20+ Types of Thank You Flowers

When you want to show appreciation for someone, the gift of flowers always seems appropriate. And it’s true that any type of flower will have an impact. However, there are certain types of flowers that are associated with gratitude. If you need a reason to express thanks for something, consider some of these blooms for your bouquet of thank you flowers! 

Giving flowers has been a practice for centuries around the world. Ancient Greeks and Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, and Japanese were among the first cultures to send bouquets as gifts. They were used to shower the upper class in beauty, often most associated with royalty. While flowers have always been a welcome sign of status, they weren’t used as a means of communication until much later. During the Victorian era, direct communication, especially regarding emotions and feelings, was discouraged. As a result, the language of floriography unfolded. In fact, several books were written and regarded as dictionaries to the language of flowers.

Floriography is communication through flowers. Certain types of flowers were ascribed certain meanings. There’s the apparent association of a classic red rose with love. But floriography can get much more intricate. Depending on the flower, you can differentiate if love is “unfading” or “youthful.” The same complexities extend to expressions of gratitude. You can give thank you flowers that are best for a mentor and a totally different bouquet to thank someone for taking you to the ballet. Here, we’ve included over 20 types of thank you flowers, along with the more specific messages they send.

Thank You Flowers for Friends & Coworkers

Often, a ‘thank you’ gift is for a friend or coworker. You may want to acknowledge your gratitude for a lifelong friendship, support during a difficult time, or a job-well-done at the office. Any of these six flowers make a great choice of thank you flowers for a friend. You can present a bouquet featuring one of these blossoms or choose to mix a few different kinds!

Yellow Roses

The classic statement flower in any bouquet, roses spruce up any arrangement. According to floriography texts, they can also carry a whole array of meanings. Yellow roses, however, indicate friendship. If you just want to simply show one of your pals how much they mean to you, yellow roses are a reliable way to show how much they mean to you.

Chrysanthemums

Beloved for their late-blooming season and jewel-toned hues, ‘mums’ are also a beautiful gift for a friend. Especially when you felt supported by someone in a rough time, or just grateful for a friend’s loyalty, mums are the choice. As a fall-bloomer, you also don’t need to worry about finding fresh flowers out of the summer – you can count on these as an impactful thank you flower.

Irises

These elegant blooms will make a statement in any bouquet. Growing in a wide array of colors, you can really match the flower to the recipient. Like chrysanthemums, irises show your gratitude for someone’s dedication or express your compliments for their work. If you want to send thank you flowers to a coworker, including some irises in the bouquet is never a bad idea!

Zinnias

Another flower with a plethora of color options, zinnias are the flower to send when you’re grateful for a far-away friend. Zinnias indicate that you’ve been thinking of someone, especially if they haven’t been around. Make these your choice if you’re looking for a birthday gift for that old college friend or a pal who’s moved away.

Pansies

Another thank you flower to just say ‘I’m thinking of you, and I’m grateful for you,’ delicate pansies are a sweet way to express gratitude. They’re edible as well, so you could even send them as a topper to a sweet treat!

Alstroemerias

Native to South America, you might also hear alstroemerias called Peruvian lilies. Most of the flowers are multicolored, and they can look absolutely festive in a bouquet. They are great to show gratitude to a friend as they are a classic sign of friendship. Additionally, they symbolize wealth and good fortune, so it’s not a bad idea for a thank you bouquet for your boss or coworker.

Parsley

Bouquets aren’t complete without some greenery. If you want to add some foliage with some meaning, consider parsley. Parsley can be used to show gratitude for knowledge. Use this herb in a bouquet for someone who has had an impact on your education. Maybe use it as a thank you bouquet for a professor or mentor.

Thank You Flowers for Love & Family

There are plenty of flowers that can show love. All the tropes around gifting bouquets usually have a love story woven into them. However, whether romantic, platonic, or familial love is something to be grateful for. Here, we’ve included a few options for flowers that are less meant to woo, and more so intended to express deep gratitude for a loved one.

Daises

Sweet and simple, daisies are often white, blue, or purple. When given in a bouquet, they express gratitude for loyal love. They make a great choice for a long-term partner or dedicated family member.

Peony

Celebratory with a hint of romance, peonies can express delight in a happy marriage. When you just want to show your spouse that you are thankful for them, the gift of peonies could be just the ticket!

Orange Blossom

Less dramatic, perhaps, than peonies, orange blossoms’ simple elegance is another choice for expressing gratitude for your marriage. Often found in wedding bouquets, these can be a sweet reminder of the arc of your relationship.

Lily of the Valley

In general, all lilies make a great choice for a thank you bouquet, but we’ve signaled out Lily of the Valley as it’s rather unique as far as lilies go. Small bell-like flowers dangling from thin stalks have a delightful scent. In a bouquet, they symbolize a return to happiness or someone who is pure of heart. If you are thankful for a loved one who has brought you joy, these sweet blooms are a go-to.

Lilies

Lilies have a variety of different meanings depending on the culture. However, they always make a good choice for a mother’s day bouquet. No matter the color, lilies are gorgeous and graceful, and they signify gratitude toward mothers.

General Thank You Flowers

Sometimes, you don’t have a specific message in mind for your gratitude. In those more general cases, there are plenty of flowers that simply say “Thank You!” If that’s the message you’re looking for, include some of these options in your bouquet.

Sweet Pea

Coming in blues, whites, purples, and reds, sweet pea flowers have a lovely butterfly-like effect in a bouquet. Additionally, they express the sentiment “Thank you for a lovely time.” If someone took you out for a lovely lunch or to a memorable concert, sending a bouquet of sweet pear flowers will be a perfect way to thank them.

Hydrangea

Beautiful flowers in pinks, purples, and blues, hydrangeas have a deep-seated meaning of gratitude. In fact, they can help you say “Thank you for understanding,” if someone has been especially empathetic.

Dark Pink Roses

Again, roses are always a classic part of a bouquet. Though people associate them with seduction and romance, a glorious bouquet of mature dark pink roses can really pass along sincere thankfulness.

Orchids

You can never go wrong with giving orchids as a thank you flower. Either as an addition to a bouquet or as a potted plant, orchids communicate a sense of maturity and thoughtfulness. 

Camellia

A great choice for your winter bouquets, camellias are an evergreen shrub. Depending on the climate, these shrubs will bloom from October to May! The beautiful flowers appear in a variety of growth forms and colors. Whichever you choose, camellias indicate gratitude.

Campanulas

Also known as bellflower, campanula flowers are available for most of the year. Another bell-shaped flower, they add a unique flair to a thank you bouquet and express gratitude.

Sunflowers

If you want to bring celebration to a thank you bouquet, sunflowers are always a good choice. Growing tall with long-lasting blooms, sunflowers signify adoration, joy, and longevity. As thank you flowers, sunflowers can express will carry this brightness along with gratitude.

Tulips

These early spring blooms are similar to roses in that different colors carry different meanings according to floriography texts. If you want to include tulips in your thank you flowers, choose pink or yellow. Both colors carry meanings of well-wishes and cheerful thoughts.

Pinks

The flowers in the genus Dianthus are simply called pinks and include carnations. They have a lovely spicey fragrance and will add notes of cinnamon or cloves to your bouquet. A great addition to a gift for a supervisor or boss, pinks carry the message “You are aspiring!” and are a great way to say thank you for mentorship. 

Any type of flowers would be welcome as a thank you gift, so you really can’t go wrong. But now that you have an idea of some of the messages different varieties carry, you can choose more intentionally. Send your appreciation in style!

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