The Color of Money

Oops, I mean the color of roses. Valentine's Day is over but there is still some discussion about roses going on. Specifically the color of roses. Not knowing much about the meaning of the colors, I did a quick search and found the following from The Voice of Women:

3/4 of men say they would love to get flowers and most women love floral gifts as well. Now here is something you may not know: Color Talks! Although it is commonly accepted that all roses convey warmth and affection, the person receiving them may know and understand the meaning of roses colors and the symbolic message conveyed. It would be nice to insure that you are communicating the right message to that special person. Read on to find the meaning of the color of roses!

Black roses stand for the color of Death. Death of certain “set” ideas, thoughts, and beliefs. It signifies a major change in the future.

Purple roses stand for enhancement, magnification, opulence, majesty and glory and mean I will always love you. Lavender roses symbolize caution and the need to proceed slowly and carefully. Lavender roses also indicate a need for discretion but it is also becoming widely accepted as representing love at first sight and enhancement. Burgundy roses mean unconscious beauty. Lilac represents the first emotions of love.

Blue roses stand for fantasies, hoping for miracles, new opportunities and possibilities.

Orange roses indicate enthusiasm, desire and fascination. The orange rose says, "I am proud of you!"

Coral roses signify desire.

Peach roses signify desire, anticipation, sincere appreciation and optimism for the future. Pale peach roses are a symbol of modesty.

Pink roses stand for elegance, gracefulness, refinement, gentility, style and poetic romance but are combined with fun and light-heartedness. It is the rose of sweet thoughts and thank yous. Pink roses also signify gratitude, sympathy and appreciation. Dark pink stands for thank you, appreciation and gratitude. Light pink roses convey admiration, sympathy, gentleness, grace, gladness, joy, friendship and sweetness. The combination of red roses and pink roses stands for strong romance and passion. Dark Pink roses are symbolic of thankfulness while pale pink roses are a symbol of joy and grace.

Red roses symbolize romance, beauty, respect, courage, passionate love and unity and are the most popular of all roses. Red roses also stand for the creative spirit of love, the true love stronger than thorns. True red is the Lover’s rose. Amaranth red means long-standing desire, Cardinal red means sublime desire. Carmine means false desire (not true desire). Fiery red means flames of passion. Red rosebuds are meant to reflect the beauty of a young lover and mean “pure and lovely”. Red roses in full bloom say, "I love you still." Red & White roses together signify unity or togetherness. They are given when facing a challenging life event or to celebrate a strengthening relationship. Red and yellow blended means gaiety and loyalty, jovial and happy feelings.

White roses represent unity, loyalty, reverence, humility, love stronger than death, sincerity, purity, silence and innocence as well as youthfulness. Sometimes called the "flower of light," the white rose also means spiritual love and anticipation of happiness. White roses can also be used to highlight the message of the other rose colors. White (Bridal) roses symbolize a happy love. White rosebuds can also signify girlhood or “too young to love.”

Yellow roses signify strong feelings of pure joy, gladness, happiness and friendship, but were once used to convey jealousy. Friendship is the main meaning of the yellow rose but it also signifies familiar love and domestic happiness. Yellow roses also symbolize fun and freedom. Today, the yellow rose is used to embrace a new beginning, apologize or express sympathy, and to say, "remember me" , "I am sorry', or "I care." Yellow roses are appropriate for marking the beginning of a new life together or for starting all over again. A Yellow rose with red tip indicates friendship falling in love.

Pastel or pale blends represent sociability and friendship. And the meaning of roses in mixed colors - 'you're everything to me'. A mixed-color bouquet carries all of the meanings of each individual rose.

Rosebuds symbolize beauty, youth and a heart innocent of love or: “You are young and beautiful.” Withered white roses can mean either of two things: fleeting beauty or “you made no impression.” A withered red rose means "I would rather die...our love is over." Hybrid tea roses say “I’ll remember you always”. A single rose stands for simplicity and means you are the only one. In full bloom, it means “I love you” or “I love you still.” It can also symbolize love at first sight. Two roses taped or wired together to form a single stem represent a commitment, an engagement or coming marriage. They represent the mutual feeling that the bond between the two of you is inseperable and nothing can come between you. Six roses means I miss you. Seven roses signifies infatuation. A dozen roses means "I love you" and denotes gratitude for your presence. Eighteen roses means "I am sorry." Twenty-five roses mean congratulations. Fifty roses means unconditional love. A full rose placed over two buds signifies secrecy and a crown made of roses stands for reward or virtue.

So there it is, all the meanings, (well most of them) of the color of roses! The next time you give or receive roses, you will know what their colors mean. Perhaps you will find out something someone may have been trying to tell you all along or you may tell someone something without saying a word and all because Color Talks!

Wow.