Daisy symbolism commonly includes motherhood and childbirth, as well as friendship, purity, and innocence. Daisies have various meanings depending on the culture and context in which they're given.
Daisies are little white flowers with a yellow center. They are bright, delicate, cheerful, and happy flowers. Daisies also come in different colors and have varied meanings and symbols, depending on the culture.
This spring flower comes from the Old English word daegeseage, meaning day’s eye. The flower blooms at dawn and closes at dusk. It follows the sun, similar to the sunflower.
What Does a White Daisy Symbolize?
Daisy belongs to the Asteraceae plant species family. The plant family includes sunflowers, ragweed, artichokes, aster flowers, etc. They grow in abundance in North America, Europe, and Asia. The white daisy is one of the most common variants found around us.
The daisy flower symbolizes purity, innocence, clarity, true love, new beginnings, and secrets.
The color white symbolizes purity and innocence. White petals in daisies also represent the same. The flowers also stand for new beginnings, hope, and spirituality.
New mothers are often gifted a bouquet of daisies as a sign of a new beginning (a new role as a mother) and to represent the innocence of the newborn. White daisies also symbolize faith and eternal life.
Yellow Daisy Symbolism
Yellow daisies represent friendship, cheerfulness, joy, and best wishes. They spread positive energy and optimism.
Friends gift yellow daises to each other, and people use them to decorate their houses. People give yellow daisies when visiting those recovering from ailments. The flower is often a get-well-soon gift.
Red Daisy Symbolism
Red daises symbolize love. These flowers are a sign of deep and passionate love and commitment.
Red daises also hint at the secret shared only by the couple. You promise complete devotion and commitment when you give someone red daises.
Pink Daisy Symbolism
Pink daisies indicate love, romance, and femininity. These flowers symbolize spiritual love and feminine energy. Gifting pink daisies implies that you have a romantic interest in the other person. It could also mean that you are attracted to their feminine power and feel a spiritual connection with them.
Other Daisy Color Meanings and Symbolism
Daisies are also found in other colors, though they are not very common.
The colored dainty Bellis perennis (the scientific name for daises) represent the following:
- Blue daisies symbolize loyalty, long-lasting trust, tranquility, and honesty.
- Purple daisies represent feminine beauty, royalty, elegance, and pride. It also indicates playfulness.
- Orange daises are for excitement, happiness, and sunshine.
- Gerbera daisies come in many colors except blue and have a similar spiritual meaning as daises.
Daisy Flower Meaning and Friendship
Yellow and orange daisies symbolize friendship, though yellow is a preferred choice. Daisies in yellow or orange are the perfect gift for your friends and symbolize your relationship. The colors bring cheerfulness, positivity, and happiness to the friendship.
Can Daisies Symbolize True Love?
Yes. Daisies consist of two flowers- the inner section is a disc floret, and the outer petal section is a ray floret. Since a single daisy has two flowers in a union, the flower symbolizes true love between couples. Red daises specifically stand for passionate love.
Daisies are also used as wisdom flowers to determine if a person returns your romantic interest (chant loves me, loves me not, for each petal you pluck from the flower). The flowers can determine who a woman is likely to marry and when she will be married (if or not it’ll happen).
Oxeye Daisy Symbolism
Oxeye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) get their Latin name from the Greek Leucos, meaning white. The flowers are considered a message from the divine, a sign that your prayers are being answered.
The French version of the divine message turned into the “loves me, loves me not” game. Oxeye daisies are the flowers of the Greek moon goddess, Artemis, and are used for medicinal purposes (daisy tea helps with asthma and cough).
Daisy Flower Symbolism in Celtic Culture
The Celtic lore about daises is the oldest in the world. They say God scatters daises over a child’s grave to bring peace to the parents. The flowers uplift the parents’ grief and symbolize innocence and new beginnings.
Daises in Roman Culture
Daises get their Latin name from the Roman association. The flowers are linked to the nymph Belides.
She turned herself into a daisy flower to avoid the unwanted attention of Vertumnus, the God of seasons and gardens. It represents transformation and chastity.
Daises in Norse Mythology
Daises are associated with the goddess Freya in Norse culture. Freya is the goddess of love. Daisy is her sacred flower and symbolizes fertility, motherhood, and childbirth. The tradition of giving daises to new mothers comes from this legend.
Daises and Paganism
Daises symbolize the sun in pagan culture. They also represent the stars that shine in the night sky. Both imply that daisies are a guiding light and a sign of power that shine after a storm.
Daises in Victorian England
In Victorian England, daisies (the Michaelmas species) began to represent a departure. The Gerber daisy was associated with mother love, cheerfulness, and sincerity. Daises were paired with primrose to symbolize motherhood and ferns for sincerity.
Daisy Symbolism in Christianity
In Christianity, daises were first associated with Virgin Mary.
By the medieval period, daisies were used to represent the guiding light that directed the wise men to the manger where Christ was born. They symbolize innocence, humility, faithfulness, and purity. In Bible, daisy flowers represent the goddess Juno.
Daisy Symbolism in Korean Culture
In Korean culture, daisy flowers are given as gifts for appreciation. They’re also associated with love and beauty. Daises stand for family values, kindness, sincerity, and gratitude. The flowers have a long history with the country as they grow in abundance in the region.
Daisy Symbolism in Hinduism
Daisy flower symbolism varies by culture. In Hinduism, the daisy is associated with beauty, wealth, and good fortune granted by the goddess Lakshmi.
In Buddhism, it denotes purity of body and mind. The flower is used to bring peace and represents simplicity.
The Popularity of Daisy Symbols
Daises are beautiful spring flowers that symbolize different types of positive feelings. They’re pressed between pages of books and woven into daisy chain hair bands.
You can wear daisy-shaped pendants, charm bracelets, and earrings to attract positivity and new beginnings.