Floriography - The Language of Flowers
presented by the Los Angeles Flower District

In the language of flowers, a daughter may express her appreciation to her mother, sweethearts can communicate their most heartfelt emotions, a father can bestow the gift of appreciation upon a child, and friends can share experiences, all by using the sentiments of floral expression – specific emotions and intentions represented by specific flowers and plants:

Acacia – friendship; secret love Amaryllis – hesitant beauty Anemone – anticipation Apple blossom – preference; good fortune Arborvitae – live for me Aster – virtue; symbol of love Astilbe – I’ll be waiting Azalea – temperance; first love Bachelor button – hope of love; celibacy; blessedness Basil, sweet – best wishes; success in love Bay leaves - faithfulness Bittersweet – truth Blossoms of fruit, almond – hope Blossoms of fruit, apple – admiration Blossoms of fruit, cherry – spiritual beauty Blossoms of fruit, orange – purity, fertility, loveliness Blossoms of fruit, peace -- captivated Bluebell – sad regret; constancy Buttercup – money Cactus – grandeur Caladium – great joy; delight Calla lily – magnificent beauty Camellia, red – personal worth; excellence Camellia, white – loveliness; gratitude Carnation, pink – I’ll never forget you Carnation, red – My poor heart! Carnation, striped – Regrets; I can’t be with you Carnation, white – remember me Chrysanthemum, red – I love you, sharing Chrysanthemum, white – fidelity, truth Chrysanthemum, yellow – I am sad Cineraria – always a delight Clematis - beauty Clover, 4-leaf – good luck; be mine Columbine – inconsistency Crocus – joy; young love Cyclamen – bashfulness Daffodil – unreturned love; innocence; regard Dahlia – elegance Daisy – share your feelings Daisy, white - innocence Dandelion – Coquetry Dock – patience Dogwood – love in spite of adversity Edelweiss – noble memories Everlasting – always remember Fern – fascination Fir – time Fleur de lis – I burn Forget-me-not – true love Four o’clock – timidity Foxglove – youth Fuchsia – confiding love Gardenia – refinement; secret, untold love; joy Gentian – I love you best when you are sad Geranium – gentility; friendship Gladiolus – friendship; love at first sight Goldenrod – encouragement Heather – dreams we share will come true Heliotrope – devotion Hibiscus – delicate beauty Holly – domestic happiness, bliss Hollyhock – ambition Honeysuckle – faithfulness; bond of love Hyacinth, blue – constancy Hyacinth, purple – jealousy Hyacinth, white – loveliness Hydrangea – understanding Iris – a compliment; a message Ivy – fidelity, friendship, marriage Jasmine – grace, elegance, sensuality Jonquil – wisdom; return my affection

Larkspur, pink – freedom Larkspur, purple – haughtiness Lavender – loveliness in age Lilac, purple – first love Lilac, white – innocence, purity Lily of the valley – virtue, faithfulness, happiness Lotus – forgetfulness Magnolia – soulful, dignity, perseverance Marigold – Unrequited love Mimosa – daintiness Mint – virtue Moss rose – great merit Myrtle – wedded happiness Narcissus – vanity Nasturtium – patriotism Night-blooming cereus – transient beauty Oleander – beware Olive and laurel leaves – plenty, virtue Orchid – you are beautiful Palm leaf – victory Pansy – thoughts of the loved one Passion flower – holy love Peony – shame periwinkle, white – pleasant memories Petunia – you soothe me; never despair Phlox – agreement; we are united Poinsettia – success Poppy, red – consolation Poppy, white – sleep Primrose – carless joy Rhododendron – warning Rose of any color – love Rose, deep red – admiration; deep or passionate love Rose, full bloom – engagement Rose, half bloom – timid love Rose, pink - happiness Rose, white – worthiness Rose, yellow – jealousy; friendship kind of love Rose, thornless – love at first sight Rose, briday – happy love Roses, red and white together - unity Rosebud, red – pure and lovely Rosebud, moss – confessions of love Rosebud, white – girlhood Rosemary – remembrance; commitment; fidelity Sage – domestic virtue Scabiosa – I cannot accept your love Shamrock – loyalty Snapdragon – presumption Snowdrop – friendship Spider flower – elope with me Star of Bethlehem – atonement Stephanotis – come to me; happy in marriage Stock – lasting beauty Sunflower - adoration Sunflower, dwarf – adoration Sweet pea – blissful pleasure, lasting pleasure Sweet William – smile for me; gallantry Syringa – be happy Teasel – cynicism Thistle – hardihood Thyme – courage Tiger lily – you are afraid Tuberose – bereavement Tulip – boldness Tulip, red – declaration of love Tulip, yellow – hopeless love Verbena – tender emotion Verbena, white – pray for me Violet – modesty Violet, blue – faithfulness Wallflower – loneliness Water lily – a pure heart Wisteria – welcome; I cling to you Yarrow – cure for heartache Zinnia – thoughts of friends; absent love