Since historical times, flowers have been used as a profession of kindness. We usually gift them to those we love. We gift flowers to show them how special they are, to show admiration, to celebrate an occasion, or even to sympathize. What we don’t know is that giving certain types of flowers, and even their colors, actually have significances of their own.

The Language Of Flowers

During medieval and Renaissance times, flowers were often given moral meanings. This is apparent in artwork where saints are often shown with flowers that symbolize the saints’ virtues. Liana DeGirolami Cheney stated in an edition of Sixteenth Century Journal that “some of the Christian symbols for Virginity or Chastity are the white rose, the myrtle, a vessel or vase, the lily, and the unicorn.”

During the Victorian era, flowers were used initially to create or add emotion. The language of flowers, often called floriography, began being used as a discreet form of communication. During the 18th century, sending coded messages using flowers became popular. Based on a Turkish secret language of flowers, known as Persian Salaam, a coded bouquet could be sent to profess feelings of attraction or even love.