Why do people like flowers so much? Here at Floriography, we often ponder this
question. Previous posts have explored various reasons: reminder of the renewal of life,
innate desire for beauty, natural attraction to floral scents. We even analyzed the
mathematics of flowers in an effort to understand the appeal. (Believe it or not, that post
is our most popular to date.) Another possible explanation for the perennial appeal of
flowers is color.
The word color has multiple meanings. In the natural world, color is the property of
producing different sensations on the eye as a result of the way the object reflects or
emits light. Science tells us that those sensations on the eye provoke varying reactions,
including emotional responses. In a non-scientific sense, we could say color has a
certain feel or mood to it.
There are varying tones, intensities, shades, and tints of every color. And there are
varying degrees of response to colors, different feelings associated with different colors,
different reactions to them. Here is what science, color theory, and design principles
have to say about the feelings invoked by the most common flower colors:
Red raises the energy level and stirs excitement. There is even some evidence that red
is an appetite stimulant, which might explain a lot about Valentine’s Day. Deep reds, like
garnet or claret, can promote a feeling of warmth, while lipstick or fire engine can
promote a feeling of excitement or high energy.
Pink can make us feel romantic, like love minus the passion and sensuality of red. Pink
is often associated with femininity. Studies show it is soothing and can be beneficial in
reducing anger and anxiety.
Yellow captures the joy of sunshine (people are naturally attracted to sunlight, just like
plants). Yellow promotes happiness, is a spirit-lifter, and can be energizing, uplifting,
warm, and welcoming.
Blue calms, feels serene and meditative. It evokes blue skies and beautiful weather,
which promotes relaxation.
Purple is rich, dramatic, and sophisticated. Lighter versions such as lavender and lilac
can have the same restful, calming quality as blue, with more warmth.
Orange excites and provokes enthusiasm. Orange is a vibrant and stimulating mix of
red’s energy and sensuality and yellow’s happiness and friendliness.
And the one color all flowers have in common:
Green is the most ubiquitous color in nature. It is considered the most restful color for
the eye, cools things down, often signifies health, and is sometimes associated with
fertility.
There are a multitude reasons so many of us love flowers. Science suggests their
beautiful, varied colors have something