Red flowers and their symbolism go far beyond just roses. There’s so much to love about red flowers, and so much to learn.
The color red can have many meanings within and across cultures, and the meaning often depends on the context, and, of course, the specific type of flower. Let’s run through a few fun facts to explore the fascinating world of red flowers and plants and their symbolism.
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Plants and Flowers and the Meaning of Their Color Throughout History
Humans have attached symbolism to plants and flowers probably since even before humans were fully human. You can imagine cavemen collecting flowers and even our apelike ancestors giving plants as gifts with sentimental meaning. Placing emotions on objects, living or otherwise, is an incredible way to relate to the world around us.
Plants are so much more powerful than just an outside object, however. After all, we have had to figure out how to interact with plants for survival.
We had to learn which berries we could eat and which could kill us. We had to understand which mushrooms would send us on psychedelic journeys, which would nourish us, and, yes, which would kill us.
Various herbs have different healing properties, some antiseptic and others fortifying. And then there’s the dosage. A small amount of the plant belladonna will help you sleep. Too much will ensure you never wake up.
So, of course we developed an early relationship with plants and flowers and started placing symbolic meaning on pretty much any plant we encountered. Just look at the feng shui tradition, where virtually every plant or flower has energetic qualities that can affect our daily lives.
Today, we can use the symbolism our ancestors created for plants and flowers to strengthen our own surroundings, strategically placing healthy plants around our homes and offices and buying plants and flowers as gifts for our loved ones.
Red Plants and Flowers and Their Historic Symbolism
In many traditions, the color red symbolizes danger and warning or intense love and passion. Hence the reason we give red roses for passionate love and the reason we have red stop signs and red stop lights.
But across cultures, red can also symbolize excellent health and vigor. While some might think of red as representative of inflammation, it can also stand in for a strong, powerful heart with healthy blood pumping through our veins.
Red can also mean protest; think of the red armbands that revolutionaries wear, which is why we also think of war when we think of the color red. Of course, the deep red color of blood is an obvious reason for the color red acting as a representative of a lot of these emotions and human experiences.
Then we have the red that represents religious fervor, which can be a kind of overzealous love. Some priests wear red robes, and, of course, you remember the red robes and hoods of the women in The Handmaid’s Tale.
Thus, red flowers stand in for a lot of those feelings and experiences we humans have. Here are just a few of those.
Five Red Plants and Flowers and Their Meanings
Roses
Red roses are the ultimate passion flower. They have been given for the purpose of expressing passionate love for centuries.
The origin story in western culture tells of the goddess Aphrodite racing to her dying mortal lover, Adonis, as he was gored by a wild boar. Her tears and his blood mixed in the earth to grow red roses, which would forever come to be known as symbols of undying love.
Poppies
The red poppy still stands as a symbol of remembrance for the fallen soldiers in England during World War I. Fields of flowers spring up and people for miles remember those who have fallen in all wars.
Now, you might see someone wearing a red poppy on Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day to symbolize their fond memories for a fallen soldier. It has also come to be known as the Flanders poppy.
We also use red poppies to encourage peacekeeping and avoidance of war.
Tulips
While we often think of red roses as the representative of passionate love, a deep, intense love is also symbolized by red tulips. Because they are so fleeting and so special, they also call forth more exciting emotions, like lust, which is what makes them particularly popular for younger couples newly in love.
There is something more innocent and burgeoning about the tulip as opposed to the rose. Thus, if you’re hoping to win someone’s affection for the first time, consider red tulips over roses.
Hibiscus
Another passionate flower is the hibiscus. While the South American flower can come in yellow, pink, and purple, the red hibiscus represents passion, love, devotion, and surrender. So, if someone is wooing you, you can return their affection with red hibiscus.
As a bonus, the hibiscus flower has medicinal properties. It has been found to improve hypertension and aid in weight loss. You can make a flavorful tea with it, adding a bit of honey to boost its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
Salvia
The red salvia plant, sprouting blossoms along tall standing stems, is the symbol of “forever mine.” It goes so much deeper than passionate or fleeting love. It says, “I will love you forever.”
And to make this plant even cooler, the red salvia has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat chronic illnesses like heart disease, renal failure, and cirrhosis of the liver.
Ultimately, you can’t go wrong with planting, growing, or giving any one of these red flowers. You can encourage love in your household by planting salvias in your garden, placing paintings of red poppies in your living area to remember those you love, or giving red roses to your lifelong lover.
What’s your favorite red flower and why? How do you celebrate with this flower? Let me know in the comments. I love to hear from my readers.
