When your friend deserves congratulations, is feeling down, or you simply want to bring a smile to their face, flowers always do the trick. And, just like your friends, flowers are unique. With so many different colors, fragrances, and meanings, choosing the right combinations of flowers can really make your friend’s day. Our guide to the best types of flowers to gift to friends will help you create the perfect friendship bouquet.
Do Flowers Make Good Gifts for Friends?
Flowers make a perfect gift for friends. After all, who doesn’t love flowers? Best of all, flowers are an excellent gift for friends that might be difficult to buy for. Flowers are a wonderful choice for friends who “already have everything,” friends you might not know that well, and for your best friends in the world.
There are flower combinations that work for all types of friends in all kinds of situations. Because each flower has different meanings and symbolism, you can tailor a specific message that’s just for the recipient.
What are the Best Occasions to Gift Flowers to Friends?
You can give your friends flowers any time — whether you want to say “thank you,” “congratulations,” or “I’m sorry.” Flowers are a great way to let your friend know that you’re thinking of them and that you value their friendship.
If your friend is having a bad day or going through a tough time, flowers are the perfect way to cheer them up. And, of course, you won’t want to miss the chance to give blooms to your bestie on National Best Friends Day, which is celebrated on June 8th each year.
The Best Types of Flowers to Give to Friends
Which types of flowers make a great choice for friendship gifting? In the Victorian language of flowers, also known as floriography, the following blossoms symbolize meanings such as congratulations, admiration, joy, achievement, respect, hard work, love, passion, and success. Consider these flowers when giving a gift to a friend in your life.
1) Roses
A perennial favorite to gift in bouquets and arrangements, roses make an excellent addition to floral gifts for friends. Of course, different colors have different meanings. For a friendly gift, yellow roses are a perfect choice, as they symbolize friendship, joy, and happiness. They also have a special meaning associated with rekindling old friendships, making them a good choice if you’re reaching out to someone you’ve lost touch with.
Coral and pink roses also signify friendship; in the language of flowers, pink roses also stand for admiration and gratitude. White roses are another great choice, as they have a symbolic meaning of friendship, too. Together, yellow, pink, and white roses express gratitude for your friendship, as well as joy and happiness. Plus, roses add a lovely fragrance to any bouquet or arrangement.
2) Chrysanthemums
A gift of chrysanthemums sends a message of positivity. These cheerful flowers symbolize joy, happiness, trust, and hope for the future, all wonderful sentiments to give a friend. Yellow chrysanthemums have an added connotation of celebration, green blossoms stand for good luck and health, and orange blooms indicate joy and happiness.
Purple chrysanthemums send a message of well wishes, making them a good choice for a friend who’s feeling sick or down. In their native East Asia, the flowers are often symbols of joy; Japan even has a National Chrysanthemum Day that translates to the Festival of Happiness.
3) Sunflowers
The happy sunflower brings joy and light to any room. As yellow is the universal color of friendship, these joyful blooms are a natural choice for friendship gifting. In the language of flowers, sunflowers send a message of adoration and loyalty.
Sunflowers “turn” their blooms to follow the sun on its daily path from east to west, a phenomenon once explained through a link to Greek mythology. Sun god Apollo was in love with Leucothoe, but her father disapproved and buried her alive to keep Apollo away. Apollo turned her into a sunflower. Every day, Leucothoe turned her (flower) face to watch Apollo race his sunny chariot across the sky.
4) Tulips
The spring-blooming tulip is associated with joy and renewal. Pink and yellow tulips, in particular, send a message of affection and good wishes. Add these beautiful blossoms to a friendship bouquet given in spring to send a message that you care.
Consider giving pink or yellow tulip bulbs planted in a container for a long-lasting friendship gift. The lovely flowers will remind your friend of your affection and thoughtfulness when spring comes around.
5) Daffodils
Another spring bloomer, the happy daffodil, sends an upbeat message of joy, renewal, and fresh starts. To the Victorians, a gift of daffodils also means that you hold the recipient in high regard.
Add daffodils to a springtime friendship bouquet to send warm messages of care and affection. Like tulips, you can also give the lasting gift of sunny daffodil bulbs planted in a lovely container.
6) Iris
The stately iris blooms in various colors, making it easy to give your friend a rainbow of hues. The symbolism of the iris adds meaning to your gift; in the language of flowers, the iris symbolizes trust, hope, valor, and wisdom.
A gift of iris blossoms tells your friend that their friends mean a lot to you. It can also impart the message of trust and let your friend know that you admire their wisdom. Purple iris, in particular, stand for wisdom, while yellow iris flowers send a message of hope and admiration.
7) Alstroemeria
Have a very special friend in your life? The Peruvian lily or alstroemeria is a perfect way to commemorate your deep bond. These elegant blooms symbolize strength and devotion and let your friend know how much they mean to you.
Thanks to their upright blossoms and bright colors, these eye-catching lilies have a positive vibe. They also last a long time in cut flower arrangements. Choose orange alstroemeria to send a message of joy and excitement, pink for platonic love, white for respect, green for appreciation, and yellow for hope and warmth.
8) Zinnia
In the Victorian language of flowers, the zinnia stands for thoughts of absent friends. These colorful flowers let your long-distance friends know that you’re thinking of them. Choose yellow for friendship, green for new starts, orange for success, and pink for non-romantic love and affection.
They also stand for lasting affection, another wonderful sentiment to brighten a friend’s day. Best of all, cut zinnias stay fresh and beautiful when cut, so your friend will be reminded of how much you care for a long time.
9) Peonies
The beautiful peony is associated with happiness, compassion, prosperity, and success. In Greek mythology, the flower is tied to Paeon, physician to the gods. When Paeon healed Pluto with the root of a peony, other gods grew jealous of his abilities. Zeus turned Paeon into a peony so that he could be safely admired.
Native to North America, Europe, and Asia, they’re one of the most popular flowers grown in gardens worldwide. Yellow peonies are especially associated with wishes for good fortune, while pink peonies are asso
10) Bluebells
Since Victorian times, the beautiful bluebell has sent a message of kindness, gratitude, and constancy. In the language of flowers, it also meant humility. Sending bluebells to a friend is an excellent way to say “I’m sorry” or send kind thoughts their way.
Choose purple or lilac bluebells to signify gratitude and blue flowers to send a message of humility. Pink bluebells symbolize constancy and lasting affection. The flowers are native to Europe and have long been tied to fairy legends in regions of western Europe.
11) Asters
The delicate aster is a welcome addition to any bouquet or arrangement for a friend. A gift of aster flowers are symbolic of love in the language of flowers and shows the recipient how much you care.
They also stand for daintiness and charm, a nice way to send a compliment to your friend. The ancient Greeks used to place asters on the alters of their gods as a way to express messages of love, faith, and wisdom. They bloom from summer through early fall in colors ranging from blue and purple to pink and white.
12) Delphinium
The bold delphinium adds a dramatic spike of color to any bouquet. These gorgeous blooms are an excellent choice for a friendship bouquet, as they’re associated with happiness, joy, and feelings of goodwill. They’re also tied to achievement and accomplishment, making the delphinium a perfect way to congratulate a friend.
The different colors of delphinium have nuanced meanings, as well. For instance, deep blue blossoms are associated with dignity and grace, while lighter blue flowers are linked to success. Purple delphinium means beauty, and pink blooms are associated with love.
13) Freesia
Freesia flowers are beloved for their sweet, intoxicating, and citrus-like fragrance. They also send a meaning of friendship and joy, making them a wonderful addition to a bouquet or arrangement for someone you care about.
Colors of freesia send specific meanings, as well, so consider these nuances when designing a freesia bouquet. For instance, white freesia signifies trust, while pink blossoms stand for motherly love and femininity. Yellow freesia flowers are linked to friendship, happiness, and trust between friends.
14) Dahlias
The stately dahlia makes a big impact in any bouquet. When given to a friend, the flowers can stand for dignity and inner strength and say “you really stand out in the crowd.” Dahlias are an excellent choice for congratulations or thank you floral gifts.
To the Victorians, the dahlia stood for commitment and bonds between people; this means dahlias are a great gift for a long-lasting close friendship. Red dahlias further symbolize strength, pink stands for kindness, purple means dignity, and blue or green blooms signify positive changes and fresh starts.
15) Lavender
Fragrant lavender adds a lovely scent and silvery green, blue and purple hues to a bouquet for a friend. It also stands for devotion, making it an excellent choice for floral gifts to someone you care about.
Lavender is known for its spa-like aroma; adding it to a bouquet can help a stressed-out friend relax. In the language of flowers, lavender also sends a message of devotion. The flowers symbolize trust, love, serenity, and calm in European cultures.
Can I Send Friendship Flowers to Men and Women?
Both men and women will appreciate receiving the gift of friendship flowers! After all, who doesn’t love color and scent in their life? Choosing appropriate blossoms is key.
Are Plants a Good Option to Gift to Friends?
Living plants are a fantastic option to gift a friend. They’ll be reminded of your friendship every time they look at it! Just be sure to choose low-maintenance species that won’t cause any stress, such as pothos, snake plants, spider plants, or ZZ plants
Popular Online Florists for Friendship Flowers:
Whether you can’t be there on the day or looking to send flowers directly to a friend, these popular online flower delivery specialists curate a wide variety of friendship flower arrangements throughout the year:
UrbanStems ($$)
For on-trend looks and a stylish aesthetic, order friendship flowers from UrbanStems. Bouquets perfect for friends, like the “Sonny” bunch of sunflowers or the “Kensington” with blue delphiniums, start at around $48. Larger (“triple”) and premium bouquets are $165 and up. Next-day delivery is available across much of the U.S.
From You Flowers ($)
From You Flowers offers budget-conscious floral gifts. Their “Just Because” offerings are great for friends. The “Best Wishes” bouquet contains cheerful daisies and asters and starts under $30, while the premium “Hello Sunshine” offers yellow chrysanthemums, green roses, and cheerful sunflowers for about $92. Same-day delivery is available for orders placed before 3 pm.
The Bouqs ($$)
The Bouqs is a popular option for fresh, modern, and eco-friendly flower arrangements throughout the year. With a focus on farm-fresh flowers, friendship-worthy offerings include “Sweet Lavender,” a $54 bouquet of aromatic lavender, roses, and delphinium. Triple the blooms for about $84. Same- and next-day delivery are available across the U.S.
Ode à la Rose ($$$)
Elegant, lux, and oh-so French, Ode à la Rose offers an upscale option. Friendship bouquets range from $75 to $160. We love the “Gemma,” a 20-stem bouquet of coral roses, alstroemeria, and freesia, starting at $108. Same-day delivery is available in major cities like New York and Chicago, and next-day delivery is available in other parts of the country.
Teleflora ($$)
For hand-delivery, Teleflora is a go-to. This classic online florist has an extensive network of local flower shops, so they fill same- and next-day orders with ease. “Thinking of you” flowers offer many great friendship choices in various colors and flower selections starting at around $50. “Happy as Can Be” offers yellow roses and alstroemeria with pink asters for $50 to $70.
Flowerbx ($$$)
Flowerbx offers luxurious flowers with a twist — most bouquets are single variety. For friends, choose seasonal, farm-fresh options like pink tulips, snapdragons, or purple roses. Flowerbx offers same- and next-day delivery nationwide, with pricing ranging from $75 to over $100 for premium offerings.
Floom ($$$)
At Floom, the focus is on creative, artisanal design. Floom sources flowers from local independent florists across the county and offers same- and next-day delivery in most parts of the U.S. Let a friend know how you feel with bouquets like “Creamsicle,” which features orange and white roses and starts at $85.
Terrain ($$$)
For living plants and fresh blooms, turn to Terrain. This online florist offers colorful arrangements with unique touches and rare components, like flowering branches. For friends, consider a seasonal bouquet. Options start at just under $100 and include seasonal blooms like iris, daffodils, and more. Overnight delivery is available.
Wrap Up
Flowers are an ideal way to let a friend know how you feel. From roses to sunflowers, freesia to chrysanthemums, flowers brighten your friend’s day and put a smile on their face, no matter what the occasion.
Linsay is an American copywriter based in the Pacific Northwest with a background in academic writing and research. Linsay holds Master's degree in both Anthropology and Library and Information Sciences and has written for numerous national and international publications including USA Today, SFGATE, Hunker, and The Bump across an array of topics in the gardening, green living, and travel sectors. When she's not writing, you'll usually find Linsay reading, kayaking, sailing, snowboarding, or working in her garden.
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