A Bouquet of Flower Facts

13 THINGS

- Samantha Rideout

1 THIS MONTH, Americans will spend about $2.6 billion on floral arrangements for Mother's Day. That accounts for roughly a quarter of all fresh flower purchases throughout the year. But you'll want to pick carefully which blooms you send to Mom. The art of expressing emotions through flowers isn't all about love and happiness. Historically, marigolds have meant contempt, and yellow roses jealousy though florists now market yellow roses as a symbol of friendship.

2 THE PURPORTED meanings of different petals are mostly lost on us today. But interest in the subject blossomed across 19th-century Europe as multiple manuals (called floriographies) were published to translate "the language of flowers." Even Shakespeare spoke this language. After Hamlet kills Ophelia's father, Ophelia laments, "There's a daisy. I would give you some violets but they withered all..." At that time, daisies symbolized innocence and violets stood for faithfulness.

3 OF COURSE, flowers also carry religious significance. The Easter lily, for example, is mentioned in the Bible as a symbol of purity and rebirth and is associated with the resurrection of Jesus. The lotus flower signifies enlightenment for Buddhists because it grows in the mud but remains clean, thanks to its naturally water-repellent leaves.