Flowers are an essential part of any funeral service. Their beauty and fragility are the perfect metaphor for life and death.
Choosing the right flowers for a funeral can be just as much pressure as choosing the right funeral song. You want to choose something that you and your family love, but also something that perfectly encapsulates the personality of your lost loved one.
With this guide to the 10 most popular flowers for funerals, choose the perfect flower combination to say a special goodbye.
Why Are Flowers for Funerals Important?
Flowers are capable of triggering strong emotion responses because they engage multiple senses at the same time. You see their elegant colours, you smell their sweet aromas, you can feel their delicate petals. All of these sensations combine to make you more in tune with how you feel.
Given funerals are a place to express your feelings while farewelling and celebrating a loved one, flowers have understandably become an integral part of most funerals.
Different Coloured Flowers Mean Different Things
If everyone is using flowers for funerals, you might be wondering how you can make your choice unique. Luckily, one of the amazing things about flowers is that they come in all different colours – and every colour signifies something different!
White
White has traditionally always been associated with purity, innocence and honour. It’s a no frills choice that speaks to the good character of the deceased.
Red
Red is another popular choice because it is bold and eye-catching. Red often communicates passion which makes it a common choice for partners farewelling their spouse.
Blue
Blue is a calming, optimistic colour that focuses more on the deceased person finding peace than on the loss itself. It has also traditionally been a good choice for young boys who have been taken too soon.
Pink
Pink means compassion and sincerity. It is often used for young girls to represent their wonder for the world and their love for others.
Purple
Purple is an inspired choice that is often used to commemorate passionate women who lived life to the fullest. Unlike pink which signifies a life ended too soon, purple represents a life well-lived.
Yellow/Orange
Yellow and orange signify creativity, cheerfulness and an overall whimsical approach to life. Use yellow if the person you are saying goodbye to was a bit of a larrikin in life – and who wouldn’t want a gloomy funeral in death!
Green
Green has long been a colour associated with nature and healing. It can be an unusual choice for a flower, but many people use native, green flowers for funerals when the deceased loved nature, animals or healing others.
The 10 Most Popular Flowers for Funerals
Now that you understand the meaning behind choosing coloured flowers for a funeral, here is how to choose the right species.
1. Roses
Roses are one of the most recognisable flowers in the world. You’ve probably given or received them on Valentines Day, and they are almost universally associated with romance.
With that said, don’t feel that you can’t use them for a funeral. Roses come in all different colours and are a great way to personalise your goodbye to a departed spouse.
2. Lilies
If you’re looking for an iconic white flower, lilies are the pinnacle. Their beautiful snow-white blooms communicate a sense of quiet innocence that can’t be matched by any other flower.
Adding to their appeal is the strong, sweet scent that they carry. A funeral parlour filled with lilies will smell heavenly and be the perfect accompaniment to a heartfelt eulogy.
3. Tulips
Tulip arrangements are one of the more visually striking flowers for funerals. They come in multiple colours and when combined can make stunning patterns.
Their impressive colour range allows you to really dial in on who the deceased was and how you want to represent them. If they were honourable but didn’t take themselves too seriously, white and yellow would be a great choice. For a wife that you loved and respected, red and purple could make for an ideal, intimate farewell.
4. Orchids
Orchid stems can be quite tall and are a great centrepiece for arrangements. Their height and ability to be multi-coloured means they are also a stunning choice if displayed on their own.
Notably, unlike many other flowers for funerals, orchids are often displayed as live plants, rather than cut stems. If the deceased loved nature and wouldn’t want to see flowers get killed or wasted, this could be a beautiful way to respect their wishes.
5. Daisies
Daisies are smaller and are rarely used as flowers for funerals on their own. Instead, they are the quiet hero of many funeral bouquets and wreaths.
Their subtle white colour makes them the perfect flower for adding more volume to floral arrangements without overcrowding them. They also have an established history as a suitable flower for children’s funerals due to how often children will play with them.
6. Chrysanthemums
The meaning of chrysanthemums differs internationally, but most countries associate them with death, rebirth and honour. Because of this, they are a robust flower for funerals.
Their bold white and pink colouration make them a great choice for a hopeful funeral, where their dual meaning of death and rebirth can suggest that the deceased is passing on to a better place.
7. Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are special for two main reasons. First, they come in a variety of petal shapes and colours, all of which are quite large which makes them fantastic focal pieces at a funeral.
Second, their stems are quite hardy and can grow when replanted. By letting grieving friends and family take a stem home, they can replant them as a living memorial to their lost loved one.
8. Gladioli
Gladioli are often used as flowers for funerals when the deceased was a strong, admirable character. Their tall stems host multiple flowers, making them appear much more sturdy than other flower species. This is considered a great metaphor for people who always seemed to rise above or support their peers.
In addition to their strength, they also come in a tremendous range of colours – including all of the ones mentioned earlier in this article.
9. Carnations
Carnations are commonly used as flowers you send when expressing your condolences. This is because they have a potent, delightful fragrance which lasts much longer than other flowers.
With that said, they are still a wonderful choice for a funeral. In large enough numbers, their fragrance will waft throughout the funeral service and instantly touch everyone in attendance.
10. Poppies
Poppies are a beautiful red flower that have a well established historical significance. Immortalised as a symbol for fallen heroes during World War 1, poppies were the first plants to reclaim the battlefields following the war.
Due to their blood red hue, many soldiers believed they carried the blood of their brothers-in-arms.
They quickly started being used to signify the death of soldiers, and remain a fitting tribute to the life and sacrifice of fallen soldiers to this day.
A Funeral Director Can Help You Make Difficult Choices
If you’re having difficulties choosing flowers for a funeral, or any other aspects of the service, a funeral director can help guide you. They treat helping people farewell their loved ones as a privilege, and will always do their best to get to know you and your family.
At Coast Family Funerals, we can direct burial and cremation services and help you with all the necessary preparations.
If you’d like to discuss our options, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.