Modern Brits are unaware of the traditional language of flowers according to top flower retailer. One in four Generation Z would send funeral flowers to their Mother and one in ten no longer associate roses with love.
The loss of flower etiquette
Many people have admitted they are out of touch with flower etiquette, as the younger generation admit being clueless when it comes to the language of flowers and new research lifts the lid on the nation’s embarrassing floral mistakes.
According to a study of 2,005 British adults by the UK’s leading independent online florist, Serenata Flowers, young people are out of touch with long-standing floral traditions and are sending their loved ones mixed messages, as over 1 in 4 of Generation Z admit they would send lilies to their Mother, even though the pretty white flowers actually symbolise death.
Shockingly, half of men aged 16-34 do not associate roses with love. In fact 1 in 10 claim they have no idea what roses symbolise, which could lead to some sticky romantic situations.
The younger generations are so out of touch with floral traditions that 1 in 5 of those aged 16-34 say they wouldn’t give flowers for a funeral and 15% of millennials say they wouldn’t gift flowers on an anniversary, which could also land them in some romantic hot water.
But millennials aren’t the only ones out of the loop when it comes to floral traditions, as the study found that 92% of those aged 45-54 are unaware that orchids symbolise fertility. Traditionally, orchids are associated with giving birth to a baby boy, yet 10% say of Brits would deem orchids a suitable leaving present for a colleague.
Men would like to receive flowers too
The research also suggests that Brits are struggling to keep up to date with evolving traditions too, as a huge two thirds of Brits claim they wouldn’t send their father flowers, despite 58% of men saying they would like to receive flowers.
Lucia Polla, Marketing Manager at Serenata Flowers, comments:
“A basic knowledge of the meaning behind flowers is an important fundamental of showing affection through florals. After all, mistakes like sending your mum lilies or presenting a colleague with an orchid could end up being a little embarrassing.
“The younger generation in particular seems out of touch with the language of flowers, which is sure to lead to some awkward moments and it’s a shame to see that the tradition of conveying different emotions and meanings through different flowers is dying out.”
The symobolic meanings for flowers
10 symbolic meanings of popular flowers:
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- Rose – Love and romance
- Tulip – Forgiveness
- Daffodil – Happiness and 10th wedding anniversary
- Orchid – Fertility and sexuality
- Lily – Death and mourning
- Carnation – A gesture of good luck or admiration
- Sunflower – Adoration and loyalty
- Poppy – Recovery and restful sleep
- Daisy – The start of something new
- Iris – Wisdom and strength
To learn more about the language of flowers and find the perfect bouquet, visit Serenataflowers.com
