People have been associating different flower colours with distinct meanings since the early 19th century. These days, however, flower gifting has become very flexible. But colour can still completely change the way a bouquet feels.
Flowers for Everyone has been helping people choose and send the perfect flowers throughout Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne for over 25 years.
If you're curious about flower colour meanings or just want to choose a bouquet that says the right thing, this guide is for you. We share the meanings behind popular flower colour choices, what they traditionally stand for, what they say today, and which occasions they're perfect for.
Blue Flowers: Calm, Trust, and Tranquillity
Traditionally, people gifted blue flowers, like delphiniums and hydrangeas as a sign of loyalty, trust, and faithfulness. There’s a lovely parallel with the term 'true blue', used to describe someone you can always count on.
Blue flowers' soothing cool hues have also had them linked to feelings of peacefulness and stability. And because you don't see them everywhere, they have an air of rarity and mystery around them.
These days, blue flowers' meaning is more thoughtful and reassuring than anything very formal or traditionally symbolic. Floral arrangements with blue flowers in them can be especially good at expressing support or care without romantic connotations.
When to send blue flowers
- Thinking of you
- Get well soon
- New baby
- Thank you
- Birthdays
- Congratulations
Purple Flowers: Royalty, Admiration, and Creativity
Historically, purple flowers represented royalty, dignity, and status. For a long time, people have also associated the colour with admiration and respect. In the Victorian language of flowers, purple violets in particular were used to express deep (and sometimes unspoken) affection.
Purple flowers' meaning hasn't changed much in modern flower gifting. Aside from being tied to admiration, they can give bouquets a creative, expressive, and luxurious flair.
Rich purples, often seen in orchids, can work a treat in dramatic flower arrangements. There's also softer-hued purple flowers that can make up softer, more loving bunches.
When to send purple flowers
- Birthdays
- Congratulations
- Promotions and achievements
- Mother's Day
- Thank you
- Anniversaries
Pink Flowers: Gratitude, Grace, and Joy
Pink flowers' meaning can shift a bit depending on the shade, but affection, grace, and joy are usually at the heart of it. Even though pink is close to red on the colour spectrum, its symbolism is generally much gentler.
Pink flowers are super versatile, and so usually a pretty safe choice. Pink blooms can hint at romance without being over the top, and do just as great a job at saying thank you or welcoming a new baby girl.
Light, blush chrysanthemums mixed with white or cream flowers make very pretty and delicate bouquets. Then there are hot pink gerberas that can put a fun and celebratory spin on any bouquet.
When to send pink flowers
- Birthdays
- Mother's Day
- Thank you
- New baby
- Congratulations
- Anniversaries
White Flowers: Peace, Sincerity, and New Beginnings
White flowers represent purity, peace, and sincerity. They've long been a favourite for occasions that signal new beginnings, like weddings. Fun fact: Queen Victoria wore a wreath of white orange blossom when she married Prince Albert in 1840. The flower went on to become a wedding tradition for generations of Victorian brides!
White flowers' meaning can change a lot depending on the occasion. While they're often symbolic of fresh starts, they're also much-loved flowers for showing heartfelt sympathy and remembrance. Meanings aside, some people just gravitate to white blooms because of how fresh and beautifully understated they are.
All-white arrangements of roses, lilies, orchids, or chrysanthemums have a real wow-factor. Add in a bunch of luscious greenery, and suddenly you've got a modern, but calming bouquet.
When to send white flowers
- Sympathy and condolences
- Weddings
- Engagements
- Anniversaries
- New homes
- Thank you
Yellow Flowers: Friendship, Happiness, and Optimism
Yellow flowers' meaning is as sunny as you'd expect. Yellow blooms symbolise friendship, happiness, and warmth. They radiate positive vibes, making them a go-to choice for brightening a special someone's day.
Bouquets featuring pops of yellow feel like genuine care and encouragement in flower form. As they work for a range of relationships and dynamics, you can't go wrong.
Flower arrangements that blend yellows and whites can feel uplifting without being overwhelming. Want to turn up the energy of the bouquet? Consider yellows mixed with oranges, or just glorious sunflowers on their own!
When to send yellow flowers
- Birthdays
- Friendship gifts
- Thank you
- Congratulations
- Get well soon
- New job
Orange Flowers: Energy, Enthusiasm, and Celebration
Orange flowers' meaning isn't quite as clear-cut as some other flower colours, like red or white. Back in the day, the meaning of orange flowers was largely attached to the bloom itself. For example, orange roses could represent enthusiasm and desire.
Today, orange flowers are all about happy energy and celebration. Whatever the variety, orange blooms are lively and cheerful, making them ideal to send to someone with an equally large personality.
Orange gerberas offer a big colour hit in a bouquet, while orange tulips can create a more refined looking arrangement. Orange blooms paired with yellow makes for vibrant, summer bouquets. Pair them with pink and you've got the tropics in a bunch.
When to send orange flowers
- Birthdays
- Congratulations
- Promotions
- Graduations
- Housewarmings
- Encouragement
Red Flowers: Love, Passion, and Devotion
Red flowers probably have the most widely recognised traditional meaning: love. During the 19th-century flower language craze, red florals were already doing heaps of romantic heavy lifting. All kinds of red flowers were used to communicate love, albeit with different levels of directness.
Not a lot has changed when it comes to red flowers’ meaning. They're still THE way to say 'I love you' with flowers. More broadly, though, red blooms like gerberas fit well into celebrations and red chrysanthemums can give off warmth and confidence.
For maximum romance, nothing beats a bunch of red roses. Mixing them with pinks can soften the message a little, and mixing them with white blooms creates a wonderful contrast.
When to send red flowers
- Valentine's Day
- Anniversaries
- Romantic birthdays
- Proposals
- Date-night surprises
- Romantic milestones
Browse flowers by colour or occasion
Flower meanings are a lovely guide, but there are definitely no hard and fast rules. Often, the right choice is the bunch that just fits the person you're sending it to.
At Flowers for Everyone, we have an amazing variety of gorgeous, fresh blooms, which you can browse by colour, occasion, or type of flower. And if the occasion has snuck up on you, don't stress! Our same-day flower delivery available across eligible areas in Sydney, the Central Coast, the Gold Coast, Brisbane, and Melbourne has your back.
