Flower Trivia
This list of floral trivia gives the meanings, messages or myths associated with various flowers. Share it with your friends and other flower lovers or save it for a game of Trivial Pursuit!
- Want to learn more? Check out the
- Flower Colours - Preferences differ between men and women
Flower Meanings
Alstroemeria |
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Named after Swedish botanist Baron Klas von Alstroemer. Hecollected seeds on a trip to Spain in 1753, among which were seeds of this South American flower. |
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Anemone |
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Or windflower, as it was believed wind made the blossoms open. Another legend says it grew for the gods on Mount Olympus, where prevailing winds blew. |
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Anthurium |
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From a Greek word meaning
flower tail (anthus meaning flower, oura meaning tail). Also known as
the painted tongue and sometime in jest referred to as the "little boy
flower" (we'll let you figure this one out for yourself). |
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Aster |
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In Greek it means star, for its star-like blossoms. Legend says that it was created from stardust when Virgo looked down from the heavens and wept. |
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Baby's Breath |
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Appropriately named for its small, softly-scented blossoms and it's scent. The botanical name, gypsophila, means love chalk, referring to its preference for chalky soil. |
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Birch Leaves |
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Given to a man by a woman as a show of encouragement. |
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Bird-Of-Paradise |
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Strelitzia as it is also called, is named after actual
birds-of-paradise, which are the most beautiful birds in the world, with
brightly coloured plumage and fan like tails. |
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Carnation |
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From an old Italian word meaning complexion. The earliest carnations bore flesh-coloured flowers, which gave rise to the name. |
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Carnation - White |
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Pure and ardent love. Good luck to give to a woman. |
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Calla Lily |
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Beauty |
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Chrysanthemum |
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From a Greek word meaning gold flower. In the language of flowers,
red shades speak of love, white of truth, and yellow of slighted love.
Also cheerfulness and optimism. |
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Daffodil |
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Ornarcissus. In Greek mythology, Narcissus fell in love
with his own reflection. He was turned into a flower, to nod into the
water at his reflection forever. Also means "The sun is always shining
when I'm with you, regard." |
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Daisy |
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From the Old English phrase day's eye 鈥� many open in
the morning, revealing the centre disc and close again each night. The
disc is made up of hundreds of tiny flowers. |
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Delphinium |
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The name is derived from the Greek word for dolphin because of the
fancied resemblance of the flower spurs (or partly opened buds) to a
dolphin's head. |
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Dendrobium Orchid |
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Dendron means tree. These orchids grow on trees and areepiphytes,
which means they depend on the tree for structural support but not
nutrition. |
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Forget-me-not |
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Faithful love and undying memory, good luck to give to a woman. |
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Freesia |
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Named after German botanist Friedrich H. T. Freese. He was a pupil of Dr. Christian P. Ecklon who named this genus for Freese. |
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Gardenia |
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"I love you in secret". Good luck to give to a man. |
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Gerbera Daisy |
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Named after Truagott Gerber, a German botanist and naturalist who
traveled extensively in Russia and wrote an important monograph on
Russian specimens. Also known as gladiator, because of its sword-shaped
leaves, derived from a Latin word meaning little sword. Referred to in
history as the sword lily. |
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Honeysuckle |
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A wedding will follow shortly. |
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Iris |
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"I have a message for you." |
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Lilac - mauve |
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"Do you still love me?" |
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Lily |
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Throughout the ages, the lily has stood for purity and sweetness,
modesty, whiteness and fragility. Various species are widely referenced
in Greek mythology. |
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Lily of the Valley |
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"Let's make up." |
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Moss |
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Maternal love, charity. |
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Nerine |
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Named after the Nereids in Greek mythology. The Nereids were sea nymphs, daughters of the sea god Nereus. |
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Jonquil |
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Love Me, Desire, Sympathy, Desire For a Return of Affection |
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Petunia |
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"I am furious!" |
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Protea |
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Named after the sea god Proteus who could assume different shapes.
And, indeed the protea comes in many forms, from tiny dwarf flowers, to
shrubs, to trees. |
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Rose |
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Romans believed white roses grew where the tears of Venus fell, as
she mourned the loss of her beloved Adonis. Her son Cupid, stung by a
bee, shot arrows in the rose garden. The sting of the arrows became
thorns. Venus pricked her foot on a thorn, and the droplets of blood
dyed the roses red. A single, full bloom means: I still love you; (Pink)
- please believe me; (Red) - love and desire; (Yellow) - infidelity and
jealousy [but now often means friendship]; (White and Red together) -
unity and warmth of heart. Go to our dedicated rose page for much more
information on roses. |
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Rosemary |
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Fidelity and love, remembrance. |
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Snapdragon |
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So named because of its snout-like blossoms. A light pressure on
either side of a single blossom will make the jaws of the dragon open. |
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Statice |
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Or sea-lavender because it grows wild in salt-marshes. The Greek
word statice means causing to stand as the spikes stand fresh-looking
for months. |
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Tulip |
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Named so because it resembled the colourful Turkish tulband
(turban).The word was later corrupted to tulipan, and much later,
abbreviated to tulip. Means declaration of love, symbol of perfect
lover; (Red) - believe me; (Variegated [bicolour]) - beautiful eyes. |
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Violet |
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"I return your love", good luck to give to a woman. |
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Zinnia |
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Lasting affection. |
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