Valentine’s Day Flower Meanings

Flowers are not only beautiful, they also have a lot to say. With Valentine’s Day coming up fast, we are here to let you know the message you’re sending along with that gorgeous arrangement. And knowledge of meaning is no less important on the receiving end. After all, what good is a floral message if the recipient doesn’t understand it?

So in the interest of clarifying the communication of love, here are the most common Valentine’s Day flowers and their meanings!

Flower Meanings

1. Red Roses – I bet you saw this one coming. The red rose signifies passionate love, beauty, romance and perfection. With meaning like that, its popularity on Valentine’s Day should be no surprise.
2. Red and White Carnations – Red carnations signify deep love while white carnations mean undying devotion. Both are excellent options and a mix of the two will send an unmistakable message. In fact, you might need a ring to go with THAT bouquet.
3. Tulips – Red tulips are for undying  and perfect love, but yellow tulips stand for hopeless love. It would be best not to get those two mixed up.
4. Primrose – Perfect for new relationships or those teenagers out there looking to impress, this flower signifies the sweet innocence of young love.
5. Chrysanthemum – The red version symbolizes love (I’m sensing a theme with the color red) while the white variant signifies truth and loyal love. The yellow version represents slighted love, so be very careful in your color selection.
6. Gardenia – This flower signifies secret love. Use at your own risk.
7. Gerbera Daisies – These mean innocence, purity and cheerfulness. Probably best used as a gift for a close friend.
8. Alstroemeria – Representative of friendship and devotion, it could still be used in an arrangement for that special someone when combined with some of the more romantic flowers on this list. And the name is so much fun to say!
9. Orchid – The orchid represents love, beauty, luxury and strength, but can also mean “exotic seduction”. These flowers imply you are bit more adventurous between the sheets. Don’t use them unless it’s true. Nothing is more frustrating in life than false advertising.
10. Iris – Another flower you should use in combination with something else as it stands for faith and hope. Coupled with any of the romantic flowers, it says that you believe in your love and have hope for your future.

As you can see, flowers can mean many different things. You don’t want to offer an arrangement that says, “marry me” when you’re really thinking, “Let’s take things slow.” Thinking about sending a flower not on this list? Make sure you ask your local florist before ordering to ensure you’re on the right track.

Send the message you intend this Valentine’s Day, and say it with flowers!