The language of flowers: an A to Z dictionary of flower meanings

The language of flowers gives each bloom a traditional meaning: red roses for passionate love, yellow roses for friendship, white lilies for purity and remembrance, forget-me-nots for faithful memory. This A to Z dictionary covers 45 flowers you are likely to find at a florist or in a Swiss garden, with the occasion each one suits best and the situations where it is better to choose something else.

One honest caveat before we start: flower meanings come from tradition, not from a single official source. Victorian dictionaries often contradicted each other, and meanings differ between countries. Use this page as inspiration, not as a rulebook.

A short history of floriography

The idea that flowers can carry messages is ancient, but the “language of flowers” as we know it took off in 19th-century Europe. Books listing flower meanings were hugely popular in France and Victorian Britain, and lovers could, in theory, exchange whole sentences in bouquets. In practice, the dictionaries disagreed with each other, which is why a flower can mean one thing in an English book and something slightly different in a French or German one.

Today, a few meanings are widely shared (red roses for love, white flowers for sympathy, chrysanthemums for remembrance in much of Europe), while others are known mainly to flower enthusiasts. For a deeper dive into the most popular flower of all, see our guide to rose meanings by colour and number.

How to use this dictionary

• Meaning is the most common traditional interpretation.
• Best for suggests an occasion where the flower works naturally.
• Watch out flags cultural codes, scent, pollen or toxicity issues worth knowing.

Flower meanings from A to F

Flower meanings from G to L

Flower meanings from M to R

Flower meanings from S to Z

Colour meanings in a nutshell

Colour often matters more than the species. A bouquet of mixed white flowers will read as calm and respectful whatever it contains.

• Red: love, passion, courage.
• Pink: tenderness, gratitude, gentleness.
• White: purity, peace, respect, sympathy.
• Yellow: friendship, joy, energy (and, in old dictionaries, jealousy).
• Orange: enthusiasm, congratulations.
• Purple and lilac: admiration, dignity, remembrance.
• Blue: calm, trust, sincerity.
• Green: renewal, health, balance.

Our article on which flowers to give for every occasion turns these colour codes into practical choices.

Flowers with a negative or delicate meaning

A handful of flowers deserve a second thought before you give them:

• Chrysanthemums are linked with graves and All Saints’ Day (1 November) in Switzerland, France, Italy and Belgium. Lovely in a garden, awkward as a birthday bouquet.
• Yellow carnations traditionally meant disappointment or rejection.
• Marigolds carried grief in Victorian dictionaries, although they celebrate the dead joyfully in Mexico.
• Purple hyacinths say “I’m sorry”, which is perfect for an apology but odd for a birthday.
• Lilies are elegant, but they are highly toxic to cats and their pollen stains. See our list of flowers toxic to cats and dogs.

Tip: if the meaning matters, add a short card explaining it. “Forget-me-nots, so you don’t forget us in your new job” turns a tradition into a personal message. Our flower card message ideas can help.

Swiss flowers and their symbolism

Switzerland has its own flower symbols, starting with the edelweiss, traditionally associated with courage and devotion because it grew in hard-to-reach places. Gentians and Alpine roses (rhododendrons) are other icons of the Swiss mountains. Many wild Alpine flowers are protected, so they belong in the landscape, not in a bouquet. Read more in our article on Swiss Alpine flowers and edelweiss.

Combining meanings in a bouquet

A florist’s bouquet rarely tells a single story, and that is fine. A few easy combinations:

• Love: red roses + gypsophila (everlasting love).
• Thank you: hydrangeas + lisianthus + yellow roses.
• Encouragement: irises (hope) + sunflowers (warmth).
• New baby: sweet peas + white roses + soft pink carnations.
• Sympathy: white lilies or roses + forget-me-nots or statice (remembrance); see our funeral flowers guide for formats.
• Farewell to a colleague: sweet peas (“goodbye and thank you”) + freesias (friendship).

Seasonality also shapes what is possible: peonies in early summer, tulips in spring, dahlias in autumn. Our guide to seasonal flowers in Switzerland shows what you can realistically find each month, and our birth month flowers list adds a personal angle for birthdays.

Should you worry about getting it wrong?

Honestly, rarely. Most recipients will not decode the language of flowers; they will simply see a thoughtful gesture. The only meanings that are widely understood in Switzerland are: red roses = romance, white = sympathy or weddings, and chrysanthemums = graves. Keep those three in mind and you are safe.

For the practical side (choosing a florist, delivery times, prices), our guide to the best flower delivery in Switzerland compares the main services, and once the flowers arrive, our tips on how to make flowers last longer will keep your message blooming.