Overview of Short Stuff: Victorian Flower Language
This Short Stuff episode (hosts: Josh and Chuck) explains floriography — the Victorian-era "language of flowers" used to send coded messages when social norms prevented direct speech. The hosts trace floriography’s origins, show how complex meanings were encoded (flower type, color, condition, arrangement, and even how a bouquet was accepted), and give notable examples and practical takeaways for anyone curious about historical or novelty use of floral codes.
Key points / main takeaways
- Floriography turned flowers into a formal code for emotions and messages, widely used in the 19th century among upper-class society.
- The practice likely spread to Britain from the Ottoman Empire’s harem tradition (Selam) via Lady Mary Wortley.
- Meaning depended on multiple factors: flower species, color, condition (fresh/withered/dried), orientation (upside-down), ribbon placement, and which hand accepted the bouquet.
- It was inconsistent: dozens of different floriography guides circulated (about 98 in the U.S., 1827–1923), so accurate decoding required that both parties reference the same guide or shared knowledge.
- Many flowers had both positive and negative meanings depending on source and context — context and cultural literacy mattered a lot.
Origins and cultural context
- Precursor: Selam (or Selam-like) practices in the Ottoman Empire where harem members used flowers and attached notes to communicate.
- Transmission: Lady Mary Wortley, a British aristocrat in Constantinople, described these customs in letters, helping popularize flower-codes in Britain.
- Victorian/Regency popularity: Floriography became fashionable in Britain and the U.S., and features in literature (Jane Austen and other period authors used floral symbolism readers of the time would recognize).
- Boutonnières/tussie-mussies: Small bouquets (tussie-mussies or nosegays) and herbs were worn and exchanged as compact coded messages.
How the code worked
Flower species and herbs
- Each flower had assigned meanings (and herbs too). Examples: rosemary = remembrance; mint = clarity; moss = charity/maternal love; violet = modesty.
- Many species carried contradictory meanings across sources (e.g., hydrangea could mean gratitude or frigidity).
Color and variety
- Color often altered meaning: red rose = love; white rose = purity; yellow rose = loss of love; crimson rose = mourning.
- Color + species produced many permutations (e.g., different colored carnations communicated different responses).
Condition and presentation
- Fresh vs. withered vs. dried mattered:
- Fresh white rose = admiration/purity; withered white rose = no impression/fleeting beauty; dried white rose = extreme chastity (“rather die than give in”).
- Thornless rose = love at first sight; thornless crimson = mourning for unrequited love.
Orientation, ribbon, and placement
- Upside-down bouquet often reversed the intended meaning (opposite day).
- Ribbon tied left vs. right applied symbolism to giver vs. recipient (left = about the giver; right = about the recipient).
- Where you wore a tussie-mussie mattered: over the heart = reciprocated love; center of the bodice = “let’s just be friends.”
Receiving and replying
- How you accepted a bouquet sent a reply: right hand = yes; left hand = no. Holding it upside-down after receiving = rejection.
- Replies could be sent with carnations: solid-colored carnation = yes; yellow carnation = no; striped carnation = apologetic/no.
Notable flower meanings (examples mentioned)
- Red rose: “I love you.”
- White rose: purity or heavenly beauty (withered/dried modifies meaning strongly).
- Yellow rose: loss of love.
- Crimson rose: mourning.
- Hydrangea: gratitude/thanks or frigidity/heartlessness (source-dependent).
- Petunia: soothing presence or resentment (context matters).
- Marigold: jealousy.
- Lavender: distrust.
- Orange lily: “I hate you.”
- Snapdragon: “I feel deceived.”
- Tansy: declaration of war (historical/strong negative).
- Wisteria: used in courting contexts (e.g., dance request — receiver could decline by holding it upside down/left hand).
- Carnations (as response tokens): solid = yes; yellow = no; striped = gentle refusal.
Examples in literature
- Jane Austen novels and contemporary readers used floral symbolism; period readers would pick up coded meanings that modern readers might miss. The hosts cite Pride & Prejudice as an example of floral symbolism in character development.
Practical notes and recommendations
- If you’re intrigued and want to use floriography today:
- Pick one modern reference or guide and stick to it; many historical guides contradict each other.
- Use sparingly and with context — misunderstandings are easy (multiple meanings, orientation rules, etc.).
- For serious communication, combine flowers with plain language or a card to avoid ambiguity.
- For historical reenactment or literary exploration, study period sources to match the culture and date.
Sources referenced by the episode
- Farmer’s Almanac
- Iowa State University Extension
- Petal Republic
- Sarah (Substack)
- Clive Rose
- Georgina Garden Center
- Flower Meaning and Historical Holly (These were the sources the hosts thanked for background material.)
Notable quotes / moments
- Hosts emphasize how obsessive and elaborate the code could get (ribbon side, which hand, dried vs. withered).
- Humorous aside: tussie-mussie = small bouquet; the show plays with modern misunderstandings (e.g., “is this dried or withered?”).
If you want a quick cheat-sheet, keep in mind: species, color, condition, orientation, and how a bouquet is received are the five main levers of Victorian floriography — change any one and the message can flip.