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Language of flowers

The '''language of flowers''', sometimes called '''floriography''', was a Victorian era|Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. This language was most commonly communicated through Tussie-mussies|Tussie-Mussies, an art which has a following today. The nuances of the language are now mostly forgotten, but red roses still imply passionate, romantic love and pink roses a lesser affection; white roses suggest virtue and chastity and yellow roses still stand for friendship or devotion. Also commonly known meanings are sunflowers, which can indicate either haughtiness or respect – they were the favorite flower of Julie Billiart|St. Julie Billiart for this reason. Gerbera (daisy) means innocence or purity. The Iris (plant)|iris, being named for the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, still represents the sending of a message. A pansy signifies thought, a daffodil regard, and a strand of ivy fidelity.

History

Though most popular in the Victorian period, the symbolic use of flowers dates back to antiquity. In medieval and Renaissance culture, flowers were often given moral meanings. This is most apparent in art in which saints are often depicted with flowers that are symbolic of their virtues. Liana DeGirolami Cheney notes that "some of the Christian symbols for Virginity or Chastity are the white rose, the myrtle, a vessel or vase, the lily, and the unicorn".DeGirolami Cheney, Liana. "Vasari's Chamber of Abraham: A Religious Painted Ceiling in the Casa Vasari of Arezzo". ''Sixteenth Century Journal'', Volume 18, No. 3, Autumn, 1987, pp. 355-380. The Turkish "Salem", or language of objects, developed to communicate any message without the need to write. There is also an independent Japanese ''flower language'', called ''hanakotoba''.