If you’ve ever wondered about the symbolism behind white flowers and plants, you’re not alone, and you’ll be pleased to learn there is an abundance of white flowers across regions. They’re easy to find, lovely to grow, and beautiful to collect and place in vases around your home or office.
Typically, we think of innocence and purity when we think of white flowers, but there’s so much more to them. Let’s discuss the meaning and symbolism of white flowers.
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Plants and Flowers and the Meaning of Their Color Throughout History
Humans from the beginning of time have had to build a relationship with plants. Even before we were walking upright, we were having to figure out which plants we could eat, and which might hurt us.
We’ve marched through fields of dandelions, learning they could lower our hypertension and increase our levels of vitamin C. We’ve picked wild mint for digestion and improved breath. And we’ve dosed ourselves with belladonna to sleep, taking care not to overdo it and find ourselves… dead.
Yes, we have built a long history with plants and flowers, and we see the evidence of this history sprinkled across our cultures, traditions, and religions.
Flowers are used in metaphor and analogy in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, in the Bible, and beyond.
In eastern traditions, each plant and flower hold energetic symbolism we can use to balance and maintain energies in our homes and offices. Feng shui has recently taken hold of the western imagination, and you’ll find plants and flowers in abundance in that tradition.
When we give a rose or a tulip, it often means so much more than just a simple gift. When we plant sunflowers, it is rooted in a belief system older than our oldest ancestors.
Now, we get to pass those traditions down to the next generations by growing, cultivating, and giving plants and flowers as well.
White Plants and Flowers and Their Historic Symbolism
Most of the time, white flowers stand as representatives of purity and innocence. We give peace lilies to newborns or plant magnolia trees to keep a home pure and clean.
One of the greatest things about white flowers is that so many of them have such strong fragrances. Think of the aforementioned magnolias, of jasmine, of honeysuckle, and of chrysanthemums.
But white flowers can also symbolize fidelity. You could give white flowers to someone you promise to be faithful to or as a recognition of the loyalty someone else has shown to you.
You may also see white flowers symbolize elegance and perfection. For this reason, we see weddings filled with white flowers, which can represent the newness of a relationship, the humility we feel when entering a lifelong contract, and the thoughtfulness we bring to one of the most powerful experiences we’ll ever have.
White flowers can mean many things, hold many feelings, and be shared with pretty much anyone in your life for a number of reasons. Here are just a few.
White Plants and Flowers and Their Meanings
Roses
While red roses symbolize passion and intense love, white roses represent purity and innocence.
You can use them in wedding bouquets, which can represent the hope and joy you have for a new relationship. You can also surround your guests and fill your wedding venue with floral arrangements that include white roses, which will only amplify the feelings of elegance and faith in this new relationship.
If you want to get really crazy, you can have guests throw white rose petals over your head as you leave the venue, showering you with good wishes.
Calla lilies
Calla lilies are the epitome of elegance with their trumpet-shaped blooms. They represent sophistication and magnificence, so use them when you want to elevate the mood of an event of celebration.
Your best bet is to allow these spectacular flowers to stand either alone or with only one or two other flowers that stand tall in support of these lovely ladies.
Orchids
The orchid is the ideal plant for symbolizing care, love, and close attention to detail. They are also incredibly elegant and exotic.
You can gift them as a plant with specific instructions for keeping the essential balance between warmth, water, and humidity, a bit like a greenhouse, to keep these orchids growing for several years.
The white orchid is delicate and intricate, so it can represent your belief in the delicacy of a situation or even a person. You can give this to someone you see as young, innocent, and still growing and learning.
Hydrangeas
You might see hydrangeas in blues, pinks, and greens, but the most marvelous among them is the white hydrangea. They resemble big, bold blossoms like giant, soft, puff balls growing at the tops of stems.
They represent grace, beauty, and elegance and make a great gift for a friend you care about or a wonderful addition to a floral arrangement for any event.
Gardenias
Gardenias are a highly underappreciated plant and should always be gifted as a potted plant. They exude a delicious fragrance that will make you want to eat the flowers. And you can!
Gardenias have incredible healing properties, including antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and immune boosters. You can make gardenia tea with your own plant, so it is the ultimate white flower for grace and purity.
In the end, white flowers can have so many meanings and symbolize so many emotions and experiences. You can grow them, cultivate them, and gift them to friends and family.
Don’t forget you can enjoy many of these white flowers as teas or additions to a flower salad. You can’t go wrong.
Which white flower do you love the most? How do you keep it in your home or office? Let me know in the comments. I love to hear from my readers.
