22 Rose Colors and Their Meanings

There are many rose colors to choose from these days, and every rose color has a different meaning. While roses, in general, are seen as a way to express your love for someone, a yellow rose has a different meaning behind it than a red rose or a white rose.

Whether you are working on putting together a bouquet for your sweetheart, for a birthday or Valentine’s Day, sending flowers for Mother’s Day, or making an arrangement to send to a funeral, you want to make sure that the rose colors you choose send the right message to their recipient.

Meaning of Roses by Color

Every color of rose means something different, which is why we have put together this guide for you to help you send the right message. In this article, we will look at the different rose colors and their meanings.

Meaning of Red Roses

It is universally accepted that red roses are a symbol of love. Giving someone a red rose means “I love you.” Red roses are intended to share deep love, desire, and longing.

Part of the reason that red roses mean love and romance is because of Greek mythology. The goddess of love, Aphrodite, created the red rose by watering the ground with her tears and the blood of Adonis, her lover.

Burgundy Roses

Burgundy roses are a passionate flower to share with the person you love. Historically, burgundy roses express your deep devotion to the recipient.

Yellow Rose Meaning

Yellow roses are bright and cheerful, and they mean that someone is a great friend. However, if you are in a relationship with someone, giving yellow roses can also represent infidelity and jealousy.

Gold Roses

The gold rose represents luxury. These are a good way to make someone feel pampered and loved.

Meaning of White Roses

Historically, white roses symbolized innocence and virginity, which is why they are often considered to be the bridal flower. These roses symbolize a blossoming romance and new beginnings. White roses can also be used as a sign of remembrance and respect, making them a good choice to send to someone who is grieving after losing a loved one.

Cream Roses

While cream is an offshoot of white, it still has its own rose meaning. Cream roses symbolize both charm and thoughtfulness, so they are a great way to tell someone that they are on your mind.

Ivory Rose Meaning

While ivory roses are similar to white roses visually, they have a slight yellow tint to them, giving them a slightly different meaning from snow white roses. Ivory roses symbolize charm, gracefulness, and thoughtfulness. These are an excellent choice for showing someone that you care about them. These roses are associated with platonic love, not romantic love.

Purple Rose Meanings

A deep purple rose is perfect for lovestruck passion and infatuation. These roses do not indicate a long-lasting relationship; they are more for a fleeting infatuation. However, these can help pave the way toward a longer relationship. The purple rose also means royalty, honor, and majesty, so giving someone purple roses says that you hold them in high regard.

Lavender Roses

Lavender is not as common of a rose color as red or yellow, so it is the perfect rose to express unique love. Since it is a rarer rose color, it says you think the world about the person who you are giving the roses to. Lavender roses also mean love at first sight.

Violet Roses

While violet is a different shade of purple, it has a slightly different tone to it. Violet roses are associated with sensitivity, depth, and personality, as well as the galaxy and night sky. A violet rose symbolizes a desire to get to know someone and your appreciation for their personality. This rose can be used both romantically and platonically.

Lilac Colored Roses

A lilac colored rose is used to share your intentions for the future. If you have someone special in your life that you want to commit to, a lilac rose is a good way to share that.

Pink Rose Meanings

Pink roses symbolize gratitude, joy, and grace. They are also a good choice if you need to tell someone, “I’m sorry.” However, the exact intent of the pink roses changes depending on the shade of it.

A deep pink rose is great for telling your best friend how grateful you are for the bond that you share.

A medium pink rose is great for congratulating someone or acknowledging a first love. They are also a good choice for a symbol of gratitude and to give to someone who is grieving.

A light pink rose symbolizes appreciation and innocence. These are a great rose for a close friend or family member to show them that you appreciate them. Light pink roses also mean gentleness, so they are a great option for sympathy.

Orange Rose Meaning

When giving someone an orange rose, you are giving them something that means passion, fascination, and energy. Since orange is a blend of red and yellow, an orange rose also symbolizes a budding romance or one in its early stages, especially if the relationship began as a friendship.

The Meaning of Peach Roses

Peach roses are an elegant bloom that represent expressing gratitude and showing that you are thankful to someone. These are also an excellent rose color to show a friend or family member sympathy.

Salmon Colored Roses

The salmon color is a pinkish orange, and salmon roses desire and excitement. They tend to be a vibrant color that is unique, and they can be used as a flower for someone who is a kindred spirit to you.

Coral Rose Meaning

Coral is a brightly colored rose that symbolizes desire. If there is someone new in your life who you are excited to get to know, coral roses are a good way of showing that.

Green Roses

While some people believe that green roses are dyed, that is not always the case. They can be found in nature, but they are not quite as vivid in color as a dyed green rose is. Green is one of the colors of growth, so a green rose means life, abundance, and rejuvenation. These roses are perfect for celebrating new beginnings and good news.

Mint Green Roses

Mint green roses represent new beginnings and fertility. These are a great rose color for someone who is expecting a baby or has just had one. They are also a good rose color choice for someone who is entering a new phase in their life or changing jobs or moving. These can show someone that you care about them and wish them the best.

Blue Rose Meaning

Blue is not a rose color that exists in nature, which is why blue roses symbolize mystery, the unattainable, and the impossible. These flowers can be a beautiful and unique gift that lets the recipient know that they are one of a kind.

A lighter blue rose represents sensitivity and feelings that are not romantic love.

Meaning of Black Roses

Black roses are another flower that does not occur in nature; the closest to a naturally occurring black rose is a burgundy or deep purple. Black roses are featured a lot in fiction, and they represent many things, including mystery, mourning, mysticism, and death. While some of its meanings are negative, it is also a unique and goth-chic rose color that can make them a fun gift.

Rainbow Rose Meaning

Rainbow roses are another one that does not occur in nature, but they are bright and fun. These roses can tell your partner that they are your best friend and that you respect and appreciate them. They can also symbolize pride, equality, and hope. Since rainbows always come after storms, they are perfect to symbolize hope and that things can get better.

Multicolored Roses

When a rose has multiple colors to it, it is usually the bridge between the two colors in its meaning. For example, a yellow rose that has red tips means cheerfulness and happiness; they are also a great color to symbolize a budding romance. Another example is a white rose with pink tips, which symbolizes unity, making them a good romantic choice or an addition to a wedding arrangement.

There are also tri-colored roses, which have a combination of the three colors in their message. These can be helpful in conveying a bigger, more meaningful message than you can in a single colored bloom sometimes.

Do roses come in every color?

Yes and no. Not every color of rose can be found in nature, but some can be dyed. Black and blue roses are the most likely to be dyed since they cannot be found in nature. However, you can find almost every other color and shade of roses in nature. There are also bright rainbow roses that are dyed since it is not possible to grow something quite like that in nature. However, just because a rose is dyed does not make it any less beautiful or meaningful.

Meanings and Traditions of Roses

Once you have decided what color of roses will best convey the message that you are sending to someone, there are a few other design elements to your bouquet selection. The main options we are looking at are one or two dozen roses, petite roses, and long-stemmed roses. Here are some of the common traditions surrounding them to help you share your message.

• The Meaning of One Dozen Roses

When you send someone a dozen roses, that usually means you are sending them a message of gratitude and love. A dozen roses have become the common way to arrange them for any occasion, but one of the main messages you send with a dozen roses is that you love that person.

• Two Dozen Roses

A bouquet of two dozen roses sends an even stronger message than one dozen does since it is literally double the flowers. If you are sending two dozen roses to someone you are romantic and saying, “I belong to you.” If you are sending two dozen roses for another occasion, it adds a little extravagance to the gift.

• Petite Roses

Petite roses have smaller blooms than other roses, but the size does not lessen the importance of the message you are sending. Petite roses are also called sweetheart roses, and they symbolize your affection for your sweetheart.

• Long Stemmed Roses

Long-stemmed roses are often the most desired type of rose, partially because they carry a deep meaning. If you send someone a bouquet of long-stemmed roses, it can mean that you will always keep them in your heart. A single long-stemmed rose is a much simpler message, like “I love you.”

Final Thoughts

Now that you know the meanings of all of the common rose colors, as well as the traditions surrounding them, you can find the perfect combination to send the message you want. Whether you are sending roses to a friend or a loved one, you can pick the right rose combination to send your message. Have fun searching for the perfect roses, and they are a beautiful gift or decoration for any occasion.