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HydrangeasHeraldry is the study of coats of arms and emblems. Noble families, orders of chivalry, cities and countries chose animals, objects and plants for their symbols, and flowers hold a special place among them. Each carried a meaning, from holiness and purity to loyalty and courage. Here are the flowers most often found on coats of arms and flags and what they stand for.
Plants in heraldry
Coats of arms show whole trees and branches (oak, linden, olive, laurel, palm), leaves, fruit (grapes, pomegranates, apples), ears of grain and, of course, flowers — roses, lilies, tulips, irises, daisies, chrysanthemums and lotuses. Heraldic flowers are usually stylised: the aim was a recognisable symbol, not botanical accuracy.
The rose
The most common heraldic flower is the rose, a symbol of beauty, perfection and the Virgin Mary. A heraldic rose usually has five petals with sepals between them. The most famous example is England's 15th-century Wars of the Roses: the white rose was the badge of the House of York, the red rose that of Lancaster. After the war Henry VII combined them into the Tudor rose, still a symbol of England today. Nine silver roses appear on the coat of arms of Finland, and the rose is an unofficial symbol of Bulgaria with its famous Rose Valley.
The lily, or fleur-de-lis
The stylised lily, or fleur-de-lis, symbolises purity and royal power. Gold lilies on a blue field were the arms of the French kings, including the Bourbons, and France was called "the land of lilies". Historians still debate whether the emblem depicts a lily or an iris. A red lily is the symbol of Florence, the fleur-de-lis appears on the flag of Quebec and many European city arms, and lilies featured on the coat of arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s.
The lotus and other flowers of the East
The lotus was revered in ancient Egypt, Hinduism and Buddhism as a symbol of purity and rebirth. Today it appears on the flag and emblem of Macau and is the national flower of India. The emblem of Bangladesh, often said to show a lotus, actually shows a water lily, the shapla.
The sixteen-petalled chrysanthemum is the Imperial Seal of Japan and appears on the cover of the Japanese passport. A stylised bauhinia flower decorates the flag of Hong Kong.
The thistle, the daffodil and Ukraine's symbols
The prickly thistle is the emblem of Scotland and of its highest order of chivalry. The daffodil and the leek are symbols of Wales. In Ukraine the main plant symbols have long been viburnum (kalyna), mallow and the sunflower, which appear in folk embroidery, painting and modern symbolism.
FAQ
Which flower appears most often on coats of arms?
The rose and the stylised lily, or fleur-de-lis.
Why is the Tudor rose red and white?
It combined the red rose of Lancaster and the white rose of York after the Wars of the Roses.
Roses and lilies are not just symbols but lovely gifts too: order roses with UFL delivery in Kyiv.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
