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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!

Flower Name
Alstroemeria		Named after Swedish botanist Baron Klas von Alstroemer. He collected seeds on a trip to Spain in 1753, among which were seeds of this South American flower.
Anemone		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.
Anthurium		From a Greek word meaning flower tail (anthus meaning flower, oura meaning tail). Also known as the painted tongue.
Aster		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.
Baby's Breath		Appropriately named for its small, softly-scented blossoms. The botanical name, gypsophila, means love chalk, referring to its preference for chalky soil.
Birch Leaves		Given to a man by a woman as a show of encouragement.
Bird-Of-Paradise		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 fanlike tails.
Carnation		From an old Italian word meaning complexion. The earliest carnations bore flesh-coloured flowers, which gave rise to the name.
Carnation, white		Pure and ardent love. Good luck to give to a woman.
Calla Lily		Beauty
Chrysanthemum		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.
Daffodil		Or narcissus. 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."
Daisy		From the Old English phrase day's eye – many open in the morning, revealing the centre disc and close again each night. The disc is made up of hundreds of tiny flowers.
Delphinium		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.
Dendrobium Orchid		Dendron means tree. These orchids grow on trees and are epiphytes, which means they depend on the tree for structural support but not nutrition.
Forget-me-not		Faithful love and undying memory, good luck to give to a woman.
Freesia		Named after German botanist Friedrich H. T. Freese. He was a pupil of Dr. Christian P. Ecklon who named this genus for Freese.
Gardenia		"I love you in secret". Good luck to give to a man.
Gerbera Daisy		Named after Truagott Gerber, a German botanist and naturalist who travelled extensively in Russia and wrote an important monograph on Russian specimens.
Gerbera Daisy		As in gladiator, because of its sword-shaped leaves, derived from a Latin word meaning little sword. Also referred to in history as the sword lily.
Honeysuckle		A wedding will follow shortly.
Iris		"I have a message for you."
Lilac, mauve		"Do you still love me?"
Lily		Throughout the ages, the lily has stood for purity and sweetness, modesty, whiteness and fragility. Various species are widely referenced in Greek mythology.
Lily of the Valley		"Let's make up."
Moss		Maternal love, charity.
Nerine		Named after the Nereids in Greek mythology. The Nereids were sea nymphs, daughters of the sea god Nereus.
Petunia		"I am furious!"
Protea		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.
Rose		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.
Rosemary		Fidelity and love, remembrance.
Snapdragon		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.
Statice		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.
Tulip		Named so because it resembled the colourful Turkish tulband (turban). The word was later corrupted to tulipan, and much later, abbreviated to tulip. Also - declaration of love, symbol of perfect lover; (Red) - believe me; (Variegated [bicolour]) - beautiful eyes.
Violet		"I return your love", good luck to give to a woman.
Zinnia		Lasting affection.