Whenever people didn’t have enough courage to say something, they would look for perfect ways to express their emotions without speaking. Flowers, early on, became an important symbol of our emotions and their variety helped us choose the perfect flower for that perfect person.
Flowers might seem like something that is not too relevant, but when you dig deeper into their history you will understand how long and complicated the history of flower symbolism is.
Their beauty and ability to rise out of the ground has been mesmerizing to people. We fell in love with these colorful and beautiful living-beings, which made our lives more colorful and interesting.
Every flower has its own symbolic meaning and significance. No matter which flower is your favorite, there is a lot to know and learn about it. Cultures around the world adored flowers and used as symbols to express various emotions and even social issues.
Flowers were used as symbols in war and in peace. We use them today to make our festivities more colorful and vibrant, and to show others how much they mean to us. For centuries, flowers have been favorite motifs in art and literature that painted artist’s vision perfectly.
Flower symbolism is still very interesting to us today, and we can learn more about folklore and habits of certain cultures by exploring these beautiful living things.
Meaning of the Dahlia flower
Dahlia flower is one of the most beautiful flowers in the world. There is something special to it that can only be described by looking at a Dahlia flower. Like I mentioned earlier, each flower has its own meaning and symbolism that is linked only to that particular flower.
Dahlia flower has many symbolic meanings which have been derived from the appearance of the Dahlia flower and its significance to human kind. Some of the most common Dahlia symbolic meanings are:
- Remaining graceful
- Finding inner strength
- Changing in a positive way
- Standing out from the crowd
- Always be kind
- Staying adventurous and relaxed
- Commitment
Remaining graceful – This is one of the first associations to the Dahlia flower. Dahlia flower has a unique appearance and its beauty reminds us of a beautiful woman who always keeps her standards and her morals at a high level. If Dahlia flower was a person, it would have royal manners and graceful nature. We can learn a lot from this flower and always keep our behavior under control no matter how hard it might seem to us. Staying graceful in life and respecting others is going to pay off to you in the future, and it will completely change the way others see you.
Finding inner strength – Dahlia flowers can persevere through some pretty difficult living conditions. We can learn from their behavior and try to endure everything that gets thrown in our way. We can only break down if we let others break us down, so instead of giving up search for that final piece of strength. We can motivate ourselves to be the best and to withstand all of the difficult moments if we only stay positive and strong.
Changing in a positive way – Dahlia flower symbolizes changes in positive way. This flower is a symbol of change that is always moving forward and never backing down. Even though changes can be hard, if we learn how to deal with them they will become much easier on us. Accept the positive changes and always push yourself towards something better.
Standing out from the crowd – It is no wonder that the Dahlia flower stands out from all the other flowers with its beauty and unique look. But, what this beautiful flower is teaching us is that we should always stand out and be ourselves no matter what everybody else thinks. We owe it to ourselves to be unique and to pursue our dreams no matter what the rest of the world thinks.
Always be kind – Dahlia flower symbolizes kindness and grace. Dahlia flower teaches us to be kind and generous to others, because Karma is always watching. We shouldn’t only do it to invite positive energy, we should be kind to others because they need us and don’t deserve our anger. Approach others with kindness and love and you will get so much more in return.
Staying adventurous and relaxed – This flower is the symbol of adventure but it also represents relaxation and finding balance in life. You should always pursue that happy balance between action and relaxation, because everything that is in excess is not good.
Commitment – Dahlia flower symbolizes commitment to another person no matter who this person is. You need to be in touch with your feelings and emotions and able to show them to the person you love. Commitment is something that can be hard for many people, but if you imagine always having your best friend by your side then it doesn’t sound too hard.
Honesty – Honesty is the best policy and we should always practice truth while speaking. It might be hard to tell others what you think and what is on your heart, but lies hurt so much more than truth. Dahlia flower symbolizes truth and speaking about your emotions. No matter what happens in life and how hard it might seem to you, always be truthful and show others respect by telling them your honest opinion.
Dahlia – Etymological meaning
The name Dahlia refers to the entire genus of these flowers. Dahlia flower name is particularly interesting because it is still unclear how this flower got its name. Some believe that the name Dahlia was given by Carl Linnaeus, that named this flower after a student who’s last name was Dahl. Interesting is that Carl actually died before he was able to name the flower, so it is still unclear who named this plant. Some scientists tried to change the name of this flower to Georgina, but this attempt was unsuccessful.
In the 1805, botanist Carl Ludwig Willdenow tried to change the name from Dahlia to Georgina, after the naturalist Johann Gottlieb Georgi. This attempt was unsuccessful but in some parts of Germany, this name was used to mark this flower sort. Dahl is actually a homophone of the Swedish word dal which in translation means valley. Some even call Dahlia flowers as the “valley flowers”.
Dahlia – Symbolism
Dahlia flower has a very long historical and cultural significance. To Victorians, the Dahlia flower signifies commitment to another person and eternal love. They would gift Dahlia flowers to their partners in order to show their deep appreciation and love and to keep their love flame burning.
Dahlia is also considered to be the birth flower of the month of August but some even list it as the birth flower of the month of November.
Dahlia flower is the national flower of Mexico, and this is also the native habitat of this beautiful flower. Some people use Dahlia flowers to represent diversity in the world, since each petal in Dahlia flower fits seamlessly into the flower. This is the perfect flower to tattoo on your body if you want to send a strong message to the world.
Dahlia flower became more known to the rest of the world after the movie “Black Dahlia”. Movie tells the story about a young American woman who was found dead under unexplained circumstances in the year 1947. The murderer was never found and this murder case is still not solved.
Dahlia – Color meaning
Dahlia flowers come in several different colors. We all know how colors can influence our emotions and the way we see and understand things. Even without any words, colors can say so much about a certain object or sign. Their presence in our lives is very significant and they certainly bring joy into our dull lives.
Red
- Red Dahlia flower symbolizes strength and power that we want to give to the person who is receiving this flower. Color red in general symbolizes love and passion, but it can also be a symbol of power, strength and importance. We gift red Dahlias to people we care about and who we want to see rising up from the ashes. They are very important to us and we want to see them succeed in all areas of life. You can gift red Dahlias to your partner or a friend who is going through some difficult moments in life. Bouquet of red Dahlias is going to send a clear message of support and love that can’t be better expressed by any other flower.
Pink
- Pink Dahlia symbolizes kindness and grace. Color pink in general symbolizes everything that is good and kind in this world. This color symbolizes femininity and grace and we can gift it to any person, no matter what this person means to us. Pink Dahlia is the perfect gift for your partner or loved one, if you want to show your love and how you see this person in your heart. Gift the pink Dahlia flower to someone you love and someone who is irreplaceable in your heart.
Purple
- Purple Dahlia flower has the same symbolism as the pink one. Color purple symbolizes royalty, dignity and grace, so you can gift the purple Dahlia to any person who represents perfection in your eyes. Gift this beautiful flower to someone you love and someone who is in your eyes the representation of grace and dignity.
White
- White Dahlia symbolizes purity and focus. White Dahlias can be given to anybody you love or want to surprise. Color white symbolizes purity, faith and clean soul, so this is the perfect gift to give to someone you find to be innocent and pure soul. White Dahlias are perfect for weddings and baptisms, since their universal symbolism of purity is a perfect decoration for events like this.
Blue
- Blue Dahlia is a symbol of a new beginning and a new chapter. This flower color is the perfect gift for someone who is turning his entire life around and beginning a new chapter in life. You can even get yourself a beautiful, rich bouquet of blue Dahlias for your home, if you just moved into a new place or you want to see some beautiful rich colors in your house.
Green
- Green Dahlia has the same symbolism as the blue one. This flower symbolizes freshness and a new beginning and represents a perfect gift for someone who is entering a new chapter in life.
Black
- The black or burgundy color Dahlia flower symbolizes betrayal. Even though many call this color of Dahlia flower black, it is actually a dark burgundy color that is a universal symbol of negative emotions. Black Dahlia’s symbolism is extremely strong and has been present for centuries. People usually expressed the feeling of betrayal and sadness with this strong symbolic flower.
Dahlia – Botanical facts and characteristics
Dahlia flowers are native to Mexico and South America. They usually grow in valleys underneath mountains and they are protected by harsh living conditions by the high mountains. Dahlia flowers don’t require too much care and can be grown without any problems almost anywhere in the world. Although they grow in warmer countries, the mountain valleys are not so warm and Dahlia flowers best thrive in middle range temperatures.
There is a wide variety of colors to choose from and you can find a sort of Dahlia flower that is going to be perfect for you. They can stay fresh for quite a while in a vase, so you can use them as decoration in homes or as decoration in various festivities. Some sorts of Dahlia flowers can grow up to 12 inches in diameter, while the flower itself can grow up to six feet. They are best for gardens and balconies, since they love fresh air and sun.
Dahlia flowers are in relation with Asters and the Sunflowers. You can recognize the similarity in the way the petals are sorted and how they form a star-like shape. Unlike the Asters and Sunflowers, Dahlias aren’t edible. They are primarily used for decoration especially in weddings and similar festivities. Dahlia’s tubers are even poisonous so it is best to keep your children and pets away from the plant. Best way to avoid poisoning is to plant the plant deeper into the ground.
Dahlia – Secret message
Every flower has a secret message hidden behind it that helps us understand the nature of a certain flower. Sometimes these messages are straight forward and other times we have to look deeper into the symbolic meaning of a flower to figure it out. Dahlia flower is telling you to ignore all the obstacles and to keep your head focused on success. Even though there are many obstacles along the way, this beautiful flower is showing us how to overcome them and still thrive from the ground.
Rough mountain landscapes of Mexico and South America were nothing for this gorgeous flower, and it thrived proudly at the top of the world. Dahlia symbolism was extremely important in the past and it still mesmerizes with its beauty and resilience. This is the perfect flower to gift to someone you love and someone who means the world to you. Choose the right color of the Dahlia flower to surprise your loved ones and to send them a strong message of grace and elegance.
