The Victorian Language of Flowers 
The Meaning of Flowers on Ladies Handkerchiefs

Did you know you can convey your sentiments to someone without ever saying a word? That is of course if they happen to speak the Language of Flowers. Everyone loves beautiful flowers and it appears since ancient times that they had special symbolism. In the book Song of Solomon in the Bible you will find the loved one calling herself a Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley. Authors and poets often use flowers in their writings. The language of flowers became especially significant in the romantic Victorian era.

As I became interested in collecting and now selling vintage ladies handkerchiefs I found that you can tell a story or express a message to someone by giving them handkerchiefs with certain flowers embroidered or printed on them. Ladies hankies are great gifts to send to far away friends in birthday, get well, or friendship cards. Hopefully this list will help you out in determining the meaning of certain flowers you find on your vintage ladies handkerchiefs. Enjoy!

• Acacia - Secretive love
• Acorn -  life and immortality
• Agapanthus - Love letters, love.
• Alium – Strength
• Aloe - Grief
• Allspice - Compassion
• Alstromeria - Wealth, prosperity, fortune
• Alyssum (sweet) - Worth beyond beauty
• Ambrosia - Love returned
• Amaryllis - Pride, I am timid
• Anemone - Unfading love, forsaken
• Angelica - Inspiration
• Aniseed - Restoration of youth
• Anthurium - Lover
• Apple - Preference
• Apple Blossom – Good Fortune, state flower of Arkansas & Michigan
• Arbutis – Thee only do I love
• Artemesia - Symbol of Dignity
• Asparagus Fern – Fascination
• Aster - Love
• Azalea - Take care of yourself
• Bachelor Button - Celibacy
• Baby’s Breath - Everlasting Love, happiness
• Balsam - Ardent love
• Basil - Best Wishes, Love
• Bay Leaf - Strength
• Begonia - Please Beware
• Bells Of Ireland - Good luck
• Bird Of Paradise - Magnificence
• Bittersweet - Truth
• Bleeding Hearts - undying love
• Bluebell - Humility; constancy
• Borage - Courage
• Bouquet of withered flowers - Rejected love
• Bouvardia: Enthusiasm.
• Broom - Humility
• Burnet - A merry heart
• Buttercup - Cheerfulness
  
  EMBROIDERED APPLIQUED ORGANZA HANDKERCHIEFS HANKIES
  
  
  • Cactus - Endurance; warmth,state flower of Arizon
  • Calendula - Joy
  • Calla Lilly - Magnificent beauty, associated with the sixth wedding anniversary.
  • Camellia - Perfection, state flower of Alabama
  • Camellia Pink - Longing for you.
  • Camellia Red - You’re a flame in my heart.
  • Camellia White -You’re adorable.
  • Candytuft - indifference
  • Carnation- good health, affection, also the birthday flower for January
  • Carnation (pink) - I’ll never forget you A Mother’s Love
  • Carnation (purple) – whimsical
  • Carnation (red) admiration ,state flower for Ohio
  • Carnation (striped)-refusal, sorry I can’t be with you,
  • Carnation (white) -Sweetness, innocence
  • Carnation (yellow) – Rejection, disdain, you disappoint me
  • Cattail – Peace, much prosperity
  • Chamomile – Patience, attracts wealth
  • Chrysanthemum  - Cheerfulness; For a friend ,also the birthday flower for November
  • Chrysanthemum (red) - I love you
  • Chrysanthemum (white) - Truth
  • Chrysanthemum (yellow) -Slighted love
  • Clematis - Clever, intellectual, associated with the eighth wedding anniversary.
  • Columbine – Mental beauty, Colorado state flower
  • Coreopsis - cheerful
  • Coriander - Lust
  • Cornflower - Delicacy
  • Cosmos – Modesty, associated with the 2nd wedding anniversary.
  • Cowslip - Pensiveness; winning grace
  • Crocus – Cheerfulness, abuse not
  • Cyclamen - goodbye
  • Clover - Good luck
  • Daffodil - Respect, chivalry, associated with the tenth wedding anniversary, also the birthday flower for March.
  • Daisy – Innocence, He loves me he loves me not, associated with the fifth wedding anniversary
  • Dahlia - Instability. Associated with the fourteenth wedding anniversary
  • Dandelion - Wishes come true
  • Day Lily - Coquetry, Chinese emblem for mother, associated with the twentieth wedding anniversary
  • Delphinium - Big-hearted, fun
  • Dogwood – Durability, state flower for North Carolina & Virginia
  • Ebony - Blackness
  • Edelweiss: Daring, Noble Courage
  • Eremurus - Endurance.
  • Euphorbia - Persistence
  • Eucalyptus – Protection
  
  VINTAGE & PRINT HANDKERCHIEFS HANKIES
  
  
  • Fennel - Worthy of praise
  • Fern – Sincerity
  • Fern - (Magic) – Fascination, confidence and shelter
  • Fern- (Maidenhair) - Secret bond of love
  • Feverfew - Protection
  • Fir - Time
  • Flax -  fate
  • Flytrap - Deceit.
  • Forget-me-not - True love, memories, hope, state flower of Alaska
  • Forsythia - Anticipation
  • Four Leaf Clover - Good luck, be mine.
  • Foxglove- Insincerity.
  • Freesia - Innocence, thoughtfulness.
  • Fuschia – Taste, associated with the third wedding anniversary
  • Gardenia - joy, sweet love, good luck
  • Garland of roses - Virtue
  • Garlic - Courage; strength
  • Geranium – Preference, melancholy, associated with the fourth wedding anniversary.
  • Gladiolus - Love at first sight, tells recipients that they pierce the heart like a sword. Because the gladiolus has blade-shaped leaves, the name comes from the Latin word gladius, which means sword, also the birthday flower for August.
  • Gloxina - Love at first sight
  • Heather (lavender) – Admiration
  • Heather (white) – wishes will come true
  • Hibiscus - Delicate beauty
  • Holly - Good will, holiday cheer
  • Hollyhock -: Ambition, fruitfulness, associated with the thirteenth wedding anniversary.
  • Honeysuckle - sweet disposition
  • Hyacinth (general)  flower dedicated to Apollo
  • Hyacinth (blue) - Constancy
  • Hyacinth ( purple) - Forgive me 
  • Hyacinth (red or pink) - Playful
  • Hyacinth (white) –  I’ll pray for you
  • Hyacinth (yellow) - Jealousy
  • Hydrangea - Thank you 
  • Hyssop - Wards away evil spirits
  • Iris -  Fleur-de-lis, emblem of France, your friendship means so much to me, my compliments, wisafom,faith,associated with the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, state flower for Tennessee
  • Ivy - Fidelity and friendship
  • Ivy - affection
    
    • Jack in the pulpit - Associated with the seventh wedding anniversary
    • Jasmine - Amiability; attracts wealth, sensuality
    • Jasmine (Yellow) - Grace, elegance.
    • Jonquil - Love me
      Juniper Protection
    • Lady Slipper - Capricious beauty, state flower for Minnesota
    • Larkspur –  birthday flower for July
    • Larkspur purple - First love.
    • Lavender –  Induces sleep
    • Lemon - Zest
    • Lemon Balm - Brings love
    • Lemon verbena - Attracts opposite sex
    • Lilac - Youthful, humility, confidence, state flower of New Hampshire
      Lily (calia) - Beauty 
    • Lily (orange) – I burn for you
    • Lily (tiger) – Wealth, pride
    • Lily (white) – Virginity, The Easter lily is also known as the symbol of the Virgin Mary.
    • Lily of the valley – sweetness, return to happiness; humility, new beginning, purity, you’ve made my life complete, birthday flower for May, Legend says that Mary’s tears turned into Lily of the valley at the foot of the cross
  
  LILY OF THE VALLEY HANDKERCHIEFS HANKIES
  
  
  • Magnolia - Sweetness; beauty, love of nature, state flower for Louisiana & Mississippi
  • Marigold - Comforts the heart, grief
  • Mint - Protects from illness 
  • Marjoram - Joy
  • Mimosa - Sensitivity
  • Mistletoe - Kiss me, state flower for Oklahoma
  • Monkshood -  chivalry
  • Morning Glory - Loves you, associated with the eleventh wedding anniversary.
  • Moss - Maternal love, charity
  • Myrtle – Love, Hebrew emblem of marriage
  • Narcissus - Egotism
  • Nasturtium – maternal love, charity, patriotism, associated with fortieth wedding anniversary
  • Oleander – Caution
  • OLIVE BRANCH - Peace
  • Orange Generosity
  • Orange Blossom - wisdom, state flower for Florida
  • Orange Mock – Deceit, state flower of Idaho
  • Orchid - Love; beauty, associated with twenty-eighth wedding anniversary
  • Palm leaves - Victory and success
  • Pansy – love, recipient is being thought about. The flower’s name comes from the French word pensée, which means thought or remembrance, associated with the first wedding anniversary
  • Paperwhite - Aphrodisiac due to its intoxicating scent. It is also the national flower of Wales because it often blooms on March 1st, which is St. David’s feast day, Wales’ patron saint.
  • Peach Blossom – Longevity, Generosity and Bridal Hope, state flower of Delaware
  • Pear Blossom: Health and Hope
  • Peony – bashfulness, Aphrodisiac, happy marriage, associated with the twelfth wedding anniversary, state flower for Indiana
  • Petunia – Resentment, anger, oblivious, imagination
  • Phlox – Unanimity, agreement,
  • Poinsettia - Be of Good Cheer, Traditional Christmas flower
  • Poppy - extravagance, associated with ninth wedding anniversary  
  • Poppy (orange) State Flower of California  
  • Primrose - I can’t live without you
  • Queen Anne’s Lace - Fantasy
  
  WEDDING AND BRIDAL HANDKERCHIEFS HANKIES
  
  
  • Rose  – Love, I love you, associated with fifteenth wedding anniversary, state flower for New York, love at first sight
  • Rose (black) –Death
  • Rose(burgundy) – Mourning
  • Rose(damask) - Brilliant complexion
  • Rose (lavender)- Love at first sight
  • Rose (orange) - Fascination, display feeling of enthusiasm
  • Rose (peach) - Desire, gratitude, appreciation, admiration, sympathy, modesty.
  • Rose (pink) - Perfect happiness, please believe me, friendship
  • Rose (red) I love you, courage, beauty
  • Rose (red and white) – Together, unity
  • Rose( white) - Eternal Love, innocence, purity
  • Rose(Yellow) - Friendship , jealousy, decrease of love, infidelity  
  • Rose bud - youth, innocent love   
  • Rose(cabbage) - Ambassador of love  
  • Rose(hibiscus) - Delicate beauty  
  • Rosemary - Remembrance
  • Sage Wisdom - long life
  • Salvia - I am  thinking of you
  • Smilax - Loveliness
  • Snapdragon - Deception
  • Snowdrop- Hope and Consolation
  • Spiderflower - Elope with me
  • Stephanotis - Happiness 
  • Stock - Lasting beauty
  • Strawberry - Goodness
  • Sunflower - Loyalty, good wishes, worshipped by the Inca Indians as a symbol of the sun, haughtiness
  • Sweetpea - Goodbye, associated with thirtieth wedding anniversary
  • Sweet William - Gallantry, smile, finesse
  • Thyme - Courage
  • Tulips- Fame, charity, perfect lover, emblem of Holland
  • Tulip (red) - I love you 
  • Tulip (variegated) - Beautiful eyes
  • Tulip (yellow) - Hopeless love
  • Violet – Modesty, associated with the fiftieth wedding anniversary. Also known as the birthday flower of February, state flower of Illinois, New Jersey & Rhode Island
  • Violet (blue) –  I’ll always be true
  • Violet (white) - wishing you happiness
  • Viscaria - Will you dance with me?
  • Wallflower - Friendship, Adversity
  • Water Lily – Purity of heart
  • Yarrow – healing, sorrow
  • Zinnia - Thoughts of friends
    SPECIAL OCCASION HANKIES HANDKERCHIEFS