12 Flowers That Mean Remembrance

Lilies

Traditionally, lilies are used during funerals and celebration of life ceremonies. That’s because white is symbolic of purity, grace, and innocence. The flowers are representative of the soul of the deceased, which is why they are often used in bouquets of remembrance.

It’s hard to look at a white lily flower without being reminded of grief and sympathy. The most common type used at funerals are white Stargazer lilies. 

White Tulips

Like lilies, white tulips share the same innocent and pure color palette. Other colors of tulips may represent joy and admiration, but white tulips usually mean remembrance. Tulips are a great choice for a bouquet because they go well with nearly any other flower.

Forget-Me-Nots

With a name like this one, it’s hard not to choose this beautiful blue flower for special occasion bouquets. Even the folklore behind the flower is representative of remembrance. The story of forget-me-nots tells of a knight who picked the blue flowers for his lady love as they walked along a riverbank. But as he handed them to her, he fell into the river, crying out, “Forget me not,” as the current swept him away.

Poppies

When it comes to memorials for veterans and survivors of World War I, there’s no better choice than poppies. The flowers became representative of remembrance after Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae’s poem detailing a scene at the second Battle of Ypres. 

In 1921, the Great War Veterans’ Association adopted the poppy as its Flower of Remembrance. In years after, the flowers were sold with proceeds going towards helping Wounded Veterans.

Chrysanthemums

In Japan, chrysanthemums are used to honor the dead and to symbolize loyalty. They are used during the O-Bon festival each year to honor the spirits of the dead. You’ll often see bouquets of the white flowers on gravesites during that time. 

Hyacinths

Representing a different type of remembrance, hyacinths (purple hyacinths, specifically) symbolize sorrow and regret. They are often used as an olive branch to try and gain forgiveness for a mistake. Their effectiveness is obvious — it’d sure be hard to stay mad at someone who has given you such gorgeous flowers!

Orchids

Orchids are a great choice for remembering loved ones because they mean “I will always love you”. That’s because their long-lasting blooms are representative of everlasting love. You can use white, pink, or purple orchids for remembrance bouquets, and they each have slightly different meanings. White represents innocence and purity, while pink and purple orchids symbolize femininity. 

Roses

Probably the second-most common funeral flower, roses come in many varieties and colors. You’ll often see yellow or white roses in flower arrangements that represent remembrance. Red and pink roses are more commonly used to show love and admiration. 

Carnations

Carnations first gained popularity as a symbol of remembrance in Russia, where they are used to honor loved ones. Specific colors represent different things, with red carnations often gracing the gravesites of war veterans. White carnations are used for funerals to represent purity, and pink carnations are representative of remembrance. 

Marigolds

In Aztec culture, marigolds were viewed as a symbol of remembrance. In Mexico today, they are still used in celebrations of life and during Day of the Dead celebrations. Marigolds come in orange and yellow, and the bright colors are said to guide the souls of the dead back to the world of the living. During early November, you’ll often see many of the flowers around gravesites and memorials.

Blue Cornflowers

The story behind blue cornflowers comes from France during World War I. French soldiers wore the bright flowers on their uniforms to remember their fallen companions. The flowers are still used in modern France for this purpose, most often around Armistice Day, which celebrates the end of World War I. 

Gladioli

These flowers, also known as sword lilies, are bright pink, purple, or orange blossoms that get their popularity from ancient Rome. They were used during funerals and also thrown at gladiators who survived fights to the death. The flowers represent strength and remembrance of hard battles.