Orchid Meaning

The orchid is the flower you give when the gesture is meant to stay. Unlike a bouquet, it lasts for months, and that permanence is part of the message.

What it says

• Refinement and good taste. It has the most sophisticated reading of any flower.
• A one-of-a-kind love. Each orchid species evolved for one specific pollinator: it is literally a flower made for just one.
• Strength. It survives in conditions where almost nothing grows.
• Respect. That is why it works so well as a business gift or for an older person.

Why it was so expensive

Victorian England went through a collecting frenzy —"orchidelirium"— with entire expeditions funded to bring back specimens from Asia and South America. A single plant could be worth as much as a house. Only in the 20th century did in vitro propagation make it affordable.

By color

• White: elegance and respect. The top choice for a formal gift.
• Pink: affection and femininity.
• Purple: admiration and royalty.
• Yellow: new beginnings, friendship.

Before you give one

There is one requirement: the person receiving it needs to know that it is not watered like an ordinary houseplant. If they have no idea about plants, it is worth sending the basic instructions along. It is all explained in how to care for an orchid.