There are between 250,000 and 400,000 flowering plant species on Earth, according to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — yet most people only send a handful of varieties when gifting flowers. Choosing the right type matters: the flower you pick carries centuries of symbolic meaning, and sending the wrong color can communicate the opposite of your intended message.
This guide covers the 10 most popular types of flowers for gifting, along with the meaning behind each one. Whether you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or sending sympathy flowers internationally, understanding floral symbolism helps you make a more thoughtful choice. abcFlora delivers fresh flowers from local florists to 85+ countries worldwide, so you can send any of these varieties to a loved one almost anywhere on the planet.
1) Carnations — The Affordable Symbol of New Love
Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) are among the world's most commercially grown flowers, with global production exceeding 2 billion stems per year. Their ruffled blooms and long vase life — typically 7 to 14 days — make them a practical and meaningful gift. White and pink carnations symbolize new love and pure affection, making them especially popular for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.
Color matters with carnations. Pink carnations are the most universally positive choice, representing admiration and gratitude. White carnations symbolize pure love and good luck. Yellow carnations, however, carry a negative connotation — they traditionally represent rejection or disappointment. Mixed-color carnations are also associated with disdain in many cultures. To be safe, stick to single-color pink or white carnations when gifting to someone you care about.
2) Irises — The Flower of Faith and Royal Heritage
The iris takes its name from the Greek goddess Iris, who was believed to be the personification of the rainbow and a messenger between the gods and humans. This mythology explains why irises have been associated with royalty and divine connection for over 2,000 years. In France, a stylized iris — the fleur-de-lis — became the symbol of the French monarchy in the 12th century and remains a national emblem today.
Irises grow naturally across the northern hemisphere, from Europe and Asia to North America. The most cultivated colors include deep purple, blue, white, and yellow, with purple irises symbolizing wisdom and royalty. Blue irises represent faith and hope. Irises typically bloom in spring (April to June) and are an excellent gift for someone starting a new chapter in life or for expressing deep admiration and respect.
3) Lavender — Devotion in a Scent
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is one of the few flowers valued equally for its visual beauty and therapeutic properties. France's Provence region produces more than 1,000 tons of lavender per year, making it the world's largest lavender cultivation area. The plant's essential oil is the most widely sold floral essential oil globally, used in cosmetics, aromatherapy, and medicine.
As a gift, lavender conveys devotion, calmness, and grace. It is particularly meaningful when sent to someone going through a stressful period, as clinical research has shown that lavender scent reduces cortisol levels and promotes relaxation. Lavender blooms from June to August in the northern hemisphere. Unlike cut flowers, it dries beautifully and retains its fragrance for months, making it a long-lasting gift that continues to symbolize your care long after it arrives.
4) Roses — The Universal Language of Love
Roses are the world's most gifted flower, representing an estimated $2.5 billion in global sales annually. Their association with love dates back thousands of years: both ancient Romans and Greeks linked roses to their respective goddesses of love — Venus and Aphrodite — and Roman emperors would carpet floors with rose petals during celebrations. Today, roughly 250 million roses are sold in the United States alone each Valentine's Day.
Color is everything with roses. Red roses universally communicate romantic love and passion. Yellow roses symbolize friendship and warmth — a perfect choice for a close friend or colleague. White roses signify innocence, new beginnings, and are popular at weddings. Pink roses express admiration and gratitude. Orange roses convey enthusiasm and desire. When sending roses internationally, abcFlora sources from local florists to ensure fresh delivery, as a wilted rose carries none of the emotional impact of a fresh one.
5) Tulips — Spring's Symbol of Perfect Love
Tulips originated in Central Asia and were first cultivated in the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) around the 10th century, where they were considered a symbol of paradise on earth. By the 17th century, tulip mania in the Netherlands caused bulb prices to temporarily exceed the cost of a house — making tulips one of history's most economically significant flowers. Today, the Netherlands produces approximately 3 billion tulip bulbs per year, supplying most of the world's cut tulip market.
Tulips symbolize perfect, deep love — a step beyond the passionate intensity of roses, representing a love that is complete and without flaw. Red tulips carry the strongest romantic association. Yellow tulips express cheerful thoughts and are ideal for brightening someone's day. White tulips are traditionally given as an apology. Tulips bloom in spring (March to May) and are best sent in bud form so the recipient can watch them open — a lasting gift experience.
6) Sunflowers — Loyalty That Follows the Light
Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are native to North America and were cultivated by Indigenous peoples for food and oil long before European contact. A single sunflower head is not actually one flower — it is made up of up to 2,000 tiny individual flowers (florets) arranged in a spiral pattern. This mathematical precision follows the Fibonacci sequence, the same pattern found in nautical shells and galaxies.
As a gift, sunflowers represent loyalty, warmth, and unwavering admiration — much like the plant itself, which tracks the sun across the sky during its early growth phase (a behavior called heliotropism). Sunflowers make a powerful statement when sent to someone you deeply appreciate, because their bright yellow color and large size are impossible to ignore. They are one of the longest-lasting cut flowers, staying fresh for 6 to 12 days. Sunflowers are available year-round and ship well internationally due to their sturdy stems.
7) Gardenias — Purity and Secret Love
Gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides) are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa, and have been cultivated in China for over 1,000 years. Their intensely fragrant white blooms made them a status symbol in Victorian England, where wearing a gardenia in your buttonhole signaled wealth and refinement. Today, gardenia absolute — the concentrated essence extracted from the flower — is one of the most expensive ingredients in perfumery, often valued at over $1,000 per kilogram.
Gardenias symbolize purity, love, and refinement. In the language of flowers (floriography), they have traditionally been associated with secret love — making them a meaningful choice when words are insufficient. They are a popular choice for weddings and formal celebrations. Gardenias are more delicate than many cut flowers and require careful handling; they should be kept cool and away from direct sunlight to maintain their pristine white color and fragrance for up to 5 days after cutting.
8) Orchids — Strength, Luxury, and the World's Largest Flower Family
Orchids belong to Orchidaceae, the largest family of flowering plants on Earth, with approximately 28,000 currently accepted species across around 700 genera, according to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. That represents 6–11% of all seed plant species worldwide. Orchids are found on every continent except Antarctica and have evolved an extraordinary diversity of forms, sizes, and fragrances. Vanilla — the world's most popular flavor and a multi-billion dollar industry — is derived from the seed pods of a Mexican orchid, Vanilla planifolia.
As a gift, orchids symbolize strength, luxury, exotic beauty, and enduring love. Pink and purple orchids are the most popular for gifting. Yellow orchids represent new beginnings and optimism, making them ideal for celebrating a new job, graduation, or fresh start. Orchids are one of the longest-lasting cut flowers — phalaenopsis orchids can bloom continuously for 3 to 6 months with proper care — meaning your gift will be appreciated long after it arrives.
9) Daisies — Innocence, Cheerfulness, and New Beginnings
The common daisy (Bellis perennis) is one of the most widely distributed wildflowers in the world, found naturally across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. The name "daisy" comes from the Old English "dæges ēage" — meaning "day's eye" — because the flower opens at dawn and closes at dusk. Daisies are also edible: the leaves can be added to salads, the flowers can be made into teas, and traditional herbal medicine has used daisy preparations for coughs, bronchitis, and skin inflammation for centuries.
Daisies symbolize innocence, cheerfulness, and new beginnings. They are traditionally given to new mothers to celebrate birth — a custom rooted in Norse mythology, where the daisy was the sacred flower of Freya, goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. Daisies make an excellent choice when you want to send a lighthearted message of joy and encouragement. They are affordable, widely available, and long-lasting — typically 7 to 10 days in a vase — making them a practical gift for any occasion.
10) Lilacs — Renewal and the Scent of Spring
Lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) are native to the Balkans and were introduced to Western Europe in the 16th century, quickly becoming one of the most beloved garden shrubs on the continent. In the United States, New Hampshire chose the lilac as its state flower in 1919, citing its symbolic representation of the "hardy character of the men and women of the Granite State." Lilacs bloom for only 2 to 3 weeks each year in spring, making them a rare and seasonal gift with heightened emotional impact.
Lilacs symbolize rebirth, renewal, confidence, and the first emotions of love. Their seasonal scarcity adds meaning: receiving lilacs signals that someone made a deliberate, timely effort to find them for you. The flower's fragrance has inspired artists from Walt Whitman to Claude Monet, who repeatedly painted the lilacs in his garden at Giverny. Due to their short season, lilac arrangements are best sourced locally — abcFlora's network of 85+ country florists ensures you can send seasonal varieties when they are at their freshest.
Types of Flowers and Their Meanings — Choosing the Right One
The 10 types of flowers covered in this guide — carnations, irises, lavender, roses, tulips, sunflowers, gardenias, orchids, daisies, and lilacs — each carry distinct symbolic meanings shaped by centuries of human culture, mythology, and tradition. Choosing the right flower for an occasion is not just an aesthetic decision; it is a form of communication.
When selecting flowers for international delivery, two factors matter most: symbolic meaning (covered above) and freshness at delivery. abcFlora works with local florists in 85+ countries, which means flowers are sourced and arranged within the destination country — not transported across borders — ensuring you send a fresh, meaningful gift no matter where in the world your recipient lives. Browse flowers by destination country to find the right bouquet for your occasion.