In the language of flowers, each species carries its own symbolic meaning — an emotion, a message, or a feeling. Here's what our full library of garden flowers represents.
Ageratum symbolizes politeness.
Ajuga symbolizes "most lovable."
Allium symbolizes good fortune and prosperity, along with unity, humility, and patience.
The anemone is thought to bring luck and protect against evil. Anemones are also said to symbolize anticipation.
Aster symbolizes patience, and is also a talisman of love.
Astilbe represents patience and dedication — said to make the statement "I will still be waiting."
Astrantia (aka Masterwort) represents and symbolizes strength, courage, and protection.
Azaleas symbolize temperance, passion, womanhood, and fragility — as well as fragile passion and abundance.
Bachelor button flowers symbolize hope in love, celibacy, and delicacy.
Balloon flowers (aka Chinese Bellflowers) symbolize unchanging love, honesty, and obedience.
Bee Balm symbolizes money, prosperity, protection from evil and illness, fertility, and restful sleep.
Begonias symbolize a fanciful nature.
Bellflowers symbolize affection, constancy, and everlasting love, as well as humility and delicacy — often given to say "thank you."
Bleeding hearts are a symbol of undying love.
Black Eyed Susans symbolize encouragement and motivation.
Cactus flowers symbolize endurance, warmth, maternal affection, and love.
Cherry trees symbolize education and feminine beauty. In Japan they represent the transience of life; falling blossoms are metaphors for fallen warriors. In Roman culture, cherry blossoms symbolized innocence.
Chives symbolize usefulness.
Chrysanthemums symbolize hope in dark times. By color: bronze means excitement, white means truth and honesty, red means sharing and cooperation, yellow means cheerfulness or a secret admirer.
A clematis symbolizes ingenuity.
Columbine once symbolized foolishness, from its resemblance to a jester’s cap. Later it took on contradictory meanings tied to the Virgin Mary and innocence.
Coneflowers symbolize strength and healing.
Coreopsis symbolizes cheerfulness.
Cosmos symbolize peace and tranquility — orderly and beautiful.
Crocus flowers symbolize foresight, being among the first to emerge after winter.
Daffodil carries contradictory meanings: unrequited love and vanity, but also good fortune, regard, chivalry, long-lasting friendship, happiness, and good wishes.
Dahlias represent elegance and dignity.
Daisies symbolize joyful innocence, hope, and happiness — the English daisy is considered a flower of children.
Delphiniums represent a bold statement, a symbolic message of boldness.
Dianthus symbolizes heavenly or Godly.
False sunflowers symbolize patience.
The flytrap symbolizes duplicity.
Forsythia symbolizes good nature, innocence, and anticipation.
Foxglove symbolizes insincerity.
Fuchsia symbolizes confiding love.
Gaillardia does not carry a specific symbolic meaning.
Gazania symbolizes richness, owing to its richness of color.
Geraniums symbolize preference and friendship — or, in another reading, stupidity and folly.
Gladiolas symbolize preparedness, strength, splendid beauty, and love at first sight.
Globe thistle symbolizes independence and nobility.
Goldenrod symbolizes hope, love, faith, valor, wisdom, and luck.
Heliotrope is a symbol of eternal love, religious salvation, and devotion.
Hibiscus symbolizes delicate beauty.
Hosta symbolizes devotion.
Hyacinth symbolizes games, sport, rashness, and playful joy, as well as love enduring across long stretches of time and place — and sometimes rebirth.
Hydrangeas symbolize earnestness, and are ideal for communicating any heartfelt emotion, from joy to grief.
Iris symbolizes the eternal promise of renewal and rebirth, and eloquence. A purple iris means wisdom, blue means faith and hope, yellow means passion, and white means purity.
Jacob's Ladder symbolizes "coming down."
Johnny Jump Ups send the message "you occupy my thoughts."
Ladies Mantle symbolizes the Virgin Mary.
Lady's Slipper symbolizes capricious beauty.
Lavender symbolizes devotion and love.
Leopard's Bane symbolizes strength.
Liatris carries a range of meanings: "I will try again," happiness, bliss, enthusiasm, and satisfaction.
Lilacs symbolize maturation, first love, youthful innocence, and emotion.
Lilies symbolize a wish for happiness, excitement, and prosperity.
Lupine flowers are symbolic of imagination, voraciousness, and admiration.
Magnolia symbolizes nobility, perseverance, love of nature, sweetness, and beauty.
Marigolds symbolize comfort of the heart, sacred affection, and sorrow.
Mimosa symbolizes sensibility, protection, prophetic dreams, and purification.
Morning Glory symbolizes "love in vain."
Orchids symbolize the power of love, and mature charm.
Pansies are symbols of thoughtfulness and love, and a long-standing symbol of "free thought."
Peonies represent love of a secret admirer, good fortune, and a happy marriage.
Petunias symbolize both soothing, and anger or resentment.
Phlox flowers symbolize good partnership, harmony, and sweet dreams.
Pincushion flowers symbolize unfortunate love.
Poinsettia symbolizes good cheer.
Poppy represents eternal sleep, oblivion, sacrifice, and imagination — as well as magic, consolation, fertility, eternal life, war, and death.
Primrose symbolizes youth or young love — "I can’t live without you."
Primulas symbolize first love.
Protea symbolizes diversity, courage, strength, transformation, and resourcefulness.
Rhododendron symbolizes caution and danger.
Roses are the symbol of love. See our full guide to rose color symbolism for what each shade represents.
Rudebeckia symbolizes the American ideal of opportunity.
Snapdragons represent both deception and graciousness.
Spearmint symbolizes virtue, love, and passion.
Strawflowers symbolize agreements.
Sunflowers are the happiest of flowers — meanings include loyalty and longevity.
Sweet pea symbolizes blissful and delicate pleasure — also a message to say good-bye, or thank you for a lovely time.
Trumpet vine symbolizes new beginnings.
Tulips represent cheerful thoughts. White means forgiveness, purple means royalty, pink means caring and attachment, yellow means hopeless love, brightness, and sunshine.
Yarrow represents both healing and inspiration, often given to symbolize concern for someone’s well-being.
Zinnias symbolize thoughts of absent friends, whether alive or passed on.
