Love in Bloom

Your Valentine's Day Guide to the Language of Flowers

by Lauren Maingot

Roses, the timeless symbols of love, carry nuanced meanings depending on their color. Red roses express passion, white symbolizes purity, yellow conveys friendship, and pink signifies admiration or gratitude. Regardless of hue, roses are considered an iconic token of romance.

With the graceful curves of their petals, tulips have come to signify perfect love and deep admiration for the recipient. They also symbolize the arrival of spring and the promise of new beginnings, renewal, and growth. 

Ranunculus flowers are prized for their layers of crepe petals. Their vibrant blooms symbolize charm and allure, making them a favorite for expressing attraction to their recipient. Ranunculus means “little frog” in Latin, named for their abundance near bodies of water in the spring.

With glossy leaves and heart-shaped blooms, anthuriums are often associated with hospitality and abundance. These tropical flowers also symbolize happiness and prosperity, and are considered tokens of good luck and protection in some cultures.

Symbols of luxury and refinement, orchids convey messages of love, beauty, and strength.  As they thrive in various environments, orchids have come to represent resilience, as well as fertility and virility in some cultures.

Lilies are revered for their intoxicating fragrance and timeless elegance, symbolizing purity, renewal, and enlightenment. White lilies, in particular, are often associated with innocence and virtue, while pink lilies convey admiration and prosperity.