The Meaning of Sending Roses

Everyone knows that sending red roses to your spouse or significant other is a way of telling them that you love them. But if you walk into Wildflower Florist, you’ll see that we have a huge selection of different colored roses. What do all these colors mean? Is it just as romantic to send her yellow roses as it is red ones? The answer to that is absolutely not! Below is a list of the most commonly colored roses and what they mean.

Red, of course, does mean love, passion, and beauty, but it can also mean respect or courage. Red roses are the most popular roses, and they’re also the most traditional. Sending someone red roses is one way of telling them that you’re in love.

Yellow roses, on the other hand, stand for friendship, joy, or happiness. They’re a way of saying “I care about you, but I’m not romantically in love with you.” Sending yellow roses to your spouse on your anniversary, Valentine’s Day, or birthday, then, doesn’t really convey your love.

Pink roses are perfect for thank you gifts since they convey appreciation, admiration, and grace, and thankfulness. Pink roses are great for sending to someone who has done you a favor or as a way of telling someone you are grateful they are in your life.

The white rose stands for innocence, charm, and purity. This is one of the reasons why it’s often carried as part of the Bridal bouquet and used in wedding arrangements.

Orange roses, while not sent as often as red roses, convey a sense of desire. They do not mean love, so they’re more appropriate during the beginning of a relationship than for an anniversary. They may also mean admiration or enthusiasm.

Purple or lavender roses aren’t sent as often as other roses. This is because they mean love at first sight. They’re a great rose to give on the second or third date to say that you’re smitten and that you want to move ahead in the relationship. They’re also a nice alternative to the more traditional red rose.

You can, of course, mix roses of different colors together. Some of these combinations have very specific meanings. Red and white mixed roses, for example, stands for unity and is a great arrangement for an anniversary. Mixing yellow and orange roses says you have passionate thoughts for the recipient. Red and yellow is a fancy, colorful way of saying congratulations.

The number of roses you send has significance, too. Most of us are familiar with the traditional dozen red roses. This bouquet means romantic love, just like the red rose.

If you send two dozen roses, you’re saying that you love someone so much that the standard bouquet just isn’t enough. “I’m yours forever” is what this is saying.

Another way of saying “I love you” in a simple, understated way is with a long stemmed rose. Alone or in a vase with two or three others, the long stemmed rose conveys your love, your thanks, or, in the case of a bouquet, can mean that you will always remember the recipient.

Of course, while knowing the meaning of the different colors is handy, especially if your spouse knows the meanings, too, you don’t always have to go by them. If your significant other loves the color purple, for example, going with a dozen purple roses for Valentine’s Day may have more of an impact that the traditional red roses. It’s all about knowing what the recipient likes—sometimes, breaking tradition is the right way to go.