Suna and Inan Kiraç Foundation Orientalist Paintings Collection

A History of the Language of Flowers

The history of the language of flowers is complex and intricate. It is a controversial subject, and the origin of the language of flowers that we are familiar with today is not entirely clear. There is even some uncertainty about people ever using flowers to convey messages to one another. In her book The Language of Flowers: A History, Beverly Seaton states that there is virtually no evidence of the practice of exchanging message bouquets in the nineteenth century, which is when the language of flowers phenomenon occurred in England. The invention and development of the language of flowers, she says, was an artistic fabrication that took the form of sentimental flower books, almanacs, and calendars. While this may or may not be true, the fact remains that we continue to be enthralled by the idea that we can use flowers to transmit messages, and that floriography can take the place of words when our human nature demands our voices be silent—whether from the deep love we feel for another person or out of quiet respect, a repose when no words can convey the feeling of loss. There is no other object or set of objects that can replace words in such an eloquent and perfect way as beautiful flowers.

The idea of floral symbolism and the language of flowers has been with us for a very, very long time and that is all we really need to understand. It’s up to us whether we continue to recognize and honor and apply this tradition.

Throughout much of human history, flowers have symbolized all sorts of milestones, sentiments, superstitions, religious beliefs, passions, and afflictions. Hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt formed the earliest written language of flowers, with pictures that tell stories using plants and animals. Before written language was perfected, ancient cultures used flowers, plants, and animals to convey their thoughts and tell their stories. Remains of roses have been found in Egyptian tombs, and a red rose is pictured at the four-thousand-year-old Palace of Knossos on the island of Crete. To this day, the rose continues to be a symbol of love and purity.

We have adorned ourselves with their beauty and representations for ceremonies, used flowers for badges for our heroes, and looked to them for representation of seasons, months, and years. We have long used flowers to commemorate milestones in our lives, to honor marriages, and mourn death. We celebrate with flowers, we decorate with flowers. There is simply nothing in our natural world that captivates more than a flower. They are visually stunning and their fragrance can be so intense and clear we can almost taste it. They beckon us with their transient beauty, and we become captivated by their flawless structure and intoxicating fragrances. Flowers and the roles they play in our lives are simply indispensable.

FROM SÉLAM TO PHENOMENON

The language of flowers that we are familiar with today is said to have been inspired by the early Turkish sÉlam. During Ottoman times, a sÉlam was a greeting of objects. A box of objects (or objects wrapped in cloth handkerchiefs) was gifted from one to another, and each object carried a rhyme, which, once translated and pondered, held a meaning. According to Beverly Seaton’s The Language of Flowers: A History, the objects themselves weren’t symbolic of any one meaning, but their meaning rhymed with the object’s name. For example, armoude (pear) is not given a meaning for what ideas it might suggest, but for words that rhyme with its name, such as omoude (hope). The sÉlam was not like the language of flowers as we understand it today, nor a secret language of lovers, but it did give the idea of a language of love conveyed by objects rather than words.

In an essay regarding the language of objects and the origin of the sÉlam, Austrian historian and orientalist Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall (1774—1856) wrote that the sÉlam was “merely a harem game, an amusement by the women of the harem to pass the time.” It remains uncertain why or how the language of objects, or how the custom of the sÉlam, was developed. But, since there was no communication allowed between the women of the harem and the outside world, it would make sense that one might devise this clever tactic to overcome the harem’s boundaries, and slip hidden messages to an outsider, or just to pass her time in a creative and inventive way.

In modern-day Turkey, a sÉlam is still a greeting, and a way of saying hello. It also means to have a good day, and peace, as in “I come in peace,” which ties in with the Arabic translation of salam, “peace.” There is also a religious form of the sÉlam greeting, but this use has been dropped in the past hundred years or so, and today the sÉlam is a secular way of greeting someone, but still more formal than just a casual “hi.”

The Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, wife of John Montagu, the English ambassador to Turkey, resided in Constantinople from 1716—18. During which time she was able to gain access to Ottoman society, and in particular to socialize with Ottoman women. The Lady Mary was charmed by the custom of the sÉlam among the women, and upon her return to England she wrote about this custom in her society letters. The letters became very popular in England and were known as the “Turkish Embassy Letters,” and they were published posthumously under the same title in 1763. Through symbols and meanings of objects, she wrote, “you can either quarrel, reproach, or send letters of passion, friendship, or civility, or even news, without even inking your fingers. There is no flower, no fruit, herb nor feather, that has not a verse belonging to it.” These letters were at least partly responsible for generating the phenomenon of the language of flowers in England during the nineteenth century.

The sÉlam was romanticized by westerners where they created their own version of a sÉlam, a gifting of objects, using flowers, plants, and herbs, and forgoing the rhyme and giving symbolic meaning to them. The Victorian-era British, who were coming out of a twenty-year war with France, were understandably ready for romance and sentimentalism. What began as a greeting of objects in the Ottoman Empire, became the first signs of western floriography of the early nineteenth century. Subsequently, there were many developments and publications of miniature and finely illustrated gift books depicting floral dictionaries and symbolism. The popular concept of gift books had spawned an onslaught of flower dictionaries.

One of the earliest language of flowers books was French, published in 1810, by B. DelachÉnaye. In his introduction to his floral dictionary, he argues that a real sÉlam contained only flowers. Well, here we are again with a differing statement of how it all began! The most prevalent of the early dictionaries was Le language des fleurs, published in 1819 and written by Charlotte de la Latour (the pen name of Louise Cortambert). This book could be found on the drawing room tables of virtually every French genteel woman.

By far the most popular for the English language of flowers books was Frederic Shoberl, Louise Cortambert, and Louis-AimÉ Martin’s The language of flowers: with illustrative poetry, published in 1848. The flower as a “messenger of the heart” had certainly become hugely popular in the nineteenth century. During the reign of Queen Victoria many floral dictionaries were published, including a very comprehensive meaning of flowers in John Ingram’s Flora Symbolica, or The language and sentiment of flowers. Including floral poetry, original and selected.

In the United States, the first books on floriography were Elizabeth Wirt’s Flora’s Dictionary and Dorothea Dix’s The Garland of Flora, both of which were published in 1829. During its peak in America, the language of flowers attracted the attention of the most popular women writers and editors of the day. Language of flowers poems and writings were featured in poplar magazines and many gift books with beautiful illustrations and floral symbolism were published during this time. My personal favorite is Flora’s Lexicon, written by Catharine H. Waterman and published in 1855. I have used this book as reference and continue to enjoy her poem “The Language of Flowers” as inspiration and often reflect on its intricate dance in words:

Yes—flowers have tones—God gave to each

A language of its own,

And bade the simple blossom teach

Where’er its seeds are sown

Today there are still language of flowers books being published, but there are few compared to the prolific eighteenth century. Happily, we have not lost touch with the historical art of floriography, and we will continue, I am certain, to be enthralled with nature’s awe-inspiring gift to us—a language of flowers.

IN EASTERN LANDS

In China, Korea, and Japan, flowers have also held myth and meaning since ancient times. Plum blossoms, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemums have long been featured in paintings and poems to express loftiness, righteousness, modesty, and purity. Because they symbolize these human virtues, they are known as “the four gentlemen.”

In ancient China, flowers were grown and harvested for their symbolic meaning. The peony, which has been cultivated throughout Asia for centuries, remains the most honored flower, symbolizing wealth, prosperity, status, and fortune. Considered to be the unofficial Chinese National Flower, the peony is used throughout China in many celebrations and is favored as a wedding anniversary flower. The plants require much diligence and meticulous care in growing, hence two of their meanings of wealth and prosperity, because only the wealthiest could afford this sort of high-maintenance cultivation. It is also symbolic of spring, female beauty, and reproduction.

In Chinese culture, the lotus is the most precious and symbolic flower, as it represents the holy seat of Buddha. The lotus flower rises from the mud and blooms in beauty, symbolizing perfection and purity of both the heart and mind. It also stands for long life and honor. The lotus flower has been depicted in Chinese art, poetry, and architecture throughout a long history, and into modern times.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, 1689—1762
In addition to her successful poetry, Lady Wortley Montagu achieved other great feats. Notably, her writings addressing and challenging the social injustices toward women, as well as her distinguished success in introducing and advocating for smallpox inoculation to western medicine after her return from Turkey. She was a respectable advocate ahead of her time and brought to light problems in the best way she knew how—through writing and poetry. “I sometimes give myself admirable advice, but I am incapable of taking it,” she wrote.

An excerpt from Frederic Shoberl, Louise Cortambert, and Louis-AimÉ Martin’s 1848 book The language of flowers: with illustrative poetry, which exemplifies the romantic expression on the sÉlam:

Castellan, in his “Letter on Greece,” mentions that when he was passing through the lovely valley of Bujukdern on the Bosphorus, his attention was attracted by a little country pleasure-house, surrounded by a neat garden. Beneath one of the grated windows stood a young Turk, who after playing a light prelude on the tambur, a sort of mandoline, sang a love-song, in which the following verse occurred:

The nightingale wander from flower to flower, seeking the rose, his heart’s only prize;

Thus, did my love change every hour, Until I saw thee, light of my eyes!

No sooner was the song ended than a small white hand opened the lattice of the window and dropped a bunch of flowers. The young Turk picked up the nosegay and appeared to read in some secret message. He pressed it to his bosom, then fastened it in his turban, and after making some signs towards the window, he withdrew. The young gallant appeared from his dress to be nothing more than a poor water-carrier. But the Turkish proverb says that, however high a woman may rear her head towards the clouds, her feet nevertheless touch the earth. The girl was actually the daughter of a rich Jew, worth a hundred thousand piastres.

There is also crossover between Eastern and Western flower meanings and symbolism. The chrysanthemum in China is a good example. Drawing on its meanings of cheerfulness and optimism in our Western dictionaries, I use the chrysanthemum in birthday posies in a celebratory way. In China, these flowers symbolize a strong life force and are often given to the elderly for this reason. They can also represent good luck to the home and a life of comfort. White chrysanthemums stand for nobility and elegance, just as in the United States, and are used as offerings at spiritual shrines. In China, other than the white chrysanthemum available for use in shrines, white flowers are not used because of their representation of death and ghosts.

Some flowers with positive meanings in the West have negative ones in China. For example, in the West spring flowering branches stand for rebirth and the beauty of spring, while in Chinese culture they stand for an unfaithful lover, as the petals are easily scattered. And in China, any flower that blooms on a thorny branch represents pain and unhappiness, so there goes the coveted rose and all its multileveled meanings in the Western language of flowers!

Hanakotoba refers to the ancient art of assigning meanings to flowers in Japan. In Japanese culture, flowers and their meanings are of great importance and can be used to communicate emotions without using words, so giving flowers to another is not taken lightly. Like western floriography, hanakotoba has fallen out of popularity in modern times, however, it is still used in the Japanese floral design practice of ikebana. Flowers and plants are arranged in a very special way in ikebana, to represent three points: earth, moon, and sun, or alternately, sun or man, earth, and heaven. In addition to these representations, the meanings of flowers are also considered in order to reflect a certain message for the recipient or observer.

Flowers are used for ceremonies in Japan, just as they are in the West, but there are certain customs that are endemic to Japan. For example, a chabana is a special presentation of flowers for a ceremonial tea that includes branches and twigs from the surrounding area, along with seasonal blooms, and is often displayed in a bamboo vase. The chabana is thought to establish a connection with nature and connect the ceremonial tearoom to the surrounding land. A kadomatsu is a floral arrangement made from bamboo and pine, then placed outside the door to celebrate the coming of the New Year. It is used to welcome the gods to the home and believed to promote health and happiness during the upcoming year.

The cherry blossom is a symbol of nationalism in Japan. In the days of the Samurais, it was a depiction of how fleeting their life could be. The Samurai had always been guided by their knowledge and understanding that they should live their life brilliantly however brief it may be, and go down dramatically, just as the cherry blossoms look gloriously magnificent when in full bloom, only to fall to the ground after a short while. Cherry blossoms are associated with the concept of mono no aware, a Japanese phrase that could be translated to “feelings for the passing of things.” The overall principle of mono no aware is that we should recognize the impermanence of life, and of everything that exists, and create a deeper connection with it because of its fleeting nature. In other words, enjoy every moment of your life, and understand that change and brevity are essential to earthly existence.

And as beautiful as they are, camellias can be considered bad luck in Japan due to one of the flower’s characteristics: Instead of the petals falling one by one, the entire head of the flower falls off the stem. I suppose it is a little disturbing when you look under your camellia tree and see all the flower heads lying lifelessly on the ground. It makes perfect sense that this could seem like a curse of bad luck!

For the Japanese, just as in many other cultures, flowers are used to differentiate the types of love, not just a singular passionate love. Some of the meanings are the same as the Western definitions, but there are some differences:

• Rose: Like Victorian and other Western interpretations, the red rose represents romantic love in Japanese culture, but as in Western culture, it is not the only flower that represents love.

• Red Japanese Lotus: The red lotus stands for love, passion, and compassion.

• Forget-Me-Not: Delicate blue forget-me-nots represent true love.

• Red Camelia: The red camelia represents being in love.

• Gardenia: Gardenias symbolize a crush or secret love.

• Tulip: The tulip represents one-sided or unrequited love.

• Carnation: The carnation stands for passion.

• Cactus: A cactus flower symbolizes lust (or sex).

In the far East, the West, and everywhere in between, virtually all civilizations and cultures throughout history have used flowers and plants to symbolize beliefs and play roles in rituals, as well as to communicate messages. Imagine now, when you are making a posy, that you are taking part in a ritual as old as civilization—as long as we’ve existed!