The many meanings of blue flowers

• Written by Holly Hughes on January 09, 2022

Have you ever wondered what blue flowers symbolize? As one of the rarest flowers – according to Country Living, of the 280,000 flowering plants on Earth, only 10 percent of them are colored blue – these precious blooms are filled with many special meanings, all of which we will look at in this article.

What does the color blue symbolize?

Firstly, before we look at blue flower symbolism, let’s investigate this color’s own meanings.

The color of both sky and sea, it is unsurprising that this color and its many pigments represent serenity, calmness, stability, and freedom.

While often associated with more melancholy emotions, blue is actually a soothing color that positively impacts the mind and brings us tranquility. Other meanings include patience and understanding, trust and loyalty, sincerity, wisdom, and intelligence. While lighter tones signify softness, health, healing and tranquility, darker shades are associated with integrity, power, knowledge, and ambition.

Azure blue carries its own symbolism, evoking nature, richness, serenity, and solidity. It is a marker of loyalty and fidelity, as we will see when looking at blue flower meanings.

What do blue flowers represent?

Given both the scarcity of blue pigment in the past and the rarity of plants in this color, blue flowers have always had profound symbolism attached to them in mythology, art, and literature. They are commonly associated with inspiration, particularly for the Romantics. They used these flowers in their works to represent - a motif that continues in Western Art today.

From ultramarine blooms to aqua colored flowers, these plants are said to symbolize love, desire, inspiration, and a metaphysical pursuit of the infinite and unreachable. It is therefore not surprising why these flowers were so important to artistic movements and ancient mythology. 

This also explains why these azure blooms are often associated with ambition and are considered to be the flower for people who will go to any lengths to achieve their goals.

Now we know the general symbolism behind blue flowers, let’s look at the meaning of particular species.

Blue roses meaning

As one of the rarest flowers, blue roses have many meanings. Generally, these blue moon roses mean true love and are associated with ideas of the unattainable. This sadly means they are often signifiers of unrequited love - that true unreachable love that is the saddest of all. 

With such symbolism, it is not surprising that these roses also are generally associated with trust, affection, and loyalty. However, the true meaning of sapphire roses depends on their shade.

Baby blue roses meanings are linked to sensitivity and feelings - most commonly peace and hope. Darker colored blooms speak more of true love and devotion whereas blue and white rose meanings are rooted in ideas of trust, commitment, and purity.

For some truly sensational preserved blue roses, look no further than the gift boxes available at 1800Flowers. Or, for a fresher option, choose a dozen sapphire roses at FromYouFlowers.com.

Blue aster flower meaning

Asters, particularly sapphire ones, are very symbolic as, according to Greek mythology, the flowers are the tears of the Greek goddess Astraea when she cried over the loss of Earth and demanded to be transformed into a star. 

Interestingly, blue aster flowers are used in meditation as a visualization tool. Just as we wish upon a star, focusing on these azure blooms during meditation or prayer helps to focus on positive thoughts and calm the mind. 

They also symbolize peace, patience, elegance, and afterthought although different varieties within the aster family all carry different meanings. For example, blue daisies mean cheerfulness as well as long-lasting honesty, trust and loyalty. 

However, blue chrysanthemums, also part of the aster family, mean an ending of love. Thankfully, they symbolize that someone has gotten over the pain of the break up and not the despair of love being over.

Other blue flowers’ symbolism and meaning

As you can see, every shade of this color and every type of plant are imbued with their own special symbolism. Let’s look at some of the other fascinating symbols these rare plants can stand for.

Blue carnation meaning

Very popular at weddings as representations of the love and true devotion between a bride and groom, blue carnations are often associated with peace, truth, and spirituality.

Blue delphinium meaning

These flowers are considered to be the perfect gift for a colleague, employee or, indeed, any occasion in the corporate world. Simple and unique, this plant signifies new opportunities and expansion and is generally held to be the ideal plant to celebrate any kind of positive news. 

Spread the positivity amongst your workplace, with a delphinium flower basket from SendFlowers.com.

Blue hibiscus flower meaning

The flower of femininity, this plant symbolizes fertility, power, radiance and glory. An incredibly beautiful flower, this variety of hibiscus is also known to signify serenity and depth.  

Blue lily meaning

Returning to our earlier point, the lily flower again represents hope and inspiration. In Ancient Egypt, these plants were considered sacred as depictions of the sun and the hope of rebirth. They are also said to embody faith and a belief in a higher power.

Blue orchid meaning

Since the times of the Greek and Aztec empires, these orchids have been symbols of virility and strength. In China, this rarest of flowers is believed to have miraculous healing properties and is used to treat colds, flu and infections. Today, it is a symbol for fertility, luxury, beauty and perfection. 

Find a sumptuous blue orchid at Plants.com or 1800Flowers to cultivate some of its strong and vigorous healing energy.

Clematis flower symbolism

The ability of clematis to scale walls and cling on as a born survivor means its cerulean variety is unsurprisingly associated with courage and ingenuity. Other meanings bestowed on this sprawling crawler include intellect and an undying loyalty.  

It turns out there is nothing stopping you from singing the blues in a positive, loving and uplifting way! Gender-neutral and suitable for any age, these flowers are an ideal and truly unique gift for any occasion. So, the next time you feel like bringing some tranquility, inspiration or faithful love into your life or the home of a loved one, you know what to look for - the symbolic and powerful blossoms of this rarest of flowers.