Many flowers, plants, trees, and other flora traditionally represent feelings, moods, or ideas. The meaning of flowers has fascinated people for centuries, and in the language of flowers, each one has its very own significance. Which flower is the best tattoo addition for your floral inspiration?
Acacia
The acacia blossom means true, chaste, and pure love. This love is sometimes hidden, making it the perfect tattoo in terms of symbolism. Alternatively, an acacia blossom tattoo also symbolizes beauty in age—so beauty never fades as you grow older with your tattoo.
Alstroemeria
The alstroemeria flower, often called the Peruvian lily, is a symbol of wealth, prosperity, and happiness. It also corresponds to the heart chakra and is the flower of friendship. An alstroemeria flower tattoo brings you luck in friendship, love, and career.
Ambrosia
The ambrosia flower is actually a Greek term for love and means reciprocated love. This unassuming flower has not only a beautiful meaning but is also an extremely pretty flower tattoo.
Amaryllis
The amaryllis symbolizes pastoral poetry. The deep red, white, and pink tones emerging from the center of the amaryllis flower mean shared pride.
Anemone
The anemone, also called “windflower,” is a perfect flower tattoo. Not only because of its dark red, blue, or white colors—the anemone literally means forsaken love, anticipation, fragility, and protection from evil. Your anemone tattoo, which in Greek means “daughter of the wind,” signifies beauty and grace combined with strength.
Arbutus
The tiny white arbutus flower is the perfect flower tattoo because the flower says “I love you” without you having to speak at all.
Aster
When choosing a flower tattoo, one should not underestimate the delicate accents of the aster, the flower of love. This unique flower, which makes for a unique tattoo, can also express elegance. Asters are the birth flower of September.
Azalea
The azalea symbolizes fragile passion and is a symbol of femininity in China.
Bachelor’s Button
The blue bachelor’s button is often regarded as a symbol of male solidarity because it stands alone—its actual meaning, however, is the blessing of single life.
Begonia
Whatever color you choose for your tattoo—red, yellow, and pink begonias make a wonderful tattoo. The begonia flower symbolizes wealth and happiness. When you wear this flower on your body, it brightens a room and brings the same positive energy as the real flower itself.
Bells of Ireland
The Moluccella, also known as “Bells of Ireland,” symbolizes prosperity and means good luck for your future endeavors.
Bird of Paradise
This unique plant makes a beautiful and extraordinary flower tattoo. Yellow and orange leaves sprouting from blue stems make it look like a tropical bird that has landed on the plant. Because of its tropical nature, this flower symbolizes freedom and joy.
Bittersweet
Associated with truth, the bittersweet flower expresses truth and honesty. It also symbolizes friendly or platonic love and is the perfect tattoo for a love dedicated to a friend or family member.
Bluebell
The bluebell, which means humility, is also called “harebell” in Scotland because people believed that witches transformed into hares and hid among the flowers. Bluebells also mean gratitude and are associated with eternal love and constancy.
Cactus
Most people know the cactus as a tough plant that needs very little water to survive and is therefore hard to kill. That’s why the cactus stands for endurance and makes a cute and interesting tattoo with its symbolism of perseverance.
Calla Lily
The small white flower resembling a bulb is the outstanding feature of the calla lily, which literally represents splendor and beauty. Many people also choose the calla for a tattoo because it expresses holiness, faith, and purity—just as it is depicted beside the Virgin Mary or the Archangel of the Annunciation.
Calendula
The calendula is the birth flower of October. A flower with many healing properties and many meanings such as grace, ambition, and respect.
Camellia
The bright, full blossoms of the camellia express gratitude and love. However, each color has different meanings: Pink camellias stand for longing, red ones say “you are a flame in my heart,” and white ones say “you are adorable.”
Carnation
Carnations are often found in women’s bouquets, and they make an incredibly beautiful flower tattoo because carnations symbolize admiration and deep friendship among women. Carnations are the birth flower of January.
Cattail
A cattail growing in the wild is often perceived as a graceful piece of nature and also helps convey a sense of calm— which is why it is frequently a subject for photographers. Besides peace, cattails also mean prosperity.
Cherry Blossoms
These beautiful cherry blossoms are associated with Japanese culture. The meaning of the cherry blossom has changed many times. Currently, the cherry blossom symbolizes life, fertility, and love.
Chrysanthemum
Often given as a “just because” flower, the chrysanthemum expresses joy and recovery and symbolizes a wonderful friendship in general. The chrysanthemum is the birth flower of November.
Crocus
The crocus is a widespread symbol of the approaching spring because it often begins to bloom after the last winter frost. As a tattoo, the crocus blossom radiates joy, cheerfulness, youth, and merriment. As a tattoo, this flower will have an invigorating and cheerful effect on your body canvas.
Cyclamen
The pink, purple, and red light tones of the cyclamen flower brighten a bouquet—and likewise your tattoo collection.
Daffodil
The daffodil, which symbolizes rebirth and new beginnings, carries many meanings—from respect and unrequited love to brighter feelings like “there is only you” and “the sun always shines with you.” The daffodil is the birth flower of March.
Daisy
Since daisies mean innocence and faithful love, your daisy tattoo will signify virtue and purity. Daisies are also the birth flower of April.
Dandelion
While many consider the dandelion nothing more than a weed, these tough flowers are actually designed for endurance, for they stand for fidelity and happiness.
Edelweiss
The edelweiss flower is at its core the “I can’t live without you” flower. This climbing flower, habitually found in the Alps, the Himalayas, and the gentle hills of England, is delicate and symbolizes lasting beauty.
Fern
Green ferns stand for magic and enchantment. They can also mean trust and security, which is why they can be associated with houseplants. In the sense of “home is where the heart is”—carry a fern tattoo with you wherever you go.
Fir
A fir plant typically stands for time. The tapered appearance of the cut leaves makes for a timeless and beautiful tattoo.
Flax
The flax plant is a wonderful addition as a filler element or as a standalone tattoo. Typically, the flax plant is considered a symbol of domesticity—a beautiful gesture of love or of finding peace within oneself.
Forget-Me-Not
What flower is better suited for a tattoo than a forget-me-not? This flower tattoo, which symbolizes true love, will serve as a wonderful reminder of shared moments with a loved one.
Forsythia
The rust-yellow forsythia symbolizes anticipation and young love.
Gardenia
These delicate gardenia blossoms make a beautiful tattoo that symbolizes purity, love, and refinement.
Geranium
Geranium tattoos are associated with positive feelings and symbolize friendship, wishes for recovery, and happiness.
Gladiolus
Although it is known as the flower of gladiators, the gladiolus symbolizes strength and moral integrity as well as passion and devotion. The gladiolus is the birth flower of August.
Gloxinia
Gloxinias are shy but profound. These flowers symbolize the beginning of your love life. A glance at the profound bloom of the gloxinia can give you the feeling of having fallen in love with the flower at first sight—this makes a gloxinia tattoo intoxicating.
Heather
The heather flower comes in various colors and stands for a broad spectrum of symbolism. Your heather tattoo signifies admiration, beauty, luck, solitude, and protection.
Heliconia
The heliconia is a tropical flower that immediately evokes admiration—and literally means just that. This flower makes a perfect tattoo because the leaves of the heliconia are incredibly striking. This vibrant flower also expresses pride and sunshine.
Hibiscus
The hibiscus blossom, popular in Hawaiian culture, stands for royal dignity, power, and respect.
Holly
While most people think of Christmas when it comes to holly, this flower is evergreen. Holly blossoms mean defense and family happiness—a great addition to your tattoo collection.
Hyacinth
The hyacinth usually blooms abundantly with many individual flowers and comes in many different colors. Because the hyacinth was dedicated to Apollo, the flower is a symbol of games and sports as well as a sign of constancy and sincerity.
Hydrangea
The hydrangea blossom can literally represent coldness and heartlessness, yet the multifaceted nature of its colorful bloom is more often used to express the second meaning: gratitude for understanding.
Iris
Even though the dark blue-purple flower of the Irish serves as an emblem of France, the flower itself stands as a symbol of faith, hope, wisdom, and courage. The iris is the birth flower of February.
Ivy
When you think of ivy, you probably think of poison ivy, but the wonderful green ivy variety used in floral decorations actually has beautiful associations such as wedded love, fidelity, friendship, and affection.
Jonquil
Jonquil flowers are often confused with daffodils because of their similar bloom, but a traditional jonquil has white leaves with a mostly yellow center, giving it its very own radiance. A jonquil tattoo symbolizes love, affection, desire, compassion, and the wish for expanded love.
Kalanchoe
This small flowering plant makes an incredibly beautiful tattoo. As many think, it is an “Old World” flower. Since all flowering kalanchoes bloom for at least eight weeks, the symbolic meaning of the plant is persistence and eternal love.
Kangaroo Paw
Are you looking for a unique plant full of beauty? Then you should consider the kangaroo paw, popular for tattoos. The genus name Anigozanthos derives from the Greek word “anises,” meaning unequal or oblique. The flower consists of six irregular parts that give it the appearance of an outstretched kangaroo paw.
Larkspur
As the birth flower of July, larkspur flowers come in various colors. The larkspur blossom symbolizes fickleness, love, affection, and passionate devotion. Purple larkspur stands for first love. These flowers also symbolize lightness, a pure heart, a sweet nature, and the desire to laugh.
Lily
The lily is a wonderful flower and makes an even more wonderful tattoo. Lilies stand for humility and purity and possess a sensitive, refreshing, and vivacious radiance. They also symbolize the beginning of life and comfort at the end of life.
Lily of the Valley
You probably know the bell-shaped lily of the valley flowers from bridal bouquets, but you may not be aware that they are affectionately known as Our Lady’s tears because of the sweet innocence the flowers radiate. Beyond that, the lily of the valley can also symbolize sweetness, the return of happiness, humility, and the feeling “you have completed my life.” Lily of the valley is the birth flower of May.
Lotus
In Buddhism, the lotus is a symbol of the purity of body, speech, and mind. Although rooted in mud, the lotus blooms on long stems, as if floating above the murky waters of attachment and desire. This symbolism makes it a popular tattoo motif.
Magnolia
Magnolias are unique because the multilayered petals of the blossom often look as if there is a flower within the flower. The magnolia is generally regarded as a sign of nobility and dignity, and in ancient China, magnolias were considered perfect symbols of feminine beauty and gentleness.
Marigold
Although marigolds come in different colors, they are most often seen in bright yellow and orange tones that announce the beginning of autumn. The true meaning of the marigold, however, is anything but cheerful—it stands for cruelty, grief, and jealousy. The marigold is the birth flower of October.
Mistletoe
While most people think of mistletoe around Christmas and New Year’s, the mistletoe actually means overcoming difficulties. That is why mistletoe is the sacred plant of India and can perfectly complement mandala tattoos.
Monkshood
The monkshood flower is a beautiful, dark blue-purple flower commonly known as wolfsbane because of the similar pronunciation. But monkshood is not the flower of hope you take it for—its meaning is actually a warning to be careful because a deadly enemy is near.
Myrtle
The myrtle blossom comes in various colors and is recognizable by the fine stamens protruding from the center of the flower. Since the flower represents love and is the Hebrew emblem of marriage, it is often seen in bridal bouquets and wedding decorations.
Narcissus (Daffodil)
Narcissus flowers resemble Easter bells very much but come in far more colors and with quite different meanings. Although the name is close to the word narcissism, the narcissus flower means self-love and formality—at the same time, it is a feeling that says: “Stay as sweet as you are.”
Nasturtium
Nasturtium flowers usually come in various red, orange, and yellow tones, and the nasturtium symbolizes a conquest or victory in battle.
Oleander
The oleander flower can have various colors, but its delicate beauty most commonly appears in white or pale pink tones. Its true meaning is caution—which is well conveyed by its fragile structure, for when handling oleander flowers one wants to be careful.
Orange Blossom
The orange blossom is a sign of the sweetness it hides behind itself as the fruit continues to ripen. Therefore, the meaning of the orange blossom can be seen as a hidden quality—it means innocence, eternal love, and symbolizes marriage and fertility.
Mock Orange
The mock orange resembles an orange blossom, but behind this cheerful flower lies a meaning of deception, but also of grace and care. Although mock orange is the state flower of Idaho, this flower is often used to calm overly aggressive people.
Orchid
Orchids come in a broad color palette, but the delicate flowers often appear as if hanging by a thread from their stem—as if they were made to look fragile and beautiful. Although the orchid is a symbol of many children in China, these highly coveted ornamental plants stand for love, beauty, luxury, and strength.
Palm Leaves
Palm leaves can give your tattoo collection a tropical flair. The palm branch is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life.
Peony
The peony is among the most popular flower tattoos—and for good reason. The vibrant colors of a full peony bloom are so multilayered that you won’t confuse it with any other flower. Moreover, this traditional Chinese flower symbol—as well as the state flower of Indiana—is incredibly beautiful in black and gray. Although the peony represents shame and bashfulness, it rather means a happy life, a happy marriage, prosperity, and compassion.
Petunia
Petunias come in many colors, and they symbolize the colors of anger and rage—but to a special person, they can also say: “Your presence soothes me.”
Pine
Many people see the pine as a symbol of hope, but alternatively, the pine can also mean pity.
Poinsettia
The story behind the poinsettia explains its meaning well: A humble young man dug weeds from the roadside and laid them on the church altar at Christmas—the weeds transformed before his eyes into brightly red and green flowers. The poinsettia seems to carry the magic of the holidays and is the birth flower of December babies.
Poppy
The brightly sweet blooms of the poppy symbolize imagination. However, the poppy also means eternal sleep and oblivion and often serves in a funeral bouquet as a flower that symbolizes grief and condolence. In Greek and Roman mythology, the poppy was used as an offering to the dead.
Primrose
Primroses come in a range of vibrant, bright, and pale tones, making them the perfect tattoo for the statement: “I can’t live without you.”
Queen Anne’s Lace
According to legend, Queen Anne was challenged by her ladies-in-waiting to create a lace as beautiful as a real flower. While stitching, she pricked her finger and created a purple-red spot in the center. It is said that this flower represents the labor of love and the beauty in its presence. Queen Anne’s lace symbolizes sanctuary, dreams, and protection. This flower corresponds to the crown chakra.
Rose
The traditional rose tattoo will never go out of style—realistic roses won’t either. Roses, widespread for good reason, symbolize love, desire, and secrecy or confidentiality. In color choice, the red rose is most commonly used for love and passion, while white roses mean purity and innocence as well as new beginnings. Dark red roses stand for mourning; pink roses for grace, happiness, and gentleness; and yellow roses for joy, friendship, and the promise of a new beginning. Lavender roses are dedicated to love at first sight, coral roses stand for friendship, modesty, and sympathy.
Rose Bud
A simple, not yet bloomed rose bud symbolizes beauty, youth, and a heart free from love. The rose is the birth flower of June.
Snapdragon
The snapdragon comes from the Mediterranean region but can be found almost anywhere delicate flowers can grow. The snapdragon means, as the name suggests, a gracious lady—or deception.
Goldenrod
Solidago, better known as the goldenrod flower, symbolizes encouragement and growth. As a flower, it can be given after a loss or in difficult times to show support. These flowers are often believed to help alleviate depression.
Spider Flower
Although spider flowers are very common houseplants, most don’t match what they mean when given. The true meaning of the spider flower is to ask someone to run away—but it also means general appreciation for passionate love.
Stephanotis
Stephanotis flowers are small and numerous—they mean happiness in marriage, but as a tattoo can also bring luck when you embark on a new journey in your life.
Stock
The stock is an annual flower that grows similarly to iris, although it thrives in a variety of colors. Stock symbolizes bonds of affection, promptness, and the feeling “you will always be beautiful to me.”
Sunflower
Sunflowers have long evoked admiration and are documented as symbols of unconventional beauty. They represent the sun and have strong historical connections to ancient cultures because sunflowers follow the sun. Their heads turn toward the sun and open—they reflect happiness, longevity, warmth, and growth and make a beautiful and meaningful tattoo.
Sweet Pea
While most people think of a scent when it comes to sweet pea, the beautiful flower is known for its pastel-colored, pea-shaped petals and can mean many things: goodbye, farewell, a pleasant pleasure, or a loving way to thank someone for a lovely time. Sweet pea is also the birth flower of April.
Tulip
As the floral emblem of the Netherlands, tulips mark the true beginning of spring as soon as their beautiful pastel buds appear. Tulips stand for perfect love, faithfulness, appreciation, and forgiveness.
Violet
The purple flowers are small and appear almost shy in their gentle blue and lilac tones—fitting for their meaning of true modesty.
Zinnia
The zinnia flower stands for longing or compassion for a friend who is not there. They come in many varieties and mostly in bright colors. Wonderfully sweet—these innocent flowers were discovered by Johann Gottfried Zinn. Interestingly, his main research area was the eye, vision, and perception.
