Iris Flower Meaning & Symbolism (2024)

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What do irises symbolize and symbolize? ›

Iris flower meaning & symbolism

The iris has different meanings and symbols depending on its colour. For example, yellow irises symbolise passion, blue symbolise faith & hope, red irises symbolise security and white irises symbolise sympathy.

The petals (sometimes called “standards”) are upright and colorful, adding to the overall attractiveness of the flower to bumblebees. The striking and colorful veining on the sepals directs bumblebees down into a tight space between the sepal and style arm. Figure 2. The iris style arm.

The Iris is widely viewed as a symbol of the Virgin Mary. This is due to the spear-shaped leaves of the plant, which resemble the swords that pierce Mary's heart in Catholic imagery of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Symbolism. In Ancient Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of rainbows. The flower was named after her because of its many different colour varieties. However Iris was also the messenger of the gods, bridging heaven and earth, just like the arc of a rainbow.

Meaning & Symbolism of Irises

The February birth flower, the 25th wedding anniversary flower and the state flower of Tennessee, the iris's three upright petals are said to symbolize faith, valor and wisdom.

Iris Essence channels this strengthened connection of your body with Earth and Spirit to the cellular level, which improves overall health. Iris Flower Essence also helps you to feel the spirit in everything, even a location/place/land that has been severely compromised.

Legend has it that wherever this goddess set foot on earth, colorful flowers sprung up. The goddess in question was Iris, and the flowers that were said to grow where she set foot bear her name. In spite of the fallacious nature of the above, the fact is in the Greek language the word “iris” means rainbow.

Iris Meanings: Faith and Hope

This divine connection gave the iris a sacred status, making it a symbol of faith and hope. It came to represent trust in the divine and the hope for better things to come. Even today, the iris often features in religious art, symbolizing the heavenly messages carried by the goddess Iris.

One of the most popular flowers at the Getty—due to Vincent van Gogh's famous painting—irises also have Christian symbolism. They are associated with the Passion of Christ and the Resurrection, probably because the flower blooms in spring around Easter.

What is the story behind the iris flower? ›

Iris Flower History & Insights

The name "iris" means 'rainbow' in Greek, which is fitting for a flower that comes in so many colours! Irises were said to represent the messenger of the gods in Greek Mythology, Iris. To the Greeks, she was known to be a rainbow, a link between heaven and earth.

Irises are a symbol of enduring faith and hope. While their blooms wither when cold weather arrives, shoots and colorful flowers reemerge each spring.

Iris is the goddess of rainbows and an important messenger between the gods and humans in Greek mythology. She was most commonly portrayed as the personal messenger of Hera. Iris was the daughter of the Titans Thaumas and Electra and the sister of the fearsome Harpies.

And she was also a friendly companion to female souls who were on their way to heaven. Because of this, still to the day, Greeks will plant purple irises on women's graves to help guide them to their final resting place in heaven.

The iris is the colored part of your eye. Muscles in your iris control your pupil — the small black opening that lets light into your eye. The color of your iris is like your fingerprint. It's unique to you, and nobody else in the world has the exact same colored eye.

Iris: The iris is the colored part of the eye that surrounds the pupil. It regulates the amount of light that enters the eye. Lens: The lens is a clear part of the eye behind the iris that helps to focus light and images on the retina.

The Iris. This poem's iris doesn't just talk about rebirth—it symbolizes rebirth. Because they're some of the first plants to pop up in spring after the long dark winter, flowers are an ancient symbol of new life and resurrection. This iris seems to die, but, really, it's only waiting for its time to come to life again ...