The Meaning of the Color of Roses

by Sandra Merville Hart

When I was a little girl, my mother told me that receiving a bouquet of roses had different meanings, depending on the color. Back then, I preferred yellow roses. Had someone given me a yellow rose at ten, it would have symbolized friendship.

That discussion sparked my interest all those years ago. Here is a list compiled from a couple of sources:

Rose, amethyst—I will love you forever

Rose, blue—Mystery, uniqueness

Rose, coral—Admiration, desire, longevity

Rose, cream—Perfection

Rose, golden—Jealousy

Rose, green—Growth, abundance

Rose, ivory—Grace, charm

Rose, lavender—Love at first sight, rarity, wonder, enchantment

Rose, orange—Energy, desire, enthusiasm, fascination

Rose, peach—Sincerity, modesty, gratitude

Rose, pink—Grace, beauty, youth, innocent love, elegance, sweetness

Rose, red—Love, passion

Rose, rose—Pride, shyness

Rose, white—Innocence, young love, birth, beauty and respect, silence, keep my secret

Rose, yellow—Joy, friendship, I love another, jealousy

Rose, white/pink—Unity, commitment

Additionally, giving a single rose symbolizes simplicity and perpetual love. A rose bud symbolizes hope and innocence.

In the Victorian era, young ladies would have known the meaning of the different rose colors. I’m an author of inspirational historical romances. I love discovering tidbits like these for my novels!

Sources:

Boeckmann, Catherine. “What Does Each Flower Symbolize?” Almanac, 2025/04/21 https://www.almanac.com/flower-meanings-language-flowers.

“Rose Color Meanings,” Fifty Colors, 2025/04/22 https://fiftyflowers.com/blogs/flowers/rose-color-meanings.

Hawkins, Linda J. The Unspoken Language of Fans & Flowers, Heart to Heart Publishing, 2007.