There’s just something charming about yellow flowers that make us gravitate to them. The bright, cheerful, and happy color that makes them stand out in a garden full of flowers makes us wonder about their meanings and symbolism.
These flowers are more than just a burst of color, though. They’re meaningful and hold certain cultural symbolism.
Here, we’ll explore their meanings and their cultural significance. We’ll also help you choose the perfect flowers for the special people in your life!
What do yellow flowers symbolize?
Today, yellow flowers are commonly used to symbolize friendship, but they’re also often linked with happiness and positivity.
Their loud and lively color, similar to the sun, makes them perfect for brightening someone’s day and spreading joy.
Cultural Symbolism of Yellow Flowers
Yellow flowers are associated with different meanings in different cultures. Depending on the region, yellow flowers may symbolize happiness or death.
Below are some of the cultural symbolism of yellow flowers:
5 Yellow Flowers for Your Lover
While yellow flowers are widely known to symbolize friendship, many of them actually have romantic symbolisms that can make your lover feel giddy.
In this section, we’ve provided five flowers you can give to your lover to make their day extra special.
Yellow Dahlia
Blooming from midsummer through fall, yellow dahlias are among the best gifts you can give your lover. Their intricate sphere-shaped bloom and vibrant yellow color will make anyone’s day brighter.
These native Mexican flowers are closely related to chrysanthemums and zinnias, so you’ll find them quite similar in appearance. However, zinnias are more dome-shaped, and chrysanthemums have more rounded lobes.
Recommended Use: Dahlias have been symbolizing endless commitment since Victorian times, so they’re the perfect gift for your engagement or wedding day. They also make great gifts during anniversaries to remind your lover of the commitment you made to each other.
Primrose
Unlike other yellow flowers, some primroses are not as vibrant. These flowers have pale yellow petals, but their symbolism is anything but pale.
Primroses are associated with many cultures and often appear in folktales and literature. In Norse mythology, they’re associated with the goddess of love, Freya, while they’re known to connect fairies to people in English folklore.
While primroses generally symbolized young love during Victorian times, yellow primroses have a much deeper meaning these days. They symbolize love, happiness, and warmth, so they’re excellent gifts for your longtime partner.
Recommended use: A yellow primrose is a beautiful token of appreciation for your partner who has stood by your side through thick and thin. If you want to make them even happier, write a small note and slip it into the bouquet.
Yellow Peonies
Peonies were first discovered in China 4,000 years ago and were primarily used to treat different illnesses. However, when they were brought to Europe, many discovered their beauty and started using them for decorations and gifts.
In addition to that, yellow peonies are quite rare compared to red and white ones, making them extra special. They also symbolize love and new beginnings.
Recommended use: Give them to your partner as a wedding gift. They’ll convey your hope of starting a new and better life with them.
Sunflowers
With their golden yellow petals and brown center disk, sunflowers are icons that anyone would recognize. They evoke joy in anyone who receives them because of their sun-like appearance.
In Greek mythology, it’s believed that Clytie was turned into a sunflower by Apollo after she caused the death of his lover. Yet her devotion to the god remained unwavering as she watched him move in the sky, like the sunflowers to the sun.
As such, sunflowers are associated with adoration and loyalty.
Recommended use: Give them to your lover to express your love for them and intention to remain loyal.
Yellow Tulips
Native to Central Asia and Turkey, Tulips are no stranger to everyone, even those who don’t know much about flowers. Their brightly colored cup-shaped heads are among the most loved and beautiful flowers worldwide.
Yellow tulips used to mean hopeless love and jealousy, but that symbolism has been long forgotten. These days, the flowers’ cheerful color is linked to hope and happiness.
Recommended use: Do it the Victorian way and give them as a gift to your significant other to tell them “There’s sunshine in your smile.” They’re also great just-because gifts.
5 Yellow Flowers for Your Friends
There’s no color of flower that’s better than yellow when we’re looking for gifts for our best friends. The cheerful and warm color of the flowers just perfectly describes our moments with our friends—happy and warm.
We’ve compiled five different yellow flowers to give you an idea of what to give your friends the next time you meet.
Freesia
Freesias don’t look like ordinary flowers with round shapes and a single flower head in one stem. Their petals are spike-shaped, and their stems bend to one side to display a drooping line of flowers.
More than their appearance, freesias are mostly sought after for their fragrance. They have a strong sweet aroma with a hint of citrus, so a lot of people are drawn to them.
Recommended use: Freesias symbolize friendship and optimism, so they’re the perfect present for your friends who don’t fail to make you feel happy and positive. Whether it’s their birthday or just a random day, a freesia is always a good choice.
Black Eyed Susan
Black Eyed Susans can be mistaken as sunflowers by people who aren’t flower enthusiasts because of how similar they look. Both have bright yellow petals with a dark brown disk in the center.
Black Eyed Susans, though, have a smaller disk compared to sunflowers. They also don’t have as many petals as sunflowers whose flower head is usually composed of multiple layers of petals.
Recommended use: These beautiful yellow flowers symbolize encouragement and motivation, making them an excellent gift for a friend who’s going through something. It’s a great way to remind your friend that you got their back.
With their vibrant yellow flower head, even a single stem can go a long way and lift your friend’s spirit.
Yellow Orchids
Orchids are diverse in appearance and size, depending on the variety you’re getting. They may have broad, flat, ruffle, sloping, elongated, or wide-spreading petals.
The best part about getting orchids as a gift is you can never offend anyone with their meaning, no matter what variety or color you choose. They look exquisite and timeless, too, so you can’t go wrong with them.
But if you want the best orchid for your friend, yellow orchids are the way to go since they represent joy, well-wishes, and friendship.
Recommended use: Give yellow orchids to your friends to congratulate them or send good luck.
Yellow Roses
Roses are probably the most popular flowers in the world. They’re a classic and timeless choice for a gift, whatever the occasion and whoever the recipient is.
They are often associated with romantic love and admiration, but these flowers also convey strong feelings that go beyond romance. They also express friendship, joy, hope, new beginnings, and more.
Yellow flowers, specifically, symbolize friendship. They’re a more subtle way of saying ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m happy I met you’ to a friend.
Recommended use: They are great birthday presents for your friends. Send them in a beautiful bouquet to express that you’re happy to be with them.
Just make sure you write a note with your message if you’re giving them to a Japanese or Korean friend to avoid confusion, as these flowers mean jealousy in their countries.
Craspedia
Craspedia flowers are one of the few flowers that only bloom in one color. These flowers are naturally yellow, but you’ll find some florists using artificial colors to dye them a different color.
They have a ball-shaped flower head with a very bright yellow color. When clamped together, they make a unique bouquet, but we suggest bringing them in a vase to show off their long and sturdy stems.
Recommended use: Craspedia is often linked to good health, so they’d make an excellent present for a birthday party or for a friend who’s recovering from sickness.
They also symbolize friendship, joy, and positivity, making them great just-because presents.
5 Yellow Flowers For Family
You don’t need a special occasion to express your love to your family. It can just be any time you feel like sending them a gift to let them know you remember them.
Here are five great yellow flowers that you can give to express your love to them.
Yellow Zinnia
Zinnias are loved by many gardeners because of how beautiful and easy they are to grow. They’re one of the most popular choices for landscaping, but they also make great gifts.
They have quite a large flower head and a tall, straight stem, so even one flower is enough to convey your feelings.
Recommended use: Yellow Zinnias are often associated with affection and remembrance. They’re a great gift to give your parents to express your love for them.
You may also place them on the graves of your relatives who have passed away to show that you’ll never forget them and your memories together.
Yarrow
Yarrows are covered in tiny, yellow blooms that form a dome at the top of the stem. They have a sweet fragrance under the sun, a scent quite similar to honey.
Yarrows symbolize loving someone in spite of everything. They symbolize devotion, one that doesn’t falter whatever life brings.
Recommended use: Give them to your children on their birthdays to express your unconditional love for them.
Additionally, yellow yarrows symbolize happiness. Sending them to any member of your family means you wish them nothing but joy.
Marigold
Marigold blossoms have intricately layered ruffled petals that somewhat resemble carnations. They have a distinct musky smell that many may find off-putting.
However, the meaning behind these flowers will make you forget about their scent. They symbolize happiness, positivity, and good luck.
Recommended use: You can wrap them as a present for your kids who’ll be having an exam to cheer them up and wish them luck. You can also send them to your parents as a way to share the joy you’re feeling.
Chrysanthemums
Originating in East Asia, chrysanthemums are one of the most widely known flowers in the world. They served as the symbol of the royal family of Japan and were part of the Emperor’s crest.
Today, these flowers symbolize many things. They can mean happiness in one country and death in another.
In China, Great Britain, and the United States, yellow chrysanthemums mean long life and happiness. In Australia, they are the official flower for Mother’s Day.
For most parts of Europe, though, chrysanthemums signify death and mourning.
Recommended use: They are perfect gifts for your parents during birthdays and Mother’s Day.
If you’re European, bring them to the graves of your family members who have passed away to pay respect.
Calla Lily
Calla lilies are another type of flower that’s rich in symbolism. Each color represents a different type of emotion, so picking one for your family may be tricky.
Yellow calla lilies are known to represent gratitude. However, they’re associated with jealousy because of the belief that Venus was so jealous of how beautiful they are that she cursed them and turned them yellow.
Recommended use: They’re the perfect choice for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. You can use them to thank your parents for giving birth to you and raising you to become who you are now.
