Iris Flower Symbolism

The flower symbolism associated with the iris is faith, wisdom, cherished friendship, hope, valor, my compliments, promise in love, wisdom. Irises were used in Mary Gardens. The blade-shaped foliage denotes the sorrows which 'pierced her heart.' The iris is the emblem of both France and Florence, Italy. The fleur-de-lis, one of the most well-known of all symbols, is derived from the shape of the iris flower. The fleur-de-lis is a symbol of the royal family in France and is the state flower of Tennessee.

All About the Iris Flower

Iris flowers are a genus with 200-300 flowering varieties. Hence, the name is derived from the Greek word for rainbow. Irises are grown from bulbs or rhizomes and have long, flat leaves. Irises are used extensively in gardens, especially the bearded varieties. Irises are easy to cultivate and propagate. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, cptcv.)

Symbolism of the Iris in Chinese Art

Blessed with the colors of the rainbow and the purest white, the iris has been recognized as the dancing spirit of early summer.

Its soft, fluttering petals remind the Chinese people of butterfly wings, flapping gently in the breeze. The flower is known as Tze Hu-tieh or "The Purple Butterfly."

Iris Photos for Projects and Design

Need photos of iris? Please visit Dreamstime Stock Photography. Dreamstime is a distinguished leader in stock photography and a major supplier of high quality digital images at unbelievable prices. The Dreamstime database is renewed with thousands of fresh images and titles on a daily basis. See more photos here.

Plant Iris in Your Garden this Year

Find plants, trees and flowers at Nature Hills Nursery, Inc. Nature Hills Nursery offers one of the largest selections of high quality live plants and related products online, complete with extensive plant information, while maintaining an exceptional level of customer service.

Order Bouquets and Flowers
The extensive FloristOne catalog features flowers for every occasion and an extensive network of florists that allows for same day delivery to nearly all of the United States and Canada. Send a classic gift with special meaning for a birthday, baby's birth, holiday, sympathy, graduation or other special occasion. Nothing else communicates your sentiments quite as well as flowers. See our selection of bouquets and flowers here or go directly to the FloristOne website to see all flowers available.

FLOWER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Need Flower Symbolizing Hope

Dear Kathleen,  

I wonder if you wouldn't mind helping me.  I am looking for a flower symbolising hope to include in a poster I am painting in my art class. The subject is climate change and I hope it would be a flower found in the U.K. 

Yours sincerely,
A.K.

Dear A.K.,

The two flowers that symbolize hope are the iris and the chrysanthemum. I would think that both of these grow in the U.K. Good luck with your poster!

Best,
Kathleen

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See a complete list of symbolism articles on this site.

Reference:
Yeh, Ning. An Album of Chinese Brush Painting: Eighty Paintings and Ideas. Huntington Beach, CA: Ning Yeh's Art Studio, 1986.

Kathleen Karlsen, MA is a professional artist and freelance writer. She is an expert in symbolism, personal growth, design psychology, natural living, and holistic parenting. Kathleen's writing experience includes web content development, article syndication, scriptwriting, books and marketing communications. See Kathleen's art at www.kathleenkarlsenart.com. Contact Kathleen at kathleenkarlsen@msn.com.

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