The Significance of Rose Colours

Roses signify beauty, youth, new starts, and romantic interest. Having built a legacy throughout various cultures and central to philosophical movements, monarchies, and cultural celebrations, the rose only grows in popularity over time. Used mostly as a sign of love today, the rose is produced across the world and given as floral gifts from one person to another.

The incredible attention paid to roses over time has meant a lot of cultivation. Over centuries, different colors of roses have emerged. Beginning with the popular red and pinks, yellows, oranges, and whites would emerge over time. Every color has come into its own, symbolizing a different gesture.

If you want to send a gift of roses and want to convey the right message, then it may be a little confusing. As every color has a special meaning, picking the wrong color can send the incorrect message, making things awkward fast. With that in mind, let’s take a moment to review the significance of rose colors. But first, let’s quickly review the basics regarding the rose.

Rose Basics

The rose is a woody perennial that is cultivated by thousands of individuals and comprises more than 100 species. Often being the word for pink or red in many languages that have their origin in Latin, the rose as a remarkable fragrance that is often found in beauty and personal care products. Grown all over the world, roses can be seen throughout history, dating as far back as the Classical era. Since then, they have stood as a romantic and powerful symbol, often becoming an emblem for royal families, political movements, and philosophical teachings. In addition, the rose has played a role in numerous religions. Exchanged as a token of care, love, or affection, the rose has become a powerful romantic symbol in our society. Over time, different colors of roses have begun to signify different things.

The Significance of Rose Colors

The most common rose colors include white, yellow, orange, pink, purple and red. Keep in mind that while the descriptions below talk about the significance society places on each color, there is nothing stopping you from picking your favorite colors or the favorite colors of someone you have feelings for. Whether it is a bouquet of a single color or a mix of colors, there are countless ways to use roses to show your affection for another.

White Roses:

White is often seen as the color of purity. Owing its meaning in large part to Christianity, white roses have gone on to become symbols of purity, new beginnings, and excitement. With heavy spiritual elements, it is often found at weddings. At the same time, white roses are also used as symbol of remembrance. Whether it is providing a meaningful token to a tragic event or a celebratory bouquet for an amazing wedding, no rose color differs as dramatically in its use as the white rose.

Yellow Roses:

More than any other rose color, yellow roses symbolize friendship and warmth. Their warm disposition lights up rooms. Playing on optimism, yellow roses are often a ‘get better soon’ symbol as well as a symbol for good health. Deeply rooted in the celebration and joy of an individual, yellow roses can brighten up even the darkest days and leave your friend knowing that they are not alone.

Orange Roses:

While white roses may be reserved for celebrations and yellow roses express joy, orange roses are full of energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. When you are incredibly grateful to another person, orange is the most common color used to symbolize this feeling. With a great deal of hope and thanks built into the color, orange roses are the perfect way to send your gratitude to those who have helped you and your life.

Pink Roses:

Pink roses stand out as being bright, beautiful, and lively. The pink rose is often given from one person to another in order to symbolize appreciation, and admiration. They are popular among those who are dating, as well as those who are engaged. Considered by some a toned down version of the red rose, the pink rose is none-the-less beautiful, elegant, and graceful.

Purple Roses:

Purple is a color mostly associated with royalty in the western world. Purple roses (as well as lavender varieties) are perfect for more formal events where you are looking to say thanks to an individual who may be in a boss position. In addition, they make excellent gifts to individuals as a gift prior to coming over for dinner as well as other more typical yet still special events.

Red Roses:

More than any other color, red roses have the deepest significance and meaning in history as well as our current culture. A sign of perfection and beauty, the red rose the way to say to another person that you love them. A single rose or a bouquet or roses is an unequivocal expression of love. For any romantic gesture, red roses are the color to go with.

Where Does That Leave Us?

As stated at the beginning, what color of rose you ultimately decide to buy is up to you. The above color guide should help to direct, but not decide for you what color to get for someone you are interested in. While there are a few meanings that are set in stone (red being a romantic gesture), other colors can typically be mixed and matched to create a desired aesthetic in a bouquet. In addition, they can be combined to bring together different meanings, providing a full message of your feelings and using nothing more than roses.