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Best Flowers for Every Birthday – A Comprehensive Guide

Flowers are among the most popular gifts for birthdays and perfectly complement any other gift. Aside from color, beauty, and sometimes scent, flowers also come with specific symbolism that can put a smile on someone’s face. You can use them to express your feelings because they convey certain messages, depending on their type and color. To give you a better view, here is a list of the best flowers for birthdays for moms, dads, romantic partners, and girls and boys.

Mom

Flowers for mom

When picking a birthday flower for your mother, it’s best to choose one that expresses the message you’re trying to convey. You can also pick a flower based on your mom’s personality. The following are the best flowers for a mom on her birthday.

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1- Pink Carnations

Carnations symbolize a mother’s unconditional love, making them one of the best flowers for moms. Additionally, this gorgeous flower has other meanings based on its color. Pink carnations are best given to mothers because they represent love and gratitude. By giving her this flower, you are trying to tell your mom that you love her, and that you’re grateful for all the things she has done.

2- Freesias

Like carnations, freesias also represent a mother’s love, especially the pink variety. They also represent friendship, which makes it a perfect flower to give to your mother on her birthday, signifying the importance of her love for you and the lasting friendship you cherish with her.

3- Tulips

Precious pink tulips
Precious pink tulips. Check price on Teleflora.

Tulips are oval-shaped flowers that symbolize comfort and happiness and are great birthday gifts for mothers who are easy-going and light-hearted. For color, some excellent options include either pick pink or purple tulips. Remember, pink represents affection and caring. Purple, on the other hand, signifies royalty. So, if you want to tell your mom that she’s the queen of your home, you can opt for purple tulips. 

4- Pink Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are spring flowers that symbolize beauty, grace, and gratitude. For your mom’s birthday, giving her pink hydrangeas is perfect to express your sincerity and love for her. Plus, pink hydrangeas represent a cheerful woman, a common yet accurate description for most mothers. 

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5- Pink Lilies

Most mothers love lilies because of their simple yet elegant appearance. If you’re going to give this flower to your mom, opt for the pink variety. The reason is that pink lilies symbolize love, femininity, compassion, and admiration. As such, the flower does not only emphasize our mom’s admirable qualities, but also expresses love and admiration for her.

6- Chrysanthemums

The very name of this flower features the word mums, which is why chrysanthemums are often chosen as a flower for mothers. These flowers symbolize optimism, hope, abundance and wealth – all perfect things to wish your mother on her birthday.

Dad

Dad flowers birthday

Traditionally, men don’t receive a lot of flowers for their birthday because most flowers represent femininity. However, there are certain flowers that are ideal for a dad thanks to its specific symbolism. Also, birthday flowers are perfect to express your love and admiration for your dad. The following are the best flowers you can give to your father.

1- Purple Aster

Asters are star-shaped flowers with a simple yet charming appearance. Purple asters represent royalty and wisdom. As such, giving this flower to your father will signify that you are grateful for all the things he has taught you. As a symbol of royalty, it also tells that your dad is the king of the home.

2- Purple Irises

Purple Irises flower arrangement
Purple Irises flower arrangement. Check price on From You Flowers.

Purple irises have a refreshing scent that is not too feminine, making them an excellent birthday flower for your father. What’s more, it also symbolizes wisdom and respect. Thus, it represents dads everywhere – the most common source of wisdom in the lives of most children.

3- Bird of Paradise

The bird of paradise is a tropical flower that exudes great beauty and is quite distinct in appearance. Unlike most flowers, the bird of paradise flower doesn’t have a very feminine or delicate look – instead it stands out with its bold colors and unique shape. It also symbolizes royalty and regality, which signifies that your dad is the king of the home. Additionally, this gorgeous flower also represents success and excellence.  

4- Sunflowers

Sunflowers are a perfect choice if you want to brighten your father’s birthday. The flower also symbolizes adoration and loyalty. Giving your dad a bouquet of sunflowers is one way to tell them that you’ll always look up to them.

Girlfriend

Flowers girlfriend birthday

You can’t go wrong with a well-chosen bouquet of flowers for your special girl on her birthday. There are so many options that it can get overwhelming – considering her favorite colors, symbolism and message you want to convey, and her personality will give you a good indication of what type of flowers to choose from. The right flowers with the right meanings can strengthen your relationship and give you brownie points for thoughtfulness! The following are the best flowers you can give to your girlfriend during her birthday.

1- Red Roses

There’s a reason red roses are the most popular romantic flower – they symbolize passionate feelings, love and romance, making them the ideal way to say I love you to your special girl.

2- Red Gladioli

Gladioli have a sword-like shape, and it is said that it pierces the giver’s heart with love and passion. It expresses infatuation. Giving this flower to your girlfriend can mean that the two of you have a strong bond or relationship because it symbolizes faithfulness and sincerity. 

3- Red Tulips

Noel bouquet with red and white Tulips
Noel bouquet with red Tulips. Check price on Proflowers.

Tulips are happy flowers that come in a dizzying array of colors. Plus, they are elegant and beautiful, which is perfect for a lovely lady. For variety, red tulips are the best choice because they convey feelings of love, passion, and lust. 

4- Purple Lilacs

Purple lilacs are sweet-smelling flowers that express love at first sight. For this reason, giving this flower to your girlfriend will make her feel extra special. Remember, the flower conveys a sweet message that will melt any woman’s heart.

Wife

Couple

Making your wife feel extra special on her birthday is worth the effort – after all, she’s your special companion and confidante and has sworn to share her life with you, for better or for worse. While we think flowers alone aren’t enough, here are some thoughtful options to accompany any other gift you choose to give her.

1- Red Roses

Red rose bouquet
Red rose bouquet. Check price on FTD.

As you may know, roses have different meanings, depending on its color. Red roses, for example, is a symbol of eternal love. They also represent a blissful marriage because they signify the appreciation and respect you have for each other. To make her birthday extraordinary, you can give your wife 50 roses, which means a love that has no limit or bounds.

2- Pink Peonies

Peonies are charming flowers that represent a happy marriage. For this reason, giving your wife a bouquet of peonies will signify your happiness because the two of you are together. So, what color should you pick? Pink peonies are the ideal choice because they symbolize a happy marriage, honor, prosperity, and good luck. But you can also choose red-colored peonies because they signify romance and passionate love.

3- Red Camellia

If you and your wife have been together for many years, the red camellia is an excellent birthday flower you can give because it symbolizes longevity and faithfulness. In fact, the message of this flower is you are my long-lasting love, and I will love you forever.

4- Blue Iris

A blue iris is an elegant flower that possesses great beauty, and it’s also a symbol of faith and hope. When given as a birthday gift, a blue iris will not only symbolize your love, but will also express that she takes your breath away because of her rare beauty. 

5- Protea

Proteas are unique, eye-catching flowers that can be given as a bouquet or even individually. These flowers come in a range of varieties and hues, but their general meaning is beauty and resilience. By giving your wife a protea flower,  you’re indicating that she’s strong and gorgeous.

Boyfriend/Husband

Flowers for loved one birthdays

Times have changed and today, giving a man flowers isn’t as strange as it used to be. While plants suit any man, flowers have to be chosen more carefully. Most men tend to dislike pastel colored flowers and busy floral arrangements. It’s best to opt for neutral colors and a masculine look. Here are some ideas.

1- Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums are neutral flowers, symbolizing happiness, optimism and hope. They can also represent abundance and wealth. These are perfect concepts to wish the special man in your life.

2- Orchids

Coming in a wide range of colors and styles, orchids are sophisticated and stylish flowers. They’re not too busy and if you choose a neutral color, like white or yellow, it’s sure to be appreciated. Orchids represent love, wisdom and hope.

3- Succulents

Modern succulent garden
Modern succulent garden. Check price on From You Flowers.

You can’t really go wrong with succulents for a man, but these aren’t technically flowers – they’re plants. Some succulents are flowering plants, like echeveria and calico kitten. In terms of symbolism, succulent meanings vary depending on the variety. However, they general represent endurance, timeless love, luck and prosperity.

4- Red Roses

We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again. Red roses are the most romantic flower. Period. Taken that way, giving a man red roses on his birthday is a perfect way to say you love him. Alternatively, consider other rose colors, like white or yellow, for a more neutral look.

Son

Flowers for son

When picking a birthday flower for your son, you can opt for something gender neutral. It’s also a good idea to pick a flower that has a refreshing scent, a smell that is not overpowering. The following are the best flowers you can give your son.

1- White Orchid

Bliss white orchid
Bliss white orchid. Check price on Proflowers.

A white orchid has an elegant appearance, and it can be given to a man or a woman. Additionally, the flower can radiate calm and relaxation, making it a great touch for a man’s room or office. Lastly, a white orchid is also a symbol of innocence. Remember, a mother will always see her son as an innocent child even when they are all grown up.

2- Peace Lily

The peace lily is another gender-neutral flower you can give your son on his birthday. Like the white orchid, this flower is also a symbol of innocence. Best of all, the peace lily can also help purify the air, which is beneficial for your son’s health.  

Daughter

Flowers for girls

Choosing a birthday flower for your daughter is an easy task because most young ladies love flowers, no matter the type, and the symbolism of most flowers perfectly complement young ladies. Even so, it is still best to understand the meaning of the flower to make your gift more valuable. So, what are the flowers you can give to your daughter on her birthday?

1- Daisies

Daisies are white-colored flowers with a simple yet charming appearance. Most cultures associate this flower with cheerfulness and innocence, traits that are traditionally associated with young girls.

2- Orange Roses

If you want to express your love to your daughter, you can give her orange roses. The reason is that the rose represents love, and the color orange symbolizes energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. As such, it can be an excellent birthday flower for your cheerful and energetic daughter.

3- Orange Gerberas

Country pumpkin flower arrangement
Country pumpkin flowers with orange Gerberas. Check price on Teleflora.

Gerbera is a vibrant flower that can put a smile on someone’s face. An orange gerbera means sunshine of life. As such, giving your daughter a bouquet of orange gerbera would entail that she is the sunshine or joy of your life. Additionally, a yellow gerbera represents cheerfulness.

4- Sweet Peas

Apart from the name, which in itself makes for a perfect term of affection for your daughter, sweet peas are also known for their scent and colorful varieties. These butterfly-like delicate flowers represent various concepts depending on the color. White represents truth, purity and innocence, pink symbolizes beauty and youth while orange sweet peas represent enthusiasm and excitement.

5- Lilac

Lilac flowers come in beautiful purple-lavender varieties, and work on their own or as filler flowers. These flowers represent youthful innocence and beauty. White lilacs, which are not as popular as the purple varieties, represent pure emotions and modesty.

6- Freesias

Freesias are beautiful white flowers, symbolizing purity, innocence, joy and happiness. They’re also a symbol of everlasting friendship, which makes this a perfect gift for young daughters. After all, some of the best friendships are between daughters and their parents.

Messages for Your Birthday Flowers

Birthday messages for flowers

Now that we’ve covered the types of flowers that are perfect for different occasions, it’s also important to consider the message to accompany the flowers. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

Mother:

  • Mom, you’re the best!
  • To thank you for being the best mother a son/daughter could ever ask for.
  • No one loves me more, no one understands me better… no one inspires me the way you do.
  • 40 is the new 30. Happy birthday!
  • It’s your day to shine!

Father:

  • I am so lucky to have a dad who understands, loves and supports me as you do. Happy birthday, dad!
  • To the best dad in the world, happy birthday!
  • Mom said you like gerbils. I couldn’t find a bouquet of gerbils, so I got you gerberas instead.
  • No matter what life throws at you dad, at least you have gorgeous children.
  • Dad, you’re not 60. You’re just 25 with 35 years of experience!

Wife:

  • You can’t know just how much you mean to me. I love you.
  • Someone is turning the big 3-0! Happy birthday!
  • Here’s a toast to the most amazing wife a man could ask for. Cheers!
  • Like fine wine, you improve with age and so does our relationship.

Husband:

  • You may be getting over the hill, but at least you’re still climbing!
  • Happy birthday from the woman who’s been putting up with your snoring for years. I love you!
  • You’re magic.
  • You walked out of my dreams and into my life. I love you.
  • Lots of love on your 43rd birthday.

Girlfriend/Boyfriend:

  • It’s simple to love you. Happy birthday.
  • I hope you’re birthday is as special as you are!
  • You’re all that’s best in my life. Happy birthday!
  • With each passing year, my love for you keeps growing.
  • I can’t imagine my life without you. Happy birthday!

Daughter/ Son:

  • Watch out drivers! Someone just turned 16!
  • To the best teenager a parent could ask for. Happy birthday!
  • Happy birthday to the child who stole my heart all those years ago.
  • Happy birthday to may amazing son/daughter. You’re beautiful inside and out!
  • May all your birthday wishes come true. Happy birthday!
  • Happy 13th birthday to best teenager in the world.

Wrapping Up

Overall, birthday flowers can have multiple meanings, depending on their variety and color. Even so, most of these blossoms convey a common message, which is love. Giving birthday flowers to your loved ones is one of the best ways to tell them that you love them and wish them happiness on their special day.

However, note that nothing is written in stone and that the guide above is exactly that – only a guide. At the end of the day, go with what you feel will be appreciated, as only you know the receiver the way you do.

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Dani Rhys
Dani Rhys

Dani Rhys has worked as a writer and editor for over 15 years. She holds a Masters degree in Linguistics and Education, and has also studied Political Science, Ancient History and Literature. She has a wide range of interests ranging from ancient cultures and mythology to Harry Potter and gardening. She works as the chief editor of Symbol Sage but also takes the time to write on topics that interest her.