Color of Roses: What They Mean

Despite the old Valentine rhyme that claims that, “Roses are red,” the color of roses has an endless variety. Each color of rose, whether lavender, pink, orange, yellow or the traditional red, has a different meaning when given as a gift to someone. Here’s a list of the significance of each color of rose.

Red

As expected, the red rose signifies love. A single red rose is expressive enough in our culture that it nearly comes across as, “I love you.” Red roses also signify courage, passion, respect and beauty.

Pink

One of the most common colored roses, pink roses signify appreciation, expressing a message of “Thank You” to the recipient. A dark pink rose is most gratuitous while a light pink rose is gentler, better used to express admiration and happiness.

White

Like an angel or cherub, white roses signify innocence and purity. When used at a wedding, white roses are a symbol of happy love.

Orange

Although a rarity, orange roses show desire and enthusiasm.

Yellow

A happy color, yellow roses mean friendship, gladness, joy and delight. Yellow roses can be the promise of a new beginning or express a welcome back or remember me message.

Peach

Peach roses show appreciation, closeness and sincerity, perhaps because they are a rare colored rose. A pale peach rose signifies modesty, supposedly because of the color’s likeness to the nude body.

Lavender

A lavender rose signifies love at first sight and enchantment.

Black

Opposite of white roses, black roses signifies death and farewell.

Blue

The rarest of all rose colors, blue roses signify the unattainable and the impossible – probably because a truly blue colored rose is impossibility in nature.