14 Beautiful Flowers That Symbolize Gratitude and Say ‘Thank You’

In many societies, cultures, or religions, there is a belief that certain things can bring peace to a person, a place, or an entire family. This is also true about flowers, too. Different flowers can mean many or several things. Roses can mean love, but what about the rest of them? There are 14 beautiful flowers that symbolize gratitude and say “thank you.” Which ones are they? Let’s explore each and every one of them.

Note: The following article is not scientifically proven. Some statements are seen as myths, part of tall tales passed along from generation to generation, or they are simply cultural traditions steeped in folklore or history.

Sunflower

Sunflowers are decadent and cheerful yellow flowers that look like the sun and they follow the sun throughout the day. That’s the reason why they are good flowers to give when you want to show gratitude to someone. Sunflowers mean dedication and longevity, which is great to show your dedication and gratitude to a friend or family member.

Rose

Ah, the rose. Roses are the essential flower to give to your significant other to show that you are in love. Roses, after all, are synonymous with love. But the rose can also mean other things, depending on the color. For example, yellow roses mean friendship. Red roses mean love. And pink roses mean gratitude and ensuring you are thankful for the person. Next time you want to be thankful for a loved one, pick up a bouquet of pink roses.

Chrysanthemum

Native to Asia and Eastern Europe, chrysanthemums represent several things like loyalty, gratitude, and respect. In China, if you give these to your family or loved ones, it means you are showing your gratitude. Next time you cross paths with a chrysanthemum, grab a cute bouquet for a loved one to express that you are grateful for all they have done for you over the years.

Carnation

There are many colors of carnations, each of which can symbolize different things. Pink carnations mean a mother’s pure love, while white carnations can mean purity. Carnations originated in Greece and it is said that the carnation often symbolized gratitude and a show of thanks during ancient times. Carnations have a delicious fragrance that can liven the household, ensuring your gratitude is marked.

Iris

Irises come in many colors — blue, purple, pink, yellow, white — and each color can mean something different. Purple means respect and admiration, whereas yellow means friendship. In Ancient Greece, it is said that the goddess Iris would send messages of thankfulness to mortal humans from the gods above. At the end of the day, irises are a good flower to convey gratitude to someone who has done so much for you.

Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are beautiful flowers that can symbolize several things. In Japan, for example, they symbolize harmony and grace. But they are also flowers that you can give to someone who means the world to you and some you are grateful for. Showing gratitude with a flower like the Hydrangea, which can last for a very long time, will show them that you care about them in a long-lasting way.

Sweet Pea

This flower is definitely not green and it’s not a pea. These flowers are native to Sicily and they are bright pink, which means they can lighten up the room immensely. These flowers usually mean gratitude or thank you for spending quality time with a person. So next time you go to dinner or have an eventful evening with friends, why don’t you get them a bouquet of sweet peas to show gratitude?

Camellia

Camellias are native to China and Japan and they are bright pink or red flowers that can lighten up your day. Camellia flowers are very popular in their native countries for being used as tea. These flowers show your devotion to someone, which in effect can show how grateful you are to have them in your life.

Daisy

Daisies are originally from Europe and they are super cute and small. What better flower to give to a friend that means the world to you than a daisy? They symbolize gratitude and dependability, which could highlight how thankful you are for the dependability and stability of your friendship. Perennis, which is in the flower’s scientific name Bellis perennis, means everlasting. That is an important part of gratitude and thankfulness.

Calla Lily

The calla lily is a beautiful flower and calla actually means beautiful in Greek. These stunning flowers were made even more famous by artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. The calla lily can symbolize the gratitude of partners heading into marriage, ensuring they have an everlasting union. Often they are given to the brides by the grooms upon their wedding day.

Tulip

Made famous because of the fields of tulips in the Netherlands, tulips are gorgeous flowers of many colors. Tulips can symbolize many things but to show your gratitude to someone, it’s best to give them a bouquet of yellow flowers. Yellow signifies cheerfulness and happiness, as well as gratitude toward someone you care about.

Daffodil

Daffodils are usually associated with Narcissus and can signify rebirth, however, daffodils have taken another meaning of showing thanks and appreciation. This is partly because the United Kingdom associates the flower with gratitude and thanks. Daffodils are the flowers children give to their mothers on Mothering Sunday. In fact, at Eurovision 2023, Liverpool gave out 1,859 daffodils to show gratitude, solidarity, and appreciation to Ukraine (who had won in 2022 but were unable to host due to the war).

Primrose

Primrose flowers are native to many places throughout the world and about half of the native species comes from the Himalayas region. Primroses are cute, small flowers that come in different colors, such as purple, yellow, or orange. They are cheerful flowers that can lighten up anyone’s mood, becoming the perfect flower to give to show your gratitude to someone.

Pansy

Originally, pansies were from Europe and West Asia. Now they are distributed worldwide, can be eaten, and are used for medicinal purposes. These cute, small flowers are a perfect gift for someone you are thinking of and want to be thankful for. You see, pansy comes from the French word penser, meaning to think. 

Conclusion

Flowers have been around for thousands of years and different cultures have emphasized certain flowers for certain occasions because of lore. You may or may not believe in the power of symbolism, but people appreciate the gesture of getting a bouquet. So the next time you pass by a flower shop, why not stop and get a bouquet for a loved one?

And if your family members don’t appreciate the effort to connect the dots to the occasion and the flower’s symbolism, don’t worry about it! Take comfort that they will make great centerpieces on your dining room table. They will also provide a more relaxing, colorful atmosphere at home.

14 Beautiful Flowers That Symbolize Gratitude and Say “Thank You”