Discover the meaning of each orchid color so you can gift the perfect flower.
Surely, gifting an orchid is a gesture of care no matter its color. But if you’re stuck on choosing the perfect orchid for a friend or family member, we can help you pick.
Whatever the occasion, there’s a complementary flower color to express your feelings. Orchids bloom in nearly every color imaginable. They come in striking tones like fuchsia and bright green or classic colors like pure white.
If you can’t settle on one solid color, that’s okay too. Many orchid flowers are dappled, freckled, or lipped with interesting color combos, like lavender and green or pale yellow and orange. You can always opt for a multi-colored orchid to deepen the symbolism of your gift.
Because they’re available in a variety of colors and types, orchids are one of the most versatile plants on the market. An orchid adds a special touch to any room or garden. Some types even have their own unique fragrance and bloom at night. Orchids also make show-stopping centerpieces or exotic additions to bouquets and arrangements.
There’s no denying it: orchids are a wonderful and thoughtful gift. The tricky part is picking out the perfect one.
Below, we’ll touch on each orchid color, it’s symbolism and meaning, so no matter the occasion, you can choose the perfect orchid to give to someone you care about.
White Orchids
White is known as the color of grace, innocence, and purity. In some religions, white is also a color that represents divinity and holiness. In nature, white is the color of snow and clouds.
White orchids are icons of elegance, reverence, and everlasting love. They can also be signs of peace and stability.
White orchids are perfect for wedding arrangements, bridal bouquets, and ceremonial centerpieces.
Red Orchids
Red is the color of fire and blood, so it’s often associated with energy, strength, power, and determination. For centuries, red has been used to evoke intense emotions and indicate empowerment and affection.
Red orchids symbolize passion, desire, and love. They’re also associated with courage and bravery.
Red orchids are a thoughtful gift for your romantic partner. They’re popular during the month of February since they make a unique alternative to red roses for Valentine’s Day.
Orange Orchids
Orange is a color that symbolizes enthusiasm and boldness. It’s often associated with cheer, pride, and creativity. Many cultures harvested plants, minerals, and roots to make orange-hued dyes for fabrics, pottery, and artwork.
Orange orchids symbolize celebration. They immediately fill a room with energy and excitement.
Orange orchids can help you celebrate someone you admire; they’ll help you communicate how proud you are of their accomplishments.
Yellow Orchids
Yellow is the color of the sun. It’s strongly associated with brightness and warmth, and it is often used to indicate care and optimism. Most commonly, though, yellow is the color of joy and happiness.
Yellow orchids symbolize friendship, affection, and delight. They can mark a cherished bond with a longtime friend or indicate the excitement of meeting someone new.
If you’re looking for a wonderful birthday gift for a dear friend, a yellow orchid is in order. Yellow orchids also make cheerful arrangements for baby showers since they signify joy and well wishes.
Green Orchids
Green is the color of life, abundant growth, and renewal. It’s a color associated with springtime and new growth after a long winter. In cultures around the world, green is used to signify rejuvenation, fertility, and longevity.
Green orchids symbolize happy blessings and peace. In some cases, green orchids are said to carry good luck.
Green orchids are a great gift to celebrate new adventures. They make for lucky tokens to bless a new home, job, or accomplishment. They also make thoughtful get-well gifts, as they are icons of growth and healing.
Blue Orchids
Blue is the color of calmness and meditation. It’s often associated with the ocean and sky—two vast, deep, mysterious landscapes. Blue is also the color of serenity.
Natural blue orchids are incredibly rare, though you can find plenty of common varieties that are dyed blue. Since they’re not typical, blue orchids are symbols of rarity.
Blue orchids make a striking gift to someone you think is extraordinary, wonderful, and unique.
Purple Orchids
Purple is historically the color of royalty, nobility, and ambition. It has been associated with wealth, wisdom, and grandeur for centuries, though it has also evolved to indicate mystery, independence, and spirituality.
Purple orchids symbolize admiration. They’re traditionally given as a sign of respect, though they can also be gifts of devotion.
Purple orchids are wonderful gifts for someone you admire, whether that be a friend, partner, or acquaintance.
Pink Orchids
Pink is the color of femininity, and it has strong ties to girlhood and womanhood. Pink is often associated with sweetness and kindness.
Pink orchids symbolize grace. They’re also tokens of joy, appreciation, gentleness, and gratitude.
Pink orchids make thoughtful additions to a Mother’s Day arrangement. They’re also perfect to show gratitude to your mother, grandmother, or female friends on any ordinary day of the year.
Some professional advice for gifting an orchid.
Once you’ve decided on the perfect orchid color, you might choose to add a few orchid accessories to your gift to set your friend or family member up for orchid-growing success.
We recommend completing your orchid gift with the perfect orchid pot, a humidity tray, proper orchid growing mix, and—to ensure healthy, show-stopping blooms year after year—an orchid fertilizer.
Our one-of-a-kind, easy-to-apply Premium Orchid Food is formulated to supply the correct nutrients to your orchids and requires no mixing or measuring. Just spray and watch those blooms explode!
For more information on the history of orchids across cultures, click here. Or, if you’re new to growing orchids, click here to learn how to master orchid care in ten easy steps.
