10 Valentine’s Day Flower Meanings to Know Before You Send a Bouquet
From passion to loyalty, every bloom carries a message—here’s how to say exactly what you feel.
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a bouquet of colorful fresh flowers for your significant other. Of course, you can always just pick up whatever blooms you see first at the grocery store, but it can be extra romantic to consider the symbolism behind the blooms you select. To help inspire your gifting this year, we’ve researched the Valentine’s Day flower meanings for you below.
Only you can decide which flowers are best to convey “I love you forever” to your significant other, but looking at what colors are associated with what symbolism can help guide you in the right direction for your loved one this year. To make your Valentine’s Day gift even more special, pair it with a thoughtful message handwritten in a card (maybe a DIY one that is basically a hug in an envelope). No matter which flowers you choose, you’re sure to make your valentine smile for many days to come—and even longer if you buy potted flowers!
Roses
Regal, fragrant red roses are of course most synonymous with a Valentine’s bouquet: a clear expression of “I love you” for centuries. Their symbolism has been illustrated in Romeo and Juliet and Robert Burns’ poem “A Red Red Rose” among other references in literature. If you want to vary things up a little this year, consider that pink roses symbolize happiness and admiration, lavender roses connote love at first sight and enchantment, and coral roses express friendship for your “galentines.”
Orchids
The elegant orchid has taken on different meanings in different cultures over the years. Given their graceful form, it’s not surprising they have symbolized elegance, sophistication, and refinement. They’ve also long been tied to love and romance, symbolizing fertility in ancient Greece and marriage in China. They are great to gift as potted plants too.
Tulips
Known for their brilliant blankets of color across fields in Holland, tulips’ symbolism is generally tied to spring and new life since they bloom in the spring, and they’ve also long signified love. Red blooms convey a declaration of deep, eternal love, while yellow ones speak to happiness and hope.
Carnations
Sometimes known as the flower of the gods, the ruffled petals of the carnation are a long-popular bloom with meanings varying by color. Red ones are classic expressions of deep love and romance said to declare, “My heart aches for you,” while pink ones say, “I’ll never forget you” and white blooms represent all things sweet, lovely, and innocent.
Daisies
Cheerful, dainty daises are often associated with innocence, purity, and cheerfulness, and they also represent a true and loyal love. Most notable for Valentines’ Day, red daises are tied to passion and love, and pink blooms represent both love and joy.
Sunflowers
Nothing says adoration and loyalty like the sun-loving sunflower. More than anything they are known to spread joy and positivity and make a great gift for a loved one or a friend alike on Valentine’s Day.
Peonies
Generally, these fragrant flowers with their dense layers of soft petals symbolize happiness, prosperity, good luck, love, and honor. While appropriate for any occasion, on Valentine’s Day peonies can convey more than just love but a sense of well wishes for your loved one too. Like many flowers, red ones are most associated with romantic love coupled with respect, while pink blooms represent a softer, tender love.
Iris
The bold and beautiful iris has many layers of meaning: faith, trust, wisdom, hope, and valor. Its meaning can also vary by color, with yellow symbolizing passion and blue conveying hope, respect, and emotional support.
Hydrangea
With their voluminous clusters of floral blooms, hydrangeas uniquely convey emotion and gratitude as well as apology as derived from Japanese cultural tradition. The tender beauty of pink hydrangeas is the most romantic of the hues to give to someone you love, and meanings vary for white, blue, purple, and green blooms, though all are stunning in their own ways.
Ranunculus
With tightly packed layers of delicate petals, these whimsical blooms symbolize charm and attractiveness. In the Victorian era, ranunculus flowers were sent during early courtship to express affection and today are often gifted to convey adoration. Their beauty is sure to not be soon forgotten.
The Flower-Giving Rules Grandma Swore By
5 Valentine Tips from 100-Year-Old Love Letters
Last Minute Desserts to Impress Your Valentine
3 Last-Minute Valentine’s Day Decorating Ideas
