If you, a friend, or a family member has lost a loved one, flowers are a wonderful and traditional way to express condolences and honor the deceased. There are many types of elegant funeral flower arrangements to help express your feelings. Many of the blossoms traditionally used for this purpose have symbolic meanings that can help you tailor your message.

What Should You Put in Funeral Flower Arrangements?

1. Lilies

These are the most classic funeral bloom. White lilies of all kinds stand for innocence and purity and honor the deceased as a good person. White stargazer lilies specifically express sympathy for the recipient.

2. Chrysanthemums

In many European and Asian countries, chrysanthemums traditionally symbolize death, grief, and mourning. White blooms are especially common for funerals. While they don't have the same traditional meaning in the U.S., this background can still make them an appropriate choice.

3. Gladiola

The traditional meaning of a gladiola is sincerity, integrity, and strength of character. This is another choice meant to honor the deceased as well as express the sincere feelings of the sender. Their characteristic tall, elegant flower spikes also help create elegant and distinctive arrangements.

4. Classic Choices

Flowers like roses and carnations are popular and all-purpose, with a wide range of colors and meanings. For a funeral arrangement, including one rose is an expression of lasting love. Yellow can indicate friendship, pink communicates admiration, red conveys love, and dark red or "black" expresses grief. If you prefer carnations, you can use white ones to express innocence, pink for remembrance, and red for admiration.

5. Hawaiian Blooms

In Hawaii, you will find brightly colored tropical flowers like Anthuriums and ginger used in pieces for celebrations of light. These flowers and colors convey a feeling of hope and commemoration for the life of the deceased.

If you need flowers for a funeral or any other occasion, choose Watanabe Floral, Inc. in Honolulu, HI. Serving the island of Oahu for over 70 years, they were named “Hawaii’s Best Florist” from 2003 through 2018 by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Midweek. They believe in honesty and teamwork, and their mission is to help you express your feelings clearly. To get started, visit their website or call (808) 832-9360.