15 Different Rose Color Meanings and Symbolism

Raul Cornelius is a Senior Editor at BalconyGardenWeb and an expert in flower and herb cultivation based in Phoenix, Arizona. A frequent speaker at horticultural events, he is also an active contributor to Facebook flower groups. Holding an MBA and a BCom, Raul blends his gardening skills with strong leadership and analytical abilities. Passionate about writing and photography, he enjoys early mornings with coffee and books, and nature bike rides during weekends.
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Explore the captivating world of Different Rose Color Meanings and Symbolism to help you convey your emotions with the language of roses.

Here are Different Rose Color Meanings and Symbolism! Whether you’re planning a bouquet for a loved one, contemplating a garden redesign, or simply curious about the hidden language of roses, understanding these will help you.

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History of Rose Color Meanings

Roses have a rich and ancient history that dates back thousands of years. They have been cultivated by humans for their beauty and fragrance since ancient times.

The color of a rose carries its own unique meaning and symbolism, allowing it to convey different messages and emotions. Each color has its own significance and can evoke various feelings and sentiments. When you give someone a rose of a specific color, it holds a deeper meaning that goes beyond its physical beauty.

From the passionate red roses to the gentle pink roses, the vibrant yellow roses to the pure white roses, each color holds a secret language that adds depth to the act of giving and receiving roses. Let us explore all these rose color meanings.

Check out the best homemade fertilizer for roses here


Rose Color Meanings and Symbolism

1. Red Roses: Passion and Love

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Red roses, with their rich and vibrant hue, symbolize intense passion and deep love. People have long associated them with romance and desire, making them the quintessential choice for expressing love on special occasions like Valentine’s Day or anniversaries.

According to ancient Greek and Roman mythology, the passionate message of the red rose originates from a legend.

Red Rose Lore: The legend tells us that the goddess of love, Aphrodite (Venus), pricked herself on a thorn. This happened while she was rushing to the aid of her wounded lover, Adonis. It was from her blood that the red rose was created.

Learn all about How to Grow Roses from Bouquets here.

2. Pink Roses: Grace and Admiration

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Pink roses come in a range of shades, from delicate pastels to vibrant hues, and they symbolize grace, admiration, and appreciation. These beautiful blooms are often associated with femininity, gentleness, and joy and symbolize the best of rose color meanings.

Presenting someone with a bouquet of pink roses is a wonderful way to express gratitude and admiration or to celebrate a significant achievement.

Find how to deadhead roses the right way here

3. Yellow Roses: Friendship and Joy

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Bright and cheerful, Yellow roses symbolize friendship, joy, and positive energy. Offering a bouquet of yellow roses to a friend is a delightful way to convey your appreciation for their companionship and to celebrate the bond you share.

These roses also evoke feelings of happiness and optimism, making them an ideal gift to uplift someone’s spirits or bring a ray of sunshine into their life.

Yellow Rose Fact: Did you know? Yellow roses originated in the Middle East and were introduced to Europe during the 18th century.

Here are the Best Varieties of Yellow Roses

4. White Roses: Purity and Innocence

White roses embody purity, innocence, and new beginnings. Their pristine beauty makes them an excellent choice for weddings, christenings, and other significant life events. White roses also represent reverence and remembrance, making them a thoughtful choice for memorial services and honoring departed loved ones.

These elegant blooms have a long-standing association with spirituality and are often used in religious ceremonies.

White Rose Fact: The white rose represented the House of York in the “War of the Roses” in England during the 15th century.

Check out the Best White Garden Roses Varieties here

5. Orange Roses: Enthusiasm and Fascination

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Don’t know about the orange rose color meanings? We’ve got you covered! Orange roses symbolize enthusiasm, fascination, and a zest for life. These vibrant blooms evoke excitement and energy, making them an excellent choice for expressing enthusiasm and adding vibrancy to any occasion.

Whether celebrating achievements or embarking on new adventures, orange roses convey passion and zest. The vibrant color of orange represents warmth and intensity, enhancing its orange color rose meanings.

6. Lavender Roses: Enchantment and Love at First Sight

Lavender roses, with their soft and enchanting hue, are often associated with enchantment and love at first sight. They inspire wonder and fascination, making them an ideal choice for expressing adoration and strong attraction.

Hybridized in the 20th century, lavender roses became a delightful addition to the rose color spectrum, captivating hearts with their gentle allure.

7. Peach Roses: Gratitude and Appreciation

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Want to know the peach rose color meanings? Peach roses symbolize gratitude, appreciation, and sincerity. These warm-toned blooms are perfect for expressing thanks and acknowledging acts of kindness.

With their gentle hues, peach roses evoke feelings of warmth and friendship, making them a suitable choice for celebrating milestones and nurturing meaningful connections.

Peach Rose Fact: Peach roses emerged as a distinct color variation in the world of roses through hybridization and breeding efforts in the late 20th century. Breeders worked to create roses with warm-toned petals reminiscent of the soft hues found in peaches.

Learn all about Growing Roses from Cuttings here

8. Purple Roses: Enchantment and Royalty

Purple roses, with their captivating and regal color, symbolize enchantment and royalty. They exude a sense of grandeur and fascination, making them an ideal choice for expressing admiration and conveying a touch of magnificence. The rich purple hue carries an air of mystery, adding depth to the symbolism.

Purple roses have held a special place through time, often associated with love at first sight and used to represent nobility and royalty. Their majestic presence in gardens and bouquets evokes a sense of awe and reverence, making them a remarkable choice for expressing profound admiration and respect.

Learn how to grow roses vertically here

9. Coral Roses: Desire and Eager Enthusiasm

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Coral colors hold special rose color meanings and symbolism. These roses, with their captivating and vibrant shade, represent desire and eager enthusiasm. The intense and alluring color ignites excitement and passion, making them a perfect choice for conveying strong desires.

Offering coral roses is an ideal way to express heartfelt yearning or eagerness in new relationships or during moments when intense emotions need to be conveyed. The vibrant coral hue of these roses captures the intensity of emotions, allowing them to become a beautiful embodiment of passionate desires and enthusiastic devotion.

Have a look at the best shade-tolerant roses here

10. Blue Roses: Mystery and the Impossible

Blue roses, although not naturally occurring, have held a mystical allure that has captivated imaginations for centuries. They symbolize the mystery, the unattainable, and the impossible. Blue roses often evoke associations with magical or mythical realms, where the extraordinary and unreachable become tangible.

They symbolize a perception of something impossible to achieve, similar to embarking on a quest for the Holy Grail or experiencing unrequited love. In certain cultures, blue roses are linked to the supernatural realm, evoking imagery of ghosts or spirits. In others, they may symbolize melancholy or sadness, exemplified by the Blue Rose of Love in Chinese culture.

Here are the 13 Best Blue Rose Varieties + Blue Rose Meaning

Westerners believe the blue rose color meanings to be associated with the pursuit of the impossible or the quest for something rare and unique.

Note: Blue roses, although culturally significant, are not naturally occurring in nature. Roses naturally span a range of colors, including white, yellow, and various shades of pink and red, but not blue. Any blue roses you come across have either been dyed or genetically modified.

11. Burgundy Roses: Devotion and Unconscious Beauty

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Burgundy roses symbolize devotion and possess an air of unconscious beauty. In the Victorian era, these dark red roses were associated with deep loyalty and commitment. Their unique color makes them an intriguing alternative to traditional red roses.

The deep shade of burgundy evokes a sense of mystery and allure, representing profound affection and unwavering dedication. When expressing your feelings with burgundy roses, you convey a message of profound devotion and appreciation.

Burgundy roses are often used in weddings to symbolize eternal love and devotion.

Get the best tips to care for roses in a vase here

12. Black Roses: Mourning or Chic Style

Although true black roses do not exist, people often refer to deep purple or burgundy roses as black roses. These roses, associated with mourning and mysticism, symbolize the enigmatic and the unknown.

Throughout history, black roses have appeared in fictional stories, symbolizing mystery and death. Despite their somber connotation, black roses can be strikingly beautiful and exude an air of chic elegance in floral arrangements. Their unconventional appearance appeals to non-traditionalists and those seeking unique rose color meanings.

Check out these amazing Black Rose Varieties

Note: Black roses do not naturally exist in nature. While some roses may appear black, they are actually deep shades of purple or burgundy. Darkening techniques or dyeing are used to create such black roses. 

13. Green Roses: Good News and New Beginnings

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Green roses symbolize good news and new beginnings. With their vibrant green hue, they represent life, growth, abundance, and rejuvenation. While some believe that all green roses are dyed, there are authentic green roses that occur naturally.

These roses, known for their sepals rather than petals, have a long history, dating back to 1743. Green roses carry a sense of optimism and serve as a celebration of positive developments and fresh starts.

Green Rose Fact: People often associate green roses with fertility, and including them in floral arrangements symbolizes growth and prosperity.

14. Cream Roses: Charm and Thoughtfulness

Cream roses symbolize charm and thoughtfulness. They convey a message of delicate beauty and elegance. Cream roses are an ideal choice when you want to express your admiration or let someone know they are on your mind.

Their soft and subtle color shares a sense of gentleness and grace. People gift cream roses as a thoughtful gesture to show appreciation to someone they hold in high regard.

Check out the Smallest Rose Varieties for Containers here

15. Multicolored Roses – A Burst of Happiness and Joy

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Multicolored roses, often referred to as “Rainbow Roses,” are a delightful and unique gift choice. These roses are a vibrant combination of various colors, and they symbolize happiness and joy. The brilliant and diverse hues of multicolored roses bring a sense of fun and excitement to traditional rose color meanings.

They are perfect gifts for occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, or even to celebrate the arrival of a new baby. By giving multicolored roses, you can express multiple emotions and sentiments in a single present, making it a truly special gesture.

Here are Stunning Types of Desert Rose Varieties


Mixed Rose Color Meaning in Bouquets

Creating a bouquet with different rose colors is a meaningful way to convey multiple messages in a single floral arrangement. Each rose color carries its own symbolism, and by blending them together, you can create a bouquet that shows a variety of rose color meanings.

A combination of pink and green roses signifies gentleness and harmony. This bouquet is an excellent choice to express love and affection towards a family member or a kind friend. The softness of pink roses goes with the soothing energy of green roses, sharing a sense of care.

On the other hand, mixing red and ivory roses can represent intense and tasteful love. This combination symbolizes passionate and refined affection. It is a powerful way to communicate deep emotions to a loved one.

Check out 35 Mind-Blowing Pictures of Roses in Pots here


Rose Color Meanings to Convey True FeelingsRose Color Meanings 16

Sending a message through the meanings of rose colors is a wonderful way to express your genuine emotions. You can convey your sentiments in a heartfelt manner by thoughtfully choosing colors that align with your feelings. 

  • Dozen Roses: A classic choice of one dozen roses traditionally symbolizes love and gratitude. It is a timeless gesture that expresses affection and appreciation. When you present a bouquet of one dozen roses, you are saying “Be mine” or “I love you” in a meaningful way.
  • Two Dozen Roses: If you want to amplify the message, consider opting for two dozen roses instead. It represents a deeper connection and shows “I belong to you” in a romantic context. On other occasions, two dozen roses add an extra touch to the gift, making it even more special.
  • Long-stemmed Roses: A bouquet of long-stemmed roses signifies lasting remembrance. It communicates the message “I will remember you always” with deep sincerity.

Here are the Most Beautiful Long Stem Roses for the Garden

Always put thought into what you want to gift your loved ones. Even petite roses, with their smaller size, hold immense significance and impact.


Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I Combine Different Rose Colors in a Bouquet?

Definitely! Mixing different rose colors can make a beautiful bouquet that shows different feelings. You can combine roses of various colors to express love, friendship, and admiration all in one bunch.

Check 29 Best Ground Cover Rose Pictures from Instagram here

2. Do Artificial Roses Convey the Same Meanings as Real Ones?

Fake roses might look beautiful, but real roses have a stronger meaning and emotional impact. Real roses have natural beauty, fragrance, and imperfections that carry special rose color meanings that fake roses might not have.

3. Are There Any Cultural or Historical Associations With Rose Colors?

Yes, certain cultures and times in history have given specific meanings to rose colors. For example, in Victorian England, red roses meant love and yellow roses stood for jealousy. Learning about these connections can make rose color meanings clearer.

Have a look at the most important things to consider while growing roses here

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