Definitive Guide to Rose Color Meaning
Did you know that the color of a rose is deeply symbolic? Sending fresh-cut roses as a gift is a common way to treat someone you care about, but the color of the roses you choose is an important part of showing your affection.
For example, long-stemmed red roses express romantic love and passion – just about everyone knows that! But what about yellow roses, peach roses, and white roses? These colors carry important meaning, too.
Whether you’re sending flowers to a friend, a colleague, or a romantic partner, mixing up color symbolism can be a big mistake! With over 140+ varieties in production, you can shop every color possible with Rosaholics and send an awesome, heartwarming bouquet.
Every rose color has meaning, and this guide will show you how to make the right choice when it comes to selecting a rose color that symbolizes your feelings – without any miscommunication!
Color Meaning and Flowers
Most people are aware that different colors have different meanings. But did you know that colors are deeply related to emotion and mood? In fact, certain colors can trigger specific feelings, like love, anger, excitement, and even hunger! Color psychology is used in marketing all the time to trigger specific emotional responses to brand logos.
But, color psychology isn’t as simple when it comes to flowers. In fact, flower symbolism has a long tradition with lots of symbolic meaning depending on the petal shape, flower variety, scent, and more. Because a rose itself symbolizes certain sentiments – beauty, nature, delicacy, life – the color meaning of roses is slightly unique. While the colors red and yellow can generally make us hungry, red roses and yellow roses have a very different meaning!
Take a look at our guide to understand the secret code of rose color meanings.
Red Roses
Red roses are iconic for a reason! This classic rose color symbolizes romance, passion, desire, and romantic love. Red is recognized as an incredibly powerful color, which is why the emotional meaning of a red rose is intense – in a good way! And if you really want to emphasize the passion, long-stem red roses send a message that’s loud and clear.
When to Send Red Roses: Valentine’s Day, anniversary, first date, or just to say “I Love You” on a normal day
Best Red Rose Bouquets at Rosaholics: Red Explosion, Lover Roses, Eloisa Roses
Pink Roses
Pink roses are also romantic, but they carry a slightly softer symbolism than red roses. Pink roses and other blush tones represent love, new beginnings, and youth. For that reason, pink roses are a popular pick for young couples that are dating or people who find themselves in new relationship later in life.
Pink roses have a calming presence, and they are also associated with a soothing femininity, making them a great choice for expressing peace, tranquility, and gentle happiness. They’re a perfect choice for Mother’s Day, too, or for sending to other family members without getting mixed up with the romantic undertones of red roses.
When to Send Pink Roses: first date, Mother’s Day, birthdays for sisters/aunts/grandmothers, baby shower gift or gift for new moms
Best Pink Rose Bouquets at Rosaholics: Say Yes, Vogue Roses, Mamma Mia Bouquet
Yellow Roses
Yellow roses represent friendship, so they’re an awesome choice for gifting to a favorite friend without sending mixed messages. Yellow roses also symbolize joy, youthfulness, and positivity, so they can be sent for cheering up a loved one or showing support and encouragement in tough times.
When to Send Yellow Roses: friend’s birthday, graduation, get well, congratulations, general pick-me-up to lift someone’s spirits
Best Yellow Rose Bouquets at Rosaholics: Sunny Fresh, Golden Sun Bouquet
White Roses
The color meaning of white roses is linked with hope, forgiveness, and honesty. White roses have a very sophisticated look, which also makes them appropriate for marking major life milestones, like wedding anniversaries or retirement. Because of their hopeful, heavenly look, white roses are also an appropriate pick for funerals, memorial services, and occasions for showing sympathy.
When to Send White Roses: major milestones, wedding anniversaries, funerals, memorials, symbol of apology/forgiveness
Best White Rose Bouquets at Rosaholics: Casablanca Bouquet, O.M.G. Fresh
Black Roses
Have you ever seen a black rose? Chances are, you haven’t! Black roses are extremely rare, which makes them an absolute thrill to receive as a gift. Because of various associations with the color black, these roses can express sophistication, style, edginess, courage, risk, and a rebellious spirit. Traditionally, the color black represents death, danger, and darkness, so you must be very careful when sending black roses as a gift.
When to Send Black Roses: this depends less on the occasion and more on the recipient! It takes a special kind of person to appreciate black roses and marvel at their exotic beauty, rather than interpret the gift as a dark symbol. Those who like to do things differently, take risks, or value being one-of-a-kind are likely to fall in love with black roses the most.
Best Black Rose Bouquets at Rosaholics: Black Mamba Roses (pictured above, this is a Best Seller!), XOXO Roses
Blue Roses
The color meaning of blue roses includes creativity, adventure, and imagination. Like black roses, bright blue roses are extremely rare. Blue roses are an exciting gift to receive and can be sent on many different types of occasions.
When to Send Blue Roses: birthday, graduation, New Year’s, life milestones that trigger new beginnings
Best Blue Rose Bouquets at Rosaholics: Blue Lagoon Roses (pictured above, this is a Best Seller!), Blue Bay Bouquet
Orange Roses and Peach Roses
Orange and peach are two colors that have a lot of variation. Though these hues are all in the same color family, their tone and brightness can influence their color meaning. Bright orange can symbolize excitement and energy, while soft peach can be more closely linked to affection and calming forces. Because of their variety, orange and peach roses are often used as accent colors and paired with several other tones.
When to Send Orange/Peach Roses: graduation, birthday, special party, surprise bouquet on a normal day
Best Orange and Peach Rose Bouquets at Rosaholics: Crush Bouquet, Sunset Garden, Ember Roses
Two-Tone and Multicolor Roses
Mixing colors can provoke even more emotions. Color contrast can be created by including different colors of roses within a single bouquet or by creating a rose that features multiple colors in a single bloom. Both techniques result in a fantastic effect that intensifies the symbolism of all colors involved.
When to Send Multicolor Roses: anytime you want to generate stronger, more intense emotion!
Best Multicolor Rose Bouquets at Rosaholics: Manchester Roses (pictured below), Rainbow Roses, Café Tacuva
Common Questions on Rose Colors
So, you want to send roses for a specific occasion? We can help you find the perfect bouquet. Take a look at some of the most common questions we get about which color of roses to send for special people and events.
What color roses should I send to show love? Pink, white, blush, and red roses are the best for expressing love. For romantic love, red roses are classic, while pink and white roses are great for expressing familial love to a parent, sibling, or child.
What color roses should I send to a friend? Yellow roses are a fantastic choice to express friendship and gratitude! Other bold colors, like bright blue, green and orange, are also fine picks for sending to friends.
What color roses should I send to my wife? It depends on the occasion! For a bouquet that says “I Love You” – straight and simple, a classic bunch of red roses are perfect. If it’s an apology bouquet, try sending white roses to show that you’re asking for forgiveness and to make amends.
What color roses should I send to a boss or work colleague? Stick to yellow, orange, brown, or green roses for coworkers or employees when congratulating them on a promotion or career accomplishment. Avoid red, pink, and blush tones to keep your message platonic!
What color roses should I send for graduation? Sending flowers with school colors is a great idea for graduations! We have many two-tone displays, like blue and white roses, to match school spirit. If you want something more classic and unique, go with a multicolor bouquet that has many different colors of roses all in one bunch.
Breaking the Rules on Rose Color Meaning
Sure, rose color can send a message like love, passion or friendship, but don’t let the color rules drag down your options. You can always veer away from the color guidelines and go with a bouquet that you simply love the looks of! Rules were made to be broken, right?
Remember, sending roses as a gift is an extremely personal gesture of affection. Keep your recipient in mind, and always pick a bouquet that you think fits their personality and taste.
And if you really want to create something special, you can always assemble your own bouquet by picking individual stems from our collection. This is a great way to put your own meaning into the bouquet and get the perfect balance of colors that you love.
