The language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, was a
Victorian-era
means of
communication
in which various
flowers
and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals
to express feelings which otherwise could not be
spoken.
The Japanese flower language is
called
Hanakotoba.
•
Acacia - Secret love; chaste
love; beauty in retirement; elegance; friendship; hope
• Acanthus - Art or artistic; the fine arts;
artifice
• Achillea millefolia - War
• Aconite (Wolf's Bane) - Misanthropy
• Acorn - Nordic symbol of life and immortality
• Agapanthus - Love letters
• Agnus castus - Coldness; indifference
• Allspice - Compassion
• Almond Blossom - Hope; lover's charm
• Aloe - Grief
• Alstroemeria - Devotion; friendship
• Alyssum - Worth beyond beauty
• Ambrosia - Love returned
• Amaranth - Fidelity
• Amaranth, Globe - Unchangeable; immortality;
unchanging love
• Amaryllis - Pride; Timidity; splendid beauty
• Anemone - Unfading love; truth; sincerity;
anticipation; forsaken; fading hope
• Angelica - Inspiration
• Aniseed - Restoration of youth
• Apple blossom - Preference; good fortune
• Arbor Vitae - True friendship
• Arbutus - Thee only do I love
• Artemisia - Dignity
• Asphodel - My regrets follow you to the grave
• Aster - Love; daintiness
• Azalea - Take care of yourself for me; fragile
passion; temperance; Chinese symbol of womanhood
•
Bachelor's Buttons - Celibacy; single blessedness;
hope in love
• Baby's Breath - Everlasting love; happiness; pure
in heart
• Basil - Best Wishes; love; hatred
• Bay Leaf - Strength; I change but in death
• Bear's Breeches - Art or artistic; the fine arts;
artifice
• Begonia - Beware
• Betony - Surprise
• Bells Of Ireland - Good luck
• Bilberry - Treachery
• Bird Of Paradise - Magnificence
• Bittersweet - Truth
• Bluebell - Humility; constancy
• Borage - Courage; bluntness
• Bouquet of withered flowers - Rejected love
• Broom - Humility; neatness
• Bulrush - Indiscretion; docility
• Burnet - A merry heart
• Buttercup - Cheerfulness; ingratitude;
childishness; desire for riches
• Cactus - Endurance; warmth; grandeur
• Calendula - Joy
• Calla - Magnificent beauty
• Camellia - Admiration; perfection; good luck gift
to a man; loveliness
• Camellia (Pink) - Longing for you
• Camellia (Red) - You're a flame in my heart
• Camellia (White) - You're adorable
• Camomile - Energy in adversity
• Candytuft - Indifference
• Carnation (in general) - Bonds of affection;
health and energy; fascination; alas for my poor heart
• Carnation (pink) - I'll never forget you
• Carnation (purple) - Capriciousness; whimsical;
changeable
• Carnation (red) - My heart aches for you;
admiration
• Carnation (solid colour) -Yes
• Carnation (striped) - No; refusal; sorry I can't
be with you; wish I could be with you
• Carnation (white) -Sweet and lovely; innocence;
pure love; woman's good luck gift
• Carnation (yellow) - You have disappointed me;
Rejection; disdain
• Cattail - Peace; prosperity
• Cedar - I live for thee; think of me
• Celandine - Joys to come
• Chamomile - Patience ; attracts wealth
• Chysanthemum (in general) - Cheerfulness; You're
a wonderful friend
• Chysanthemum (red) - I love
• Chysanthemum (white) - Truth
• Chysanthemum (yellow) -Slighted love
• Cinnamon - My fortune is yours
• Clover (four-leaf) - Good luck; be mine
• Columbine - Folly
• Coreopsis - Always cheerful
• Corn - Riches
• Cornflower - Delicacy; refinement
• Coriander - Lust
• Cowslip - Pensiveness; winning grace
• Coxcomb - Foppery
• Crocus - Cheerfulness; abuse not; joy
• Crown Imperial - Majesty; power
• Cyclamen - Resignation and goodbye; diffidence
• Ranunculus - You are radiant with charms
• Rocket - Rivalry
• Rose (red) - Love ; I love you
• Rose (white) - Eternal Love; innocence; heavenly;
secrecy and silence
• Rose (pink) - Perfect happiness; please believe
me
• Rose (yellow) - Friendship; jealousy; try to care
• Rose (black) - Death
• Rose (red and white) - Together; unity
• Rose (thornless) - Love at first sight
• Rose (single, full bloom) - I love you; I still
love you
• Rose bud - Beauty and youth; a heart innocent of
love
• Rose bud (red) - Pure and lovely
• Rose bud (white) - Girlhood
• Rosebud (moss) - Confessions of love
• Roses (bouquet of full bloom) - Gratitude
• Roses (garland or crown of) - Beware of virtue;
reward of merit; crown ; symbol of superior merit
• Roses (musk cluster) - Charming
• Rose (tea) - I'll always remember
• Rose (cabbage) - Ambassador of love
• Rose (Christmas) - Tranquilize my anxiety;
anxiety
• Rose (damask) - Brilliant complexion
• Rose (dark crimson) - Mourning
• Rose (hibiscus) - Delicate beauty
• Rose leaf - You may hope
• Rosemary - Remembrance; commitment; fidelity
• Rudbeckia - Justice
• Rue - Disdain
• Saffron - Beware of excess
• Sage - Wisdom; long life; domestic virtue
• Salvia (blue) - I think of you
• Scabious - Unfortunate love
• Shamrock - Lightheartedness
• Smilax - Loveliness
• Snapdragon - No; deception; gracious lady;
presumption
• Snowdrop - Hope
• Spearmint - Warmth of sentiment
• Spiderflower - Elope with me
• Spindle Tree - Your charms are engraved on my
heart
• Statice - Lasting beauty
• Star of Bethlehem - Atonement; purity
• Stephanotis - Happiness in marriage; desire to
travel; come to me
• Stock - Lasting beauty; promptness
• Strawberry - Perfect goodness
• Sunflower - Loyalty; haughtiness; you are
splendid
• Sweet Basil - Good luck
• Sweet pea - Goodbye; departure; blissful
pleasure; Thank you for a lovely time
• Sweet William - Grant me one smile; perfection;
gallantry
• Syringa - Memory
• Tamarisk - Crime
• Thrift - Sympathy
• Thyme - Strength and courage; activity
• Tuberose - Dangerous pleasure
• Tulip (general) - Fame; charity; declaration of
love;
• Tulip (red) - Believe me; declaration of love
• Tulip (variegated) - Beautiful eyes
• Tulip (yellow) - Hopeless love
• Valerian - An accommodating disposition
• Vernal Grass - Poor but happy
• Veronica - Fidelity
• Violet - Modesty; faithfulness
• Violet (blue) - Watchfulness; faithfulness; I'll
always be true
• Violet (white) - Let's take a chance on happiness
• Viscaria - Will you dance with me? • Wallflower - Fidelity in adversity
• Water Lily - Purity of heart
• Wistaria - I cling to you
• Woodruff - Sweet humility
• Wormwood - Absence