Learn the meanings of traditional funeral and sympathy flowers so you can send the right flower bouquet or arrangement to express your condolences. Discover the origins of flower meanings and the stories behind them. Order flowers online and have them delivered to any local home address, church, or funeral home.

Learn the meanings of traditional funeral and sympathy flowers so that you can send the right flower bouquet or arrangement to express your condolences. Discover the origins of flower meanings and the stories behind them.
The flowers that you select should tell the story of the relationship you had with the person who has passed away, along with how you viewed them while they were a part of your life.
Flowers can express sorrow, but also sympathy to family and remembrance of the person’s life, accomplishments, and the effect they had on others.
Carnations
Carnations are one of the most popular choices for sympathy flowers and funeral flower gifts. They are often used in funeral wreaths and standing sprays. These flowers are very fragrant and long-lasting, which is what makes them such as good option as sympathy flowers or service flowers that will last for several days.
These flowers come in many different colors, each with their own suggested meaning. The most popular colors to use for funerals and sympathy occasions are white, pink, and red.
- White Carnations represent innocence and purity, along with pure love
- Pink Carnations imply thoughts of remembrance
- Red Carnations can show affection and admiration
For Christian funerals, especially in Catholicism, pink carnations are a good choice since some believe they were created from the Virgin Mary’s tears.
Chrysanthemums (Mums)
The chrysanthemum, or mum, makes a wonderful choice for a sympathy flower, whether used to adorn a grave or casket, presented as a gift to the family of the deceased, or as part of a wreath or bouquet during the funeral service or wake.
Mums are a popular choice for sympathy and funeral flowers all over the world, with different areas deriving different meanings from the flowers.
In parts of Asia, chrysanthemums symbolize life and birth, with white Mums denoting grief. In America and Europe, the flowers symbolize sympathy, respect, and honor. In some European countries, Mums are only used to place on graves or sent as a funeral arrangement.
To many, Mums are thought of as a bright and cheerful flower that is supposed to bring lightness to a sad occasion. Popular colors for sympathy and funeral Mums are red, white, and pink.
Lillies
Lillies are some of the most traditional funeral flowers. White lilies are a good option for sending flowers to a funeral or wake, in addition to sending them to a family’s home.
The lily is commonly associated with funeral services, and many Christian funerals have lilies present at the funeral service. White lilies mean purity and innocence, and white stargazer lilies symbolize sympathy.
A longer lasting, potted version of the lily is the peace lily plant, which symbolizes rebirth. A peace lily will live longer than cut flowers and serve as a reminder of the positive impact that the deceased played in their life.