Fresh Roses From Ecuador Directly From The Farm
Subscribe for special
offers and discounts:
Cart is empty
Mr. Roses Flower Company Buy Roses Online Wholesale Flowers Weddings Flowers Flowers Care About Mr. Roses

Rose Colors and Their Meanings

No flower is more beloved to the human senses than the rose. From its humble beginnings as the unassuming pinkish blossom of a prickly bramble, it's been reworked by human ingenuity into a lush, evocatively-scented bloom available in as many subtle hues as can be found in the sunset.

It should come as no surprise, then, to learn that no flower is as rich in symbolism as the rose, at least among us human beings (it's hard to tell what color means to a rose). Rose color symbolism has evolved over centuries, but it's the Victorians of the late Nineteenth Century we can thank for formalizing rose color meanings. While all things Victorian have faded somewhat into the historical woodwork, in recent years the symbolism of rose colors has enjoyed something of a comeback.  

Here are what the most common rose colors mean:

  • Red is the most popular rose color, and its meaning is obvious: love is in the air.
  • White roses symbolize purity, innocence, humility, and young love. The white rose is often called "the bridal rose."
  • Yellow roses symbolize friendship and caring today, though in Victorian times they were the roses of jealousy.
  • Pink has slightly different meanings depending upon its shade, though in general pink roses represent femininity, refinement, and gentility. Grace, admiration, happiness, and gentleness are attributed to the lighter shades of pink, while darker shades connote appreciation, even gratitude.
  • Orange roses denote enthusiasm and desire, with undertones of admiration and attraction.
  • Peach roses suggest that a deal has gone well.
  • Purple roses and their lilac brethren have a certain air of mystique, enchantment, and desire; they also represent love at first sight, which makes them especially popular on Valentine's Day.
  • Green roses signify fertility and fruitfulness.

 

Some of these rose colors and their various shades are relatively new; green roses, for example, emerged only in 1856. But we're no longer limited to what nature can offer. After more than 160 years of effort, scientists have recently brought forth true blue roses -- rather than the purple ones we like to pretend are blue -- by sneaking in a blue color gene from a petunia. And if there are no true black roses, it's only because we haven't quite cracked the rose genetic code yet. But fear not -- someone out there somewhere is surely working on it. One of these days a velvety black rose will be marketed, much to the delight of Goths everywhere.

If you think that there's no symbolism for a specific rose color just because it doesn't exist in nature, guess again: florists have been dyeing white roses every color they think of for a hundred years or more. For example, blue roses represent mystery and the first flush of new love, as well as a need to be cautious and discreet; while black ones (and their dark red natural cousins, like the Don Juan) are interpreted as representing death, change, and ultimate renewal.

Whatever color of rose you choose, keep in mind this fact: while the symbolism surrounding rose colors and their meanings may be compelling, don't let it keep you from buying the color of roses that you prefer. This is one of those circumstances where personal preference should trump cultural interpretation every time.