your flower bouquets from a florist near you, be warned, the lifespan is very short, being 3 to 7 days.

Red Rose in Hand

Perhaps one of the most famous flowers, red roses have had several meanings throughout the years, but did you know that a single red rose in hand is a symbol for socialism? Since the 1800s, different socialism groups carried the red rose as a symbol to the point of the flower being exiled during the rise of anti-socialist laws in Germany.

Red roses
Red Roses

Don’t let this discourage you from using a red rose in your bouquet. The sometimes infamous red rose has been adopted for different meanings including the state flower for five states: Iowa, North Dakota, Georgia, New York, and Oklahoma. Pasadena, California has even held the Tournament of Roses parade since 1890. While these places may be far from a florist in Dundalk MD, this shows that red roses don’t just stand for social democracy.

If you’re trying to come up with good centerpieces at your wedding, including Red and white carnations and red tulips may be the best way to go symbolically, but there’s no harm in using red roses as well. However, if you are looking give flowers to someone that has lost a loved one, head to a florist near you and go with a bouquet of yellow carnations. Even if they don’t know the meaning, they’ll greatly appreciate the thought.

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