For many centuries, purple has been a special color representing royalty across the globe. The British Crown Jewels have iris decoration, the flower which is known for its stately shape and purple hue.
Cyrus the Great, a Persian king in the sixth century, was said to wear a purple robe as his royal uniform. And Byzantine Empire rulers also did the same and signed documents with purple ink.
As purple signifies nobility, it also indicates majesty, respect, honor, wealth, dedication, and aspiration.
Also, it’s a great and striking color that’s not harsh to the eye with its gentle cool tone. Now, let’s take a look at the meaning and symbolism of purple flowers.
The Meaning of Purple Flowers
The meaning of purple flowers varies across cultures, flower species, and eras. But like we said, most regard it as a symbol of royalty, honor, and admiration.
They make a fitting gift for anniversaries, birthdays, business successes, a simple thank you, or even moral victories like overcoming temptation or abstaining from alcohol.
What’s more, you can give purple flowers to a partner or spouse, as they can also signify being enamored or enchanted by them.
However, in Thailand, purple has taken on a negative meaning, as it expresses sorrow. Also, for some people, it means pride, selfishness, and decadence.
Aside from the country, its meaning varies across flower species too.
For instance, purple irises mean goodwill, forgiveness, and wisdom; purple lilacs mean first love; lavender flowers stand for healing and innocence; and clematis suggests aspiration or following your dreams.
Today, there are hundreds of flowering plants that produce gradient colors of purple around the world. Therefore, you can easily get the best one for your recipient depending on what the florist offers.
The Spiritual Meaning of Purple Flowers
Purple flowers have a deep spiritual meaning too. In Buddhist philosophy, the purple lotus is depicted in many hues and represents grace, awareness, and purity.
These varying shades, from light to dark, tell of your inner journey to burn the false self or ego, live free of desire and fear, and thus release yourself from suffering.
The significance of purple flowers isn’t only limited to Buddhism. In Christianity, the Bible mentions purple flowers like oriental poppies, oriental hyacinths, and violets.
Medieval monks considered violets to be herbs of the Holy Trinity because they had the three primary spiritual colors. Other than that, they mean true love, innocence, and abundance.
