April is a beautiful month in Japan. We can see many flowers blooming. so this time, I report my investgation about the language of flowers.   Beginning :

My friend in Chicago said that he'd never heard about the language of flowers. I was surpised to hear that, because I had thought that it was from Europe and so it was known in the U.S.A.. So I started this investigation.

Investigation 1 : [Interview of a native English woman]

- Do you know about the language of flowers ? - No, what is it ?
- It is the meaning that each flower has. For example, a red rose means love or passion.
- We know the meaning of a red rose, but I don't know the meaning of other flowers.

Investigation 2 : [Looking in my encyclopedia]

Definition : symbolic meanings that are given to each flower according to their character and characteristics.

Source :

1. from myths and legends of Greece or Rome.
Ex. narcissus-> narcissism
2. from religious symbols of Christianity.
Ex. white lily-> purity and virginity
3. from old folklore.
4. from the caracter of flowers.
Ex.hydrangea-> self-conceit (beautiful but no smell and no fruit or seed)

History :

In old Arabia, they had a custom called "Selam". It was the custom to present flowers and show your feelings indirectly by means of the language of flowers. The person who received the flowers also answered by flowers. It is said that the Swedish King Karl the twelveth introduced this custom to Europe. He defected by Pyotr I of Russia and fled to Arabia where he stayed for some years. When he came back to his country in 1714, he also brought this custom. In England, nobles in Victorian time loved this custom and presented a bouquet called a "nosegay" to women whom they loved. This custom was introduced in Japan in the early Meiji era(about 1870) with European cultures. The Japanese had a custom of exchanging short poems called "Waka" with a flower in old times, so it was easy to accept, but some meanings of flowers were changed in Japanese culture. For exemple, the pine's meaning is pity, but in Japanese culture, pine is a symbol of eternity becuase it's leaves are always green. So the meaning of the pine changed a long life.

Investigation 3 : [Interview of a Japanese 42-year-old man]

- Do you know about the language of flowers ?
-Yes.
-Could you tell me 5 exemples of the language of flowers that you know ?
-Mmmm, I know it exists, but I don't know the individual meanings. You know, I don't even know the names of very many flowers.

Conclusion :

The language of flowers was a "game" of the high society. In modern times, it exists, but many people, especially men don't know it well.

If this means that they prefer to confess their feelings directly to women whom they love, I will permit their ignorance. Still, I'd like to have the words and a beautiful bouquet together.