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A Speech Unspoken: The Language of Flowers
As written by Tesseitre Carhiesel Illistim
 The
art of expressing emotion through symbolic flower gifts stems from
the forest-sheltered society of Ta'Ardenai, but many of the other
races of Elanith have adopted the custom. Floral symbolism extends
far beyond the forests of Ta'Ardenai, these days; it stretches from
the depths of the Southron Wastes to the icelands of Pinefar, from
the volcanoes of Teras to the distant spires of Ta'Loenthra. Servants
of Imaera, Kuon, and Aeia cultivate beautiful gardens throughout
the continent that are complex with symbolic meaning as well as
rich with medicinal value.
After
years of travel and study, I have compiled my findings on the matter
and I present them here. I do caution my readers to remember that
I have examined this matter in great detail; many suitors may be
unaware of an inadvertent symbolic message. Often, a flower is given
for nothing save beauty.
Follow the flower link for lore about each specific
flower:
| Alyssum |
worth beyond beauty, or insanity
|
| Amaranth |
immortality, or everlasting love
|
| Anemone |
expectation
|
| Angelica |
inspiration
|
| Aster |
joy in variety, or depth of spirit
|
| Begonia |
gaudiness, or elegance
|
| Blaestonberry |
childhood, or innocence
|
| Bleeding Heart |
heartbreak and longing
|
| Bluebell |
constancy
|
| Bougainvillea |
playfulness
|
| Bur-clover |
blindness
|
| Burdock |
touch me not
|
| Buttercup |
material or spiritual riches
|
| Butterflyweed |
"Let me go free"
|
| Cactus |
warmth of feeling
|
| Calamintha |
shyness
|
| Carnation
(red) |
love
|
| Carnation (white) |
purity
|
| Carnation
(pink) |
pride
|
| Carnation (yellow) |
disdain
|
| Chicory |
frugality
|
| Cinquefoil |
beloved child or perversion
|
| Clematis |
artifice and vanity
|
| Clover |
industriousness
|
| Columbine
(common) |
folly and desertion
|
| Columbine (purple) |
resolution and determination
|
| Columbine
(red) |
anxiety
|
| Cothinar |
wishes and dreams
|
| Crocus |
cheerfulness
|
| Daffodil |
respect and chivalry
|
| Daisy |
innocence
|
| Dandelion |
coquetry, or spirituality
|
| Delphinuris |
peace in adversity
|
| Dragonstalk |
ferocity, or Ta'Vaalor
|
| Dryad |
solitude
|
| Edelweiss |
longing
|
| Fennel |
strength
|
| Feverfew |
delay
|
| Flamestalk |
pleasant memories
|
| Foxglove |
insincerity and danger
|
| Freesia |
calm
|
| Gardenia |
purity
|
| Geranium
(pink) |
"I prefer you"
|
| Geranium (white) |
true friendship
|
| Geranium
(bright red) |
"I request a meeting"
|
| Geranium (deep
red) |
melancholy
|
| Goldenrod |
encouragement
|
| Gorse |
anger
|
| Heather |
untameable
|
| Hellebore |
scandal, and the Arkati Luukos
|
| Honeysuckle |
devoted love
|
| Hostas |
vitality
|
| Hydrangea |
heartlessness
|
| Imaera's Lace |
wonder, and the Arkati Imaera
|
| Iceblossom |
truth
|
| Iris |
"Believe me"
|
| Jasmine |
amiability
|
| Lady's Slipper |
"I submit to your whim"
|
| Larkspur |
fickleness
|
| Lavender |
mistrust
|
| Lilac |
first emotion of love
|
| Lily (snow) |
gratitude
|
| Lily
(stargazer) |
high breeding
|
| Mezereon |
flirtatiousness
|
| Monkeyflower |
laughter
|
| Moonflower |
forgetfulness
|
| Morning
Glory |
vainglory
|
| Mournbloom |
grief and mourning
|
| Nightshade |
sorcery
|
| Orchid |
beauty
|
| Pansy |
thought
|
| Pansy (snow) |
"Think of me"
|
| Pea |
an appointed meeting
|
| Pennyroyal |
"Flee me"
|
| Peony |
bashfulness
|
| Petunia |
"I am not proud"
|
| Phlox |
unity
|
| Primrose |
early youth
|
| Primrose
(fairy) |
enchantment
|
| Queen's Lace |
"Do not command me"
|
| Rose |
love and beauty, and the Arkati Oleani
|
| Rosebud |
a confession of love
|
| Rosebud
(white) |
a heart too young to love
|
| Rose (pink) |
romance
|
| Rose
(yellow) |
friendship
|
| Rose (white) |
purity
|
| Rose
(red) |
"I love you"
|
| Rose (cabbage) |
ambassador of love
|
| Rose
(dog) |
pleasure mixed with pain
|
| Rose (Elanthian snow) |
perfection
|
| Rose
(moss) |
true merit
|
| Rose (swamp) |
"Prove yourself to me"
|
| Rose
(wild) |
simplicity
|
| Rose (winter) |
silence
|
| Rose-marrow |
a hidden heart
|
| Rosemary |
rememberance
|
| Salorisa |
suffocation
|
| Sirenflower |
prophecy, and the Arkati Jastev
|
| Snapdragon |
presumption
|
| Sneezeweed |
mockery
|
| Sovyn |
"It is not yet time"
|
| Strawberry |
sweetness
|
| Sunflower |
devotion and admiration
|
| Talneo |
dreaminess
|
| Thyme |
vitality
|
| Trillium |
modest beauty, or hope despite pain
|
| Tuberose |
dangerous pleasures
|
| Tulip |
fame
|
| Tulip
(red) |
a declaration of love
|
| Tulip (yellow) |
hopeless love
|
| Tulip
(black) |
cruelty
|
| Tulip (ice) |
caution
|
| Valerian |
an accomodating personality
|
| Verbena |
family union
|
| Violet
(blue) |
friendship and rememberance
|
| Violet (purple) |
faithful love
|
| Violet
(alpine) |
candid words
|
| Violet (wood) |
secrecy
|
| Violet
(flaming) |
brilliance
|
| Water lily |
contemplation
|
| Wolfsbane |
betrayal
|
| Woth |
blessed beauty
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