Easter Flowers and Their Meanings

Easter is just around the corner and if you’re like many who celebrate this religious holiday, you’re likely looking for a lovely flower bouquet to accompany your celebratory tradition. Did you know that there are meanings behind many of your favourite Easter flowers? Even outside of the Christian tradition and the resurrection of Jesus, Easter symbolises spring and rebirth and may have also had connections to the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility, Eostre. Since then, spring flowers from around the world have taken root in the holiday to help shape the Easter story and tradition that we know today.

Related: Festive Easter Gifts

Lilies

The lily, in Christianity, is traditionally associated with the purity and innocence of Christ. The lily has further religious significance as it is mentioned in other sections of the New Testament. The Lily of the Valley is also often referred to as ‘Mary’s Tears’ as it symbolises the purity of the Virgin Mary and the Advent of Christ.

Related: Flower Facts: All About Lilies

Baby’s Breath

A common and very popular flower filler, Baby’s Breath, are little white (and sometimes pink) flowers that grow in bunches. They indicate purity and represent the pure innocence of Jesus when He was a child.

Pair Baby’s Breath with a bouquet of red or white roses for a stunning Easter flower bouquet.

Related: 10 Unique Flower Fillers

Roses

The petals of a single rose are symbolic of the wounds of Christ before and during his crucifixion. Red coloured roses represent the blood Jesus shed for the forgiveness of humankind’s sin, while white coloured roses represent purity and innocence.

Related: Rose Guide: 10 Rose Colours and Their Meaning

Daisies

Daises are an iconic spring flower even outside of Easter. Daisies represent the innocence of the Christ as well as loyalty and gentleness. White daisies also symbolize hope, serenity, and purity. Mix up your daisy colours for the ultimate spring and Easter flower bouquet.

Related: Spring Flowers to Brighten Any Space

Tulips

Tulips, like the daisy, are another iconic flower of spring. White tulips symbolise forgiveness, which is a prominent theme for Christians during Easter. Purple tulips symbolise royalty and faith, so in combining these two colours of tulips your could create a very symbolic flower bouquet that would celebrate the royalty and forgiveness of Jesus.

Irises

The iris, while most notably purple can also come in a variety of other colours. It’s a popular Easter flower as it symbolises the sufferings or the Passion of the Christ as well his resurrection and is commonly used during Easter or Lent by Christians. The petals of the iris are said to symbolize the three virtues: faith, valor, and wisdom.

Dandelions

While many brush this flower off as a common weed, the dandelion has been used in Easter and spring flower bouquets as well a medicinally for some time. The dandelion was featured in many early Flemish and German Christian paintings depicting Jesus’ Crucifixion which has made the dandelion a representation of the Passion of Christ.