Flowers have a long and storied history. Throughout history, flowers have played important roles in religion, cooking, folklore, medicine, and romance.
In the 1600s in the Netherlands, the Dutch used tulips as currency. When Mormon pioneers first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, they mainly subsisted on the roots of the Sego Lily plant. Today it’s Utah’s state flower.
But it’s California where 60% of all fresh-cut flowers are grown in the U.S. And there are over 400,000 different flowering plant species worldwide.
That makes it kind of hard to choose which ones are the right choice when you want to send friendship flowers. While most people recognize that we mean red roses to convey romantic love, few people know what flowers are a symbol of friendship.
We want to help you pick the right bouquet to give to friends who improve your life. Keep reading to learn the 10 best flowers to say, “Thank you for being a friend.”
1. Sunflowers are Great Friendship Flowers to Give
If you like American-made flowers, sunflowers originated in the Americas around 1,000 BC. They were and are used as a food source.
Sunflowers are big, bold, and beautiful flowers. They’re perfect for cheering anyone up, especially a good friend.
And they’re durable and long-lasting, which is the perfect message to send to a good friend you’ve known for a while.
2. Roses
While red roses are obviously only meant when you want to tell someone you love them romantically, that doesn’t mean roses are off the table entirely. You can still give a friendship rose, but you need to know which colors won’t convey the wrong message.
Try yellow, orange, lavender, or white roses. These roses represent joy, happiness, and friendship, which is the perfect message to send to any friend.
3. Sweet Pea
Most species of sweet peas smell wonderful, making them a great addition to any bouquet. They’re also associated with several meanings such as
- Blissful pleasure
- Delicate pleasure
- Departure
- Goodbye
It also means, “Thank you for the lovely time” which makes it a great flower to bring when you’re a guest in someone’s home or are invited to dinner.
In numerology, the sweet pea has the numerical expression of five making them a great gift for anyone who enjoys taking risks and always assumes nothing is ever impossible.
4. Iris
The Iris dates back to ancient Greek times. With over 200 varieties available, you have your choice of colors but they share the same meanings, such as
- Faith
- Hope
- Wisdom
- Courage
- Admiration
Depending on the culture and the color, they can also represent royalty if they’re dark blue or purple or yellow for passion.
Irises are also the state flower of Tennessee, and the Fleur-de-lis is the emblem for New Orleans.
5. Gladiolus
Because gladioluses have a sword-like shape, we considered them the flower of the gladiators. While they symbolize honor and remembrance, they can also symbolize:
- Never giving up
- Faithfulness, integrity, and sincerity
- Strength of character
The Meaning of Different Gladiolus Colors
- White means innocence and purity.
- Yellow means cheerfulness and compassion.
- Purple means charm, grace, and mysteriousness.
- Pink means femininity and compassionate motherly love.
Some individual blooms are solid colors while others are bi-colored.
6. Zinnias
Zinnias have large blooms and come in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and hues. Zinnias have several meanings including:
- Daily remembrance
- Lasting affection
- Thinking of an absent friend
- Of the heart
Colors Also Have Meanings
Each color also has different meanings, such as
- Red means of the heart, familial ties, and steadfastness
- Yellow means daily remembrance
- White means pure goodness
- Magenta means lasting affection
If you get a mixed bunch, they’re great to send to someone you haven’t seen in awhile as they represent you’re thinking of an absent friend.
7. Violets
Violets smell wonderful, which is one reason people love this flower. And while many violets are violet in color, they can also be yellow, cream, white, and blue.
Violets symbolize the following meanings:
- Remembrance
- Faith
- Spirituality
- Mysticism
It also represents modesty and for friends who have known one another for a long time, these beautiful flowers can represent true and everlasting love.
8. Chrysanthemums
We also know chrysanthemums as “mums” and are therefore an unofficial flower of Mother’s Day. But their history dates back to the 15th century B.C.
Its original color was golden and they symbolize optimism and joy. They’re also the November birth flower, the official flower of Chicago, and the flower to give if you’re celebrating your 13th wedding anniversary.
In Japan, they celebrate this flower every year at the Festival of Happiness. If you put a single petal at the bottom of a wine glass, it’s said to encourage a long and healthy life.
9. Peonies
The peony got its name from Greek mythology, but there are two different myths about the origin of its name. One version is that it was named after Paeon, the Greek physician of the gods.
The other version is that the peony got its name from a nymph named Paeonia. No matter which myth you believe, these beautiful flowers symbolize:
- Prosperity
- Good fortune
- Riches
- Honor
- Compassion
Peonies are native to China where they’re highly valued and are often referred to as the “king of flowers”. Prior to 1929, they were China’s national flower.
10. Bluebells
There is a fun superstition that bluebells are a tool used for calling fairies when you ring the bluebell as if it were a normal bell. In Scotland, it’s believed that bluebells, or harebells as they’re called there, is where witches turned into hares and hid among the flowers.
In modern times, we associate the bluebell with humility and gratitude.
Bluebells can also represent constancy and everlasting love.
Celebrate National Friendship Day
While National Friendship Day isn’t as well known as Valentine’s Day, having friends is important no matter what stage of life you’re in. In fact, there are benefits to having friends such as:
- Offering encouragement and support
- Boosts your self-esteem
- They help keep you active
- They’re positive influences
National Friendship Day is on August 5th. If you want to celebrate, turn to a fresh flower delivery service to ensure your flowers look and smell their best for as long as possible.
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