People would send each other flower arrangements to communicate things that they could not express in words. In Victorian times, the language of flowers, or floriography, was a popular way to convey hidden messages. Citizens of ancient Greece favored the flower, and it became known as a symbol of Athens and the goddess Aphrodite. In Buddhism, the purple variety of lotus represents the inner journey.Īnother well-known purple flower in mythology is the violet. Lotuses of different shades take different meanings in this religion, many representing purity, grace, or the Buddha himself. This species is considered sacred in Buddhism. Some purple flowers have a particular cultural meaning, like the purple Lotus flower.

The Cultural Significance of Purple Flowers These days, flower color is also genetically modified in some instances, as seen with the violet-blue chrysanthemum. Anthocyanins in plants produce flowers with colors like white, red, blue, and purple, while carotenoids create warm pigments like yellow, orange, and red. There are over 100 species of purple flowers found all over the world, including popular picks like lavender, purple tulips, and verbena.įlower colors like purple usually come from pigments called anthocyanins that the plant produces naturally. About Purple FlowersĪs it turns out, purple flowers are more common than purple dyes. The military offers Purple Hearts to those who demonstrate acts of great bravery during their service. Of course, in the United States, the color purple conveys a sense of honor. However, in Thailand, the color symbolizes mourning and sorrow and is often worn during funeral services. In many eastern cultures, the color purple maintains its meaning of nobility and luxury. So, clothes made with purple dye were expensive and thus became a symbol of wealth and status in society. They produced the coveted dye from sea snails in a complex process that made it rare and increasingly valuable. Long ago, purple dye came primarily from the Phoenician city of Tyre, or modern-day Lebanon. This likely boils down to the supply of purple dye in the ancient world. Over the years, many civilizations and cultures have come to see the color purple as a luxurious, royal shade. They wore elegant purple robes and signed documents with purple dyed ink. Rulers of the Byzantine Empire also used this hue to demonstrate their nobility. The Persian king Cyrus wore purple as his royal uniform color, and other civilizations like ancient Rome forbade the average citizen from wearing the color purple altogether. In fact, in some cultures, it was a color reserved only for the elite tier of society. The color purple has represented royalty throughout the centuries. Purple flowers are commonly gifted in recognition of successes, admiration and romance. Whilst the color traditionally symbolizes sorrow in Thailand, it has taken on the meaning of royalty and elegance in other cultures around the world. Purple flower symbolism covers a multitude of meanings across cultures, species, and time periods. The Meaning and Symbolism of Purple Flowers The Most Suitable Gifting Occasions and Uses of Purple Flower.The Meaning and Symbolism of Purple Flowers Today.What do purple flowers mean spiritually?.The Cultural Significance of Purple Flowers.The Meaning and Symbolism of Purple Flowers.

White and purple flowers