Alstroemeria
Long-lasting Peruvian lily used in mixed bouquets.
Colours: pink, orange, yellow, white
Season: spring, summer, year-round
Meaning: Friendship and devotion
Flower meanings
Floriography — the Victorian habit of assigning coded meanings to flowers — is a historical curiosity, not a global language. The same white chrysanthemum can be a cheerful autumn gift in one country and a cemetery flower in another. BlossomPot uses wording such as “traditionally associated with” and “often used to express” because symbolism varies by culture, religion and family.
If you want a reliable message, write it on the card. Use colour and flower type as atmosphere, not as a secret code the recipient is required to decode.
Start with colour
Red Flowers
Traditionally associated with romantic love in roses; also energy and celebration in mixed designs.
Pink Flowers
Often used for admiration, gratitude and gentler affection. Not a single universal meaning.
White Flowers
Purity, elegance, new beginnings or remembrance — context matters.
Yellow Flowers
Friendship, joy and get-well wishes in contemporary use.
Orange Flowers
Enthusiasm and warmth.
Purple Flowers
Admiration, calm or ceremony depending on the flower.
Blue Flowers
Calm, apology or uniqueness in modern use.
Green Flowers
Renewal and a contemporary, less romantic look.
Peach Flowers
Sincerity and warm romance in contemporary palettes.
Mixed Colour Flowers
Celebration and personality rather than one coded emotion.
Published flower guides
Baby's Breath
Airy filler flower used in bouquets and wedding work.
Colours: white, pink
Season: year-round
Meaning: Everlasting love and innocence
Calla Lily
Sculptural spathe flower used in weddings and formal designs.
Colours: white, pink, yellow, orange
Season: spring, summer, year-round
Meaning: Elegance and rebirth
Carnation
Ruffled, long-lasting florist staple with colour-specific meanings.
Colours: red, pink, white, yellow
Season: year-round
Meaning: Love, distinction, and remembrance
Chrysanthemum
Autumn florist favourite with many forms and cultural meanings.
Colours: yellow, white, pink, red
Season: autumn, year-round
Meaning: Joy, longevity, and in some cultures grief
Dahlia
Late-summer show flower prized for form and colour range.
Colours: pink, red, orange, yellow
Season: summer, autumn
Meaning: Dignity and inner strength
Freesia
Fragrant, funnel-shaped stems used in spring and wedding work.
Colours: white, yellow, pink, purple
Season: spring, winter
Meaning: Trust and thoughtfulness
Gardenia
Creamy, highly fragrant blooms used sparingly in luxury work.
Colours: white
Season: spring, summer
Meaning: Secret love and refinement
Gerbera
Cheerful daisy-form cut flower in a wide colour range.
Colours: pink, red, orange, yellow
Season: year-round
Meaning: Cheerfulness
Hydrangea
Large clustered heads used in weddings and statement bouquets.
Colours: blue, pink, white, purple
Season: spring, summer, autumn
Meaning: Gratitude and understanding
Iris
Sculptural blooms associated with faith, hope, and wisdom.
Colours: purple, blue, yellow, white
Season: spring
Meaning: Faith, hope, and wisdom
Lavender
Aromatic herb used in rustic bouquets, favours, and dried work.
Colours: purple, blue
Season: summer
Meaning: Calm and devotion
Lily
True lilies (Lilium) used in sympathy, Easter, and celebration work.
Colours: white, pink, orange, yellow
Season: spring, summer, year-round
Meaning: Purity, renewal, and remembrance
Lisianthus
Rose-like florist flower with a long vase life.
Colours: white, pink, purple, peach
Season: summer, year-round
Meaning: Appreciation and charisma
Orchid
Diverse family; moth orchids are the most common gift plants.
Colours: white, pink, purple, yellow
Season: year-round
Meaning: Refinement and strength
Peony
Lush, short-season bloom prized for weddings and romance.
Colours: pink, white, red, peach
Season: spring, summer
Meaning: Romance, honour, and prosperity
Ranunculus
Layered spring bloom often compared with peonies and roses.
Colours: pink, peach, white, yellow
Season: spring, winter
Meaning: Radiant charm
Rose
The world's best-known cut flower, with colour-specific meanings.
Colours: red, pink, white, yellow
Season: year-round
Meaning: Love, admiration, and remembrance
Sunflower
Tall, sunny bloom associated with loyalty and late-summer gifts.
Colours: yellow, orange
Season: summer, autumn
Meaning: Adoration and loyalty
Tulip
Spring bulb flower with many forms, from Triumph to Parrot.
Colours: red, pink, yellow, white
Season: spring, winter
Meaning: Affection and perfect love