Valentine's Day Flower Guide: Flowers that Represent Love

Have you ever wondered what flower represents true love, or how you can show your true feelings with the language of flowers?

Just as there are many different kids of love, there are also many different flowers that represent love! Here is your guide to Valentine's Day flowers that represent love in all its forms.

Be sure to check out our range of Valentine's Day flowers and gifts!

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Flowers that represent romantic love

Red roses

No flower is more closely linked with love and romance than the red rose. Along with hearts and chocolates and expensive champagne, red roses are the ultimate symbol of Valentine's Day and true love.

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Red tulips

Tulips in general symbolise "perfect love", but it's red tulips that symbolise romance and passion. These elegant blooms make a lovely alternative to red roses for Valentine's Day.

Red lilies

Another popular alternative to red roses are red lilies. These vibrant, fragrant blooms symbolise unconditional love and passion.

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Just be aware that lilies are toxic to cats, so if your sweetheart is a cat lover you may wish to look into alternative blooms.

Red flowers in general

Flowers have their own unique meanings, but did you know that the different flower colours can also have different meanings?

Red flowers usually symbolise romantic love. So if you're looking for an alternative to red roses for Valentine's Day, but aren't sure what flower exactly, you can't go wrong with red flowers.

Red carnations, red peonies, red chrysanthemums, red buttercups — they all represent romantic love.

Flowers that represent eternal love & devotion

Dahlias

Not only do dahlias make lovely additions to summer and autumn gardens, these beautiful blooms also symbolise eternal love and commitment. This makes them a wonderful choice of Valentine's Day flower, but also a popular addition to wedding bouquets.

Red asters

They may be small, but asters can have big meaning. Rather than simply representing romantic love, red asters in fact symbolise undying love and devotion. 

Heliotropes

Another flower you likely wouldn't think of as symbolising eternal love is the humble heliotrope. 

This deep meaning stems from a Greek myth. A water nymph, Clytie, deeply loved Helios, the sun god. Helios did not return her affections, causing the broken-hearted Clytie to remain in one place forevermore, only turning her head to follow his chariot travel across the sky each day. When she ultimately wasted away, Helios transformed her into a flower — the heliotrope.

Heliotrope flowers are said to face and follow the sun's movement across the sky, thus symbolising the same eternal love and devotion that Clytie had for Helios.

Forget-me-nots

Belonging to the same family as Heliotropes, forget-me-nots are also symbols of everlasting love and respect. 

The story of how forget-me-nots got their name may come from a German folk tale, in which a young couple were walking by a river and came across the pretty blue blooms. When the man went to pick them, he stumbled and fell into the river, tossing the flowers back to the woman and shouting, "Forget me not!" as he was swept away by the current.

To give someone forget-me-nots is to tell them they will forever be in your thoughts and in your heart.

Honeysuckles

Known to represent burning love, honeysuckles symbolise devotion and affection. The Victorians believed that placing honeysuckles under your pillow would cause you to dream of your true love!

Flowers that represent family love and love between friends

Sunflowers

Being a forever reminder of sunny days, the sunflower is a beautiful way to express eternal feelings of friendship and happiness. Show your best friend that you’re their friend for life with a bunch of golden sunflowers, as these happy petals prove loyalty and longevity.

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Pink carnations

These flowers represent a gentler kind of love, and are the epitome of motherhood. They are often given on Mother’s Day to celebrate and show appreciation. 

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are among our favourite flowers that represent family love. With a collection of smaller petals bunched together, the hydrangea perfectly symbolises the bonds of family and close friends. 

Pink or green roses

Pink and green roses are both great choices for showing affection towards family members and friends. Meaning harmony and gentleness, you could offer these to your favourite aunt, your sister or dear friend.

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Flowers that represent unrequited love and spurned love

Daffodils

Named after the Greek legend of Narcissus, the daffodil symbolised unrequited love in the Victorian age's language of flowers.

Yellow carnations

One flower you definitely don't want to give someone for Valentine's Day is a yellow carnation. Traditionally, these flowers symbolised rejection and disappointment.

Yellow chrysanthemums

Most yellow flowers tend to symbolise joy and happiness, and the yellow chrysanthemum is no exception. However, yellow chrysanthemums also symbolise slighted love.

Black roses

Though most black roses are simply dyed white roses rather than naturally black, they nevertheless mean the exact opposite of the classic red rose. Black roses have a sense of foreboding to them. Emotions such as grief and even darker feelings, like revenge and anger, come with these petals. 

Flowers that represent love at Floraly

At Floraly, we have a range of flowers that represent love, perfect for Valentine's Day and other gifting occasions. We understand the importance of expressing these feelings to others; whether these are thoughts of friendship, family, or relationships, we value love in all its forms!