Beautiful Flowers that Symbolize Love and Affection
Many women and more than a few men enjoy receiving flowers; especially from their significant other or someone they have started dating. Flowers often represent appreciation, fondness and most importantly love.
While there is nothing that says, “I care or I love you” more than being presented with your favorite flowers there are certain flowers that have come to represent love and romance and this article will look at those specific flowers.
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13 Flowers that Represent Love and Romance
#1. Roses
Roses are wonderful sweet smelling flowers that are capable of adapting to different hardiness zones. These flowers come in several varieties and can bloom during the spring, summer and fall months.
These sun-loving plants are well known for representing purity, friendship and love depending on the color of the rose.
While red roses are well known to represent love, most people don’t know that different shades of red roses have slightly different meanings. Here is a look at the meaning of red rose shades.
- Dark Red – Symbolizes passionate feeling of love
- Bright Red – Symbolizes romantic love
- Burgundy – Represents unrequited love
#2. Tulips
This early spring blooming flower is a welcome sight after a long winter. This flower thrives in zones 3 through 8 and does well when grown in full or partial sun.
Many people are unaware that there are many colors of tulips that actually signify different types of love.
- Red – Stands for undying love, loyalty and trust
- Purple – Represents eternal love
- Pink – Symbolizes perfect love
- Black – Symbolizes sacrificial love
#3. Peony
Peonies are pretty flowers that are often used in wedding bouquets and in wedding reception flower arrangements.
This sun loving plant blooms during the spring and summer and comes in several colors including red, pink, purple, yellow and white. Regardless of the Peony’s color this flower symbolizes a “Happy marriage, fortune and prosperity.”
#4. Lilac
Lilacs grow on trees, shrubs or vines and can last 100 years or more. Easily grown in zones 2 through 7 the common lilac has a short blooming period.
These flowers have a distinct fragrance and come in light purple, dark purple, blue, pink, white and even red or yellow.
Most people don’t associate lilacs with love, but these flowers represent first love, making them the ideal flower to give to your first girlfriend or boyfriend.
#5. Carnation
Carnations are perennial flowers that make excellent cut flowers. There are different carnation varieties and they come in several different colors and bloom in the spring.
Carnations grow best in zones 7 through 10 and bloom in the spring. These flowers can grow between 6 to 24 inches tall and grow best in full to partial sun. Different colors of carnations can express different feelings of love
- Dark Red – Signifies passionate feelings
- Pink – Symbolizes love and tenderness
- Dark Pink – Represents a growing relationship between a couple
- White – Stands for pure love
#6. Sunflower
The cheerful sunflower is a tall flower with a large daisy like flower in bright yellow, orange, red and multicolor with large brown centers.
This annual flower makes a perfect cut flower to give someone you love since this flower represents devotion, loyalty and hope for the future.
#7. Orchid
The Orchid is an exotic perennial flower that can grow to be between 1 and 3 feet tall. This flower can be yellow, pink, purple, red, orange, green or white and enjoys partial sun.
The orchid grows best in zones 5 through 11. It represents love and true affection and is believed to boost romance.
#8. Primrose
The primrose originated as a woodland flower in several areas of the world. These early spring flowers grow best in US zones 3-8. They are sometimes perennial and sometimes annuals depending on where they are grown.
These flowers grow best in the shade and come in a variety of colors and the flower represents everlasting and undying love.
#9. Red Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums or mums as they are more commonly known come in many different colors but only the red mums represent anything to do with love.
These red flowers signify love at first sight. These lovely flowers prefer to grow in full or partial sun and blooms in summer through fall. Mums grow best in zones 5 through 9.
#10. Gardenias
Gardenias can be challenging flowers to grow. These flowering shrubs are somewhat picky and require more attention that many other plants.
The gardenias are normally white or yellow with some flowering heads being small and others quite large.
They can also grow to a wide variety of heights depending on the variety of this plant you choose. Gardenias grow best in zones 7 through 11 and are symbols of “secret love” and associated with “joy and bliss”.
#11. Camellias
Camellias are evergreen shrubs that can grow in height from 2 to 12 feet tall. This shrub can bloom in late fall, winter and early spring. They grow best in zones 7 through 9.
These partial shade-loving flowers have long symbolized adoration, love, and passion and desire while pink camellias specifically symbolize longing for someone special.
#12. Cherry Blossom
Cherry blossoms have long been associated with love and marriage with branches from ornamental cherry trees often being used in wedding decorations and smaller branches in bridal bouquets.
These lovely flowers may be pink, white, yellow or green and symbolize love, strength and appreciation.
Cherry blossom trees bloom in early spring (March and April) with trees reaching heights of 15 to 30 feet tall. These trees grow in zones 5 through 8 and do well in full or partial sun.
#13. Daisy
The daisy is a common flower easily recognized by most people. These perennials bloom early to mid-spring.
Daisies come in a variety of colors with the most common being white petals with yellow centers and narrow serrated leaves.
They can grow from 10 inches to several feet tall and should be planted in zones 4 through 9. The daisy symbolizes true love and new beginnings.
Final Thoughts on Flowers that Mean Love and Romance
Although the flowers mentioned above have for decades or even centuries come to symbolize love, keep in mind that giving any type of flower coveys to the receiver that you appreciate and care for them. Love is in the gesture as much as the flower you choose to give.
