In Victorian times it was very fashionable to associate “secret” meanings with certain types of flowers.
These connections weren’t very secret, as they were published in magazines and almanacs for people to use as a sort of coded language. Surprisingly many of the “meanings” were very negative and even quite nasty!
Here are some of these traditional associations, taken from my Sunlight Year Book 1896.
The Language of Flowers Part 1 – A-B
The Language of Flowers Part 2 – C
The Language of Flowers Part 3 – D-G
The Language of Flowers Part 4 – H-L
The Language of Flowers Part 5 – M-O
The Language of Flowers Part 6 – P-R
The Language of Flowers Part 7 – S-Z
P
Palm – victory
Pansy – thoughts
Parsley – festivities
Passion Flower – religious superstition
Pea – everlasting, an appointed meeting, lasting pleasure
Peach – your qualities like your charms are unequaled
Peach Blossom – I am your captive
Pear – affection
Pear Tree – comfort
Pennyroyal – flee away
Peony – shame, bashfulness
Peppermint – warmth of feeling
Periwinkle (Blue) – early friendship
Periwinkle (White) – pleasures of memory
Persimon – bury me amid Nature’s Beauties
Peruvian Heliotrope – devotion
Pheasant’s Eye – remembrance
Phlox – unanimity
Pimpernel – change, assignation
Pine – pity
Pineapple – you are perfect
Pine (Pitch) – philosophy
Pine (Spruce) – hope is adversity
Pink – boldness
Pink (Carnation) – woman’s love
Pink (Single) – pure love
Pink (White) – talent
Plane Tree – genius
Plum Tree – fidelity
Polyanthus – pride of riches
Pomegranate – foolishness
Poppy (Red) – consolation
Poppy (Scarlet) – fantastic extravagance
Poppy (White) – sleep
Potato – benevolence
Primrose – early youth
Primrose (Evening) – inconstancy
Privet – prohibition
Q
Quaking Grass – agitation
Quince – temptation
R
Ragged Robin – wit
Ramunculus – radiant
Raspberry – remorse
Rood – music
Rhododendron – beware
Rhubarb – advice
Rocket – rivalry
Rose (Cabbage) – ambassador of love
Rose (Champion) – deserve my love
Rose, dog – pleasure and pain
Rose, maiden’s blush – if you love me you will find it out
Rose, musk – capricious beauty
Rose, thornless – early attachment
Rose, white – I am worthy of you
Rose, white (withered) – I loved you once
Rose, yellow – jealousy
Rose, York and Lancaster – war
Rosebud – confession of love
Rosemary – remembrance
Rush – docility
Rye Grass – changeableness
The Language of Flowers Part 1 – A-B
The Language of Flowers Part 2 – C
The Language of Flowers Part 3 – D-G
The Language of Flowers Part 4 – H-L
The Language of Flowers Part 5 – M-O
The Language of Flowers Part 6 – P-R
The Language of Flowers Part 7 – S-Z