Mother’s Day has become a time-honored tradition in America dating back to 1906. It was created by Anna Jarvis to celebrate motherhood.

Though everyone’s Mother’s Day traditions vary a little it has always been customary to give mom gifts such as flowers on her special day. With Spring in the air and so many flowers blooming, Mother’s Day is the perfect day to send your mother a thoughtful bouquet.

Continue reading to learn the seven most popular flowers for mom on Mother’s Day in 2020.

Choosing Flowers for Mom

Most people just choose flowers based on how they look and if they will appeal to the recipient. But did you know each flower has a different symbolism behind it? People have associated meaning to flowers since biblical days and this custom is still kept up throughout Asia and Europe.

Other people try to choose the best flowers for mom by matching her personality with the flowers. Look at the petals and colors and choose a color that you think is fitting for your mom.

You can also look around her home for clues. If there is a specific type of flower she buys for herself and brings home perhaps she likes that type of flower. Does your mom have roses on her dish towels? This could be a sign that she favors roses.

Leave it to the professionals and get mom a flower subscription for Mother’s Day. With a subscription, mom receives flowers every month and the types of flowers are always changing. It’s hard to beat fresh flowers year-round!

Ask her friend or sister. Sisters or best friends usually know what type of flowers their friends like. If she has a significant other be sure to ask him/her too.

If you are still stumped at what kind of flowers to get mom then keep reading. This article will list the seven most popular choices of flowers for mom in greater detail to help you choose.

  1. Carnations

When people think of Mother’s Day flowers a lot of them think of carnations. These fluffy flowers may be the stuff of high school proms but they also happen to be the symbol of women and love in the victorian flower language.

History of Carnations

When Anna Jarvis was campaigning for Mother’s Day to become a national holiday she sent 500 white carnations to her local church to be given to all the mothers in attendance. After that carnations have come to be known as one of the best flowers for Mother’s Day. Carnations signify faith beauty, charity, and all of the traits that represent motherhood.

Carnations are thought to be one of the oldest cultivated flowers. The original flowers are believed to only come in pink and peach but today carnations come in many rich colors including red, yellow, purple, and striped variations.

Carnation Traditions

Carnations are a popular wedding flower in China. In Korea, carnations are used to tell the fortunes of young girls. Korean parents will chop three fresh carnations and put them into the little girl’s hair. The girl is then to watch wich flower dies first.

If the top flower dies first this indicates the girl’s life will be filled with strife in her latter years. If the middle flower dies first this means the girl will experience turmoil in her youth. If the lower flower dies first, the young girl will face many challenges in her life.

  1. Gerber Daisies

Gerber Daisies are one of the best flowers in 2020 for mom. It’s hard not to smile when looking at a bouquet of happy Gerber Daisies. It’s not surprising that the Victorians used them to represent happiness.

Native to South Africa Gerber Daisies are bright and happy flowers. These perennial plants come in a variety of colors from deep red, to yellow, white, cream, and peach. Often Gerber Daisies are also dyed to give them an even brighter, fun appearance.

The colors of Gerber Daisies add to their meaning:

  • Orange is the sunshine of life
  • Red is for unconscious love
  • White is for innocence and purity
  • Pink represents admiration or high-esteem
  • Yellow is for cheerfulness

History of Gerber Daisies

Gerber Daisies are named for Robert Jameson a 19th-century botanist. Jameson formed the Moodies Gold Mining and Exploration Company and on a journey to South Africa, he discovered the Gerber Daisies near a gold mine.

Gerber Daisies Facts

Gerber Daisies remove trichloroethylene, formaldehyde, and benzene from the air. They provide a continuous stream of fresh oxygen into your space which may help you sleep. Other flowers slow down their oxygen production at night, but not the Gerber Daisy.

Gerber Daisies will always turn to face the sun. A single flower’s stem is approximately 12 to 18 inches long. The flower has a bright yellow disk in the middle that is customary for all types of daisies. However, the white varieties disk is a dark chocolate brown.

People began breeding Gerber Daisies in the 1800s soon after they were discovered and since that time there have been many new color additions. These flowers are also the birth flower for April. If your mother was born in April, then Gerber Daisies are the flower for her!

  1. Tulips

If you are still wondering what are the best flowers to send mom, then look no further than the classic tulip. It’s hard not to fall in love with this classic flower.

Tulips rise early every morning to produce cup-shaped flowers and come in a variety of colors. Tulips were voted the third most popular flower in the world. They play an important role in many gardens and homes around the world.

Tulip Symbolism

While tulips are not the fanciest flower, the grace of tulips has become a symbol for meanings such as perfect enduring love between partners or family members, royalty, forgotten or neglected love, and abundance. Tulips are also the flower associated with 11th wedding anniversaries and indulgence.

This classic flower of love was considered a sign of charity by the Victorians. The Turkish bred Tulips and pictures them as a symbol of heaven on Earth. The ottomans planted Tulip bulbs to remind them of the afterlife. Tulips make appearances in many religious and secular poems and works of art.

The Dutch popularized this flower which became known to them as a celebration of our brief time in life. Tulips were later linked to love in the 20th and 21st centuries.

History of Tulips

Tulips are been cultivated since the 13th century. In the 1600s Turkish traders traded some tulip bulbs to the Dutch. In the 17th century, Tulip-mania took off across Europe. It was believed by many to be the first financial bubble of the early capitalized marketplace.

Eventually, the bulbs became a currency of their own. Theft of tulips triggered harsh penalties. And just think, today you can buy tulips in most stores for just a few dollars.

  1. Orchids

There are over 30,000 different species of orchids. Many people keep orchids as houseplants, but they look stunning in floral bouquets. Wild orchids can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Orchids can be very difficult to keep alive as house plants and that is why recommend them in cut floral arrangements.

Orchid Symbolism

Orchids have been held in high regard for many years. Here are a few meanings associated with this flower:

  • Love
  • Beauty
  • Thoughtfullness
  • Charm
  • Refinement

The ancient Greeks thought of Orchids as symbols of fertility. Large orchids represented male children and smaller ones represented female children. The anciency Aztecs mixed Orchids with chocolate to give them strength and power. Victorians thought Orchids were symbols of luxury and used them as a status symbol.

Orchid Facts

Orchids come in many sizes, shapes, and colors. Many of them grow in tropical landscapes and produce beautiful delicate flowers. Some orchids are just a few inches tall and others grow into massive towering vines.

The Chinese have cultivated orchids for centuries. In the 1600s traders visited China and brought orchids back with them to Europe. By 1856 hybrid varieties were already being bred.

All colors of Orchids are beautiful, but send mom a special bouquet of orchids by matching the meaning of the color to the message you want to send her this Mother’s Day:

  • Blue orchids represent rarity
  • Red orchids represent passion and desire
  • Pink orchids represent grace, joy, and happiness
  • White orchids represent reverence, grace, elegance, and beauty
  • Purple orchids represent admiration, respect, and royalty
  • Yellow orchids represent friendship, joy, and new beginnings
  • Green orchids are thought to bring good fortune and blessings and they represent health and nature
  1. Roses

Roses are surely the world’s most popular flower. William Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

Since the dawn of time Roses have been revered. Roses were cultivated in China around 5,000 years ago and have stuck with us ever since.

Rose Symbolism

Roses continue to hold a variety of different meanings. Perhaps your mother even has her meaning associated with roses? Here are a few of the commonly seen meanings of roses:

  • Love
  • Beauty
  • Sensuality
  • Timelessness
  • Passion
  • Honor
  • Faith

Roses are a popular commercially grown flower and often come in many mixed bouquets or alone. Today women even have Rose tattoos to symbolize beauty.

In Greek mythology, Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, was often depicted with roses in her hair or at her feet. It is said that Rose bushes grow in a pool of blood from Aphrodite’s former lover Adonis who was killed. Rose bushes were also said to have grown at the site of Jesus Christ’s death.

On Tarot cards roses symbolize balance. Roses express the promise of new beginnings. The thorns represent loss and thoughtlessness.

History of Roses

During the 15th century, roses were used as a symbol for fighting factions in England. The white rose was for the York family and the red rose was the symbol of the Lancaster family. This later became better known as the war of the roses.

During the 17th century, Roses were in such high demand that Rosewater became its form of currency. Roses and rosewater were often used in a bargain or as payment.

Napolean’s wife, Josephine, had an extensive collection of roses in her garden.

Today, roses are still as popular as ever. Many women enjoy cultivating them in their gardens. But growing roses can be difficult. They often are plagued by disease. This is why they are so special in flower bouquets and arrangements. Roses are the perfect choice for mom for Mother’s Day.

  1. Lillies

Lilies are available year-round. These flowers never go dormant. They also are a great symbol of spring and are very fragrant.

With such an elegant look, lillies are perfect for the timeless classic Mother. Keep reading to learn some of the lilies’ symbols:

  • Royalty
  • Motherhood
  • Beauty and youth
  • Rebirth
  • Fertility

The ancient Greeks and Romans both held lilies in high regard. You can tell by the many references to lilies in their mythology. Alchemists considered Lilies to be a feminine lunar flower and lilies were cultivated in China to be used at weddings.

Chinese friends and family pass out Lilies to people who have experienced a loss because they are believed to relieve heartache.

Lily Facts

All lilies came from one original bulb. Thanks to early breeding programs there are many types and colors of lilies available today. Lilies can grow outdoors, inside as potted plants, and look lovely in a floral arrangement.

  1. Peonies

The Peony can return in spring after a long winter for a hundred years or longer and is often believed to have magical properties. Its thick ruffled blooms have made it a truly iconic flower and the perfect flower for mom on Mother’s Day.

Peonies Symbolism

Some cultures believe peonies represent shame or are unlucky. Read further to learn the peony’s symbolism before you give them to Mom:

  • Honor
  • Wealth
  • Romance
  • Beauty
  • Shame

This is an important flower in Chinese culture. It is the official emblem of China and plays a role in many celebrations. The Chinese name for peony translates to “most beautiful”.

Strangely, this flower is thought of the same way in Western cultures. Greek myths said nymphs use to hide in peonies and the Victorians believed peonies represented shamefulness or bashfulness. In the Middle Ages, it was very to lucky to dig up a Peony bush because they associated peonies with trouble making fairies.

There Are So Many Flowers to Choose From for Mom

This Mother’s Day remembers the longstanding tradition of buying flowers for mom. There are so many different flowers to choose from. If you don’t know her favorite variety of flowers choose a flower that symbolizes what you want to say to her this Mother’s Day 2020.

Help out your friends and siblings by sharing this article with them and read more of our articles on chic living.