Rose Colours and their Meaning

1200 words6 min read

Every rose means something a little different. And there a variety of opinions as to what they mean, but these are the most common.

As you’re making your selections it’s really worthwhile to bear in mind each colour’s symbolism.

There is a vast array of rose colour’s available, but here are the ten most important ones.

Red

Love, Respect, Courage

Red is one of the most common and popular rose colors.

The red rose is a symbol of beauty, passion, desire, and romantic love.

The red rose was originally associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Myth holds that when her lover, Adonis, was wounded, she pricked her foot on the thorns of a white rose in her haste to run to him. Her blood stained the roses red, turning the red rose into a symbol of incredible passion and romantic devotion.

When used in a wedding bouquet, red roses are a token of appreciation and true respect. A dark red rose can convey the message that you are ready for commitment and represents passion.

A dozen red roses boldly declares, “I love you,” while a single red rose communicates devotion and loyalty.

Check out our Red Rose bouquets here and our single red rose offers here

White

Reverence, Purity, Innocence

Traditionally, white roses are a popular choice for weddings.

As they represent purity, the flower is a wonderful option for marriage celebrations.

Besides purity, white roses also represent youthfulness, innocence, young love, and loyalty.

But white roses aren’t just about innocence, purity, virtue, or young love. You will see them at funerals too. They are meant to bring everyone together in spiritual peace and reverence on these occasions.

Sending white roses or displaying them for the dearly departed is a farewell message to the one you are remembering.

Pink

Gratitude, Admiration and Joy

They’re the perfect choice for the people you appreciate most, like your friends, siblings or teachers. Pink roses can also represent femininity and elegance, which makes them perfect for events like engagement parties, proms and baby showers for a baby girl.

Different shades of pink roses can send their own messages.

– Dark Pink roses are a perfect was to say thank you.
– Pale pink roses are a symbol of gentle admiration.
– Medium pink roses have several meanings. They can represent first love and romantic intentions. But they also can say “congratulations”, “get well soon”, or “sorry for your loss.”
– The number of roses given can also have specific meanings. A single pink rose conveys the message “I like you.” A dozen means “be mine.”

Yellow

Friendship, Gladness, Care

Yellow roses symbolise friendship and joy.

They are also used to represent those feelings that are associated with friendship such as warmth, delight, gladness, caring, and affection.

This flower is an instant mood lifter, bringing peace of mind to all who are gifted with them.

As such, yellow roses are the perfect gift idea for weddings, birthdays, graduations – if you can think of a joyous occasion, yellow roses will fit right in.

In Victorian times, yellow roses were symbols of jealousy and would be sent to people accusing them of betrayal of infidelity. Luckily, this symbolism has changed overtime and now, yellow roses are associated with happiness and friendship.

Orange

Passion, Desire and Affection

The orange rose expresses love and romance, but not as strong as the red ones.

These roses, like yellow roses, express feelings of friendliness.

It is, however, accompanied by stronger feelings of concern, affection, loyalty, and the start of a new romantic engagement.

Orange roses are a popular colour choice for autumn weddings and autumn celebrations such as Halloween and Thanksgiving.

They are also a great option if you are looking for ways to raise the energy level in a room or brighten an otherwise dull day.

Orange is a vibrant and fiery colour that represents life, energy, passion, and excitement.

A vase full of orange roses is an immediate mood booster.

Peach

Gratitude, Appreciation, Sincerity

With their softer and delicate colour, peach roses have a gentler meaning than brighter orange roses.

They symbolise sincerity and gratitude, making them the perfect way to say thank you.

They could also be used to convey sympathy to someone who has lost a dear one.

Lavender

Majesty, Fascination and Splendour

One of the rarest colors, lavender roses are often a sign of love at first sight and carry an air of regality.

It’s truly the perfect rose for a budding romance.

Different from red rose that is probably more about passion and desire, lavender rose seems deeper than that.

Rather than thinking about steamy or serious relationship, first love is more about someone who is shy to express his or her feeling.

For this case, a lavender rose seems more appropriate than the red one.

Blue

Unattainable Love, Desire and Mystery

There are no blue roses in nature.

Blue roses don’t grow naturally since they lack the pigmentation to produce that color. Instead, a genetic modification was achieved by Japanese scientists in 2004 using the blue delphinidin that helped create the blue color in roses.

Often they are created just by using food colouring dyes!

Naturally, due to their rarity and absence in the natural word, blue roses are currently perceived to symbolize unfulfilled longing.

When given to the one you love, they signify secret or unattainable love.

Black

Death, Elusiveness and Farewell

The most common meaning of the black rose is that of death.

The colour black is commonly used in funerals and cemeteries, and it is often associated with death and mourning.

Also, it can be associated with bad luck in some cultures, as it is believed to attract bad spirits.

The black roses also mean hatred, regret, and tragedy as the dark color of the rose represents the negative thoughts and feelings associated with it.

The classic colour and species of the black rose make it a versatile, power-player in the flower world.

From black-tie affairs to your child’s classroom Halloween party, black roses elevate any and all occasions.

Send your sympathy to support a grieving friend or pay tribute to a loved one on the anniversary of their death.

Stir up the spooky or add a gothic flair for a double-feature, horror movie-themed birthday party.

Multi Coloured (Rainbow)

Love, Respect, Happiness

Multi Coloured or Rainbow rose is nothing other than a natural rose whose petals are dyed in a very simple process. The multicolored rose is impressive to look at and, without a doubt, its varied colors make it super interesting.

You can create your rainbow rose at home.

All you need is a long-stemmed white rose and vegetable dye.

To obtain the multicolored effect, prepare three glasses of water and add many different vegetable colorings to it.

Now, place each section of the already cut stems in a different glass.

Within hours, the dye is going to rise to the petals of the flower, giving you a rainbow rose.

The kaleidoscope of colours brings an immediate sense of brightness and fun, making them the perfect choice for celebrating birthdays and other special occasions.

And if you would like to explore the meanings of flowers further, here are some excellent books available on Amazon.