Birthday
HydrangeasGreen bouquets were long seen as "boring": greenery was the background, not the star. But green flowers have become a trend of their own. They look fresh and unusual, go with any colour and often outlast brighter blooms. Here are the flowers that are naturally green, what to pair them with and who to give a green bouquet to.
Green and green-and-white arrangements can be found among our chrysanthemum bouquets and flowers in a box.
Which flowers come in green
In these varieties the green is natural: the petals retain chlorophyll. Dyed flowers are sold too — a vivid emerald rose or chrysanthemum is almost always artificial. The most popular green flowers in floristry:
- Chrysanthemums — the globe-shaped Anastasia Green and small-flowered Feeling Green; they last 2–3 weeks.
- Roses — Super Green and Jade with lime-green petals.
- Carnations — Prado Mint and the fluffy balls of sweet william Green Trick.
- Callas and anthuriums — Green Goddess calla, anthurium Midori.
- Viridiflora tulips with a green stripe on the petals, such as Spring Green.
- Hydrangeas — many varieties turn green at the start and end of flowering.
- Bells of Ireland (Moluccella) — tall stems of green cups.
- Cymbidium orchids — green and lime varieties.
What a green bouquet means
Green is associated with nature, renewal, growth and calm. A green bouquet suits wishing someone luck in a new venture, a housewarming, recovery — or simply bringing a sense of spring indoors. A crisp green-and-white bouquet also works as a business gift, including for a man.
What to pair green flowers with
- Green + white — the freshest, most elegant combination, ideal for weddings and business gifts.
- Green + pink — a soft spring bouquet.
- Green + red — a festive contrast; more on contrasts in our guide to colour combinations.
- Tone on tone — lime chrysanthemums, green carnations, eucalyptus and pittosporum: a garden-style bouquet in shades of green.
Good foliage is half the success of such a bouquet — see our guide to bouquet greenery.
Who and when
- A colleague or boss — a minimalist green-and-white bouquet.
- A man — green chrysanthemums, anthuriums and callas with structured foliage.
- A housewarming — a flower box or a potted plant.
- A wedding — green is popular in wedding floristry, especially eco-style.
- St Patrick's Day — a green bouquet or a potted oxalis ("shamrock").
Care
Green chrysanthemums and carnations are among the longest-lasting cut flowers: 2–3 weeks in a vase with normal care. Recut the stems, change the water every 1–2 days and keep the bouquet away from fruit and radiators.
FAQ
Are there green roses?
Yes, varieties such as Super Green and Jade have lime-green petals. Bright emerald roses are usually dyed.
Isn't a green bouquet boring?
Not if you mix textures: large chrysanthemums, fluffy carnation balls, graphic callas and delicate foliage.
View full-size photo
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.
