Flower Tattoos - The Many Meanings

With a larger acceptance of women getting tattooed, flower tattoos have risen in popularity. The wonderful thing about these tattoos is there are so many different types and colors of flowers, all with different meanings. Generically, the flowers can mean a few different things, while specific flowers like the lotus and rose can mean more specific things.

A flower tattoo in general connects back to nature, and brings up images of life, such as birth, procreation and vitality. This is because we see the duration of life when we look at a flower. We see a flower emerge from the earth, and then grow day by day. We see a flower bloom, and later dry up and wilt away.

To have a tattoo picturing a flower reminds us of that whole process of life. Additionally, different colors of flowers on a tattoo symbolize different things as well. Seeing a white flower tattoo brings up the idea of purity, while the color of red on a flower can mean the blood of Christ or burning passion.

Being tattooed with a rose symbolizes love, or more specifically a pure love. As a matter of fact, around the 16th century, a rose was tattooed on people condemned to death, so they would be recognized immediately if they ever escaped the gallows. However, nowadays the rose is tattooed as a symbol of love and passion. Much of the tattoo symbolism of this flower has to do with the rose being a flower that is given during romantic occasions. This is why a rose is often tattooed on someone to show their love for a certain person. It s probably not a coincidence that the rose tattoo is the most popular of all tattoos picturing flowers, and even more so, since men are getting tattooed with roses as well.

Just as a rose tattoo symbolizes love and purity in the west, a tattoo with a lotus flower symbolizes the same things in the east. A tattoo with the lotus flower, though, brings with it a little more meaning. This tattoo also symbolizes beauty, goodness, fortune, enlightenment, and peace.

Continuing along this line, an acacia tattoo symbolizes chaste love and friendship. Some Irish get tattooed with a flower called Bells of Ireland. This flower usually means good luck, but the name may call the bells of freedom to ring upon Ireland.

If you consider yourself a perfect lover, you might want to have a tulip tattooed on your arm to symbolize fame and passionate love. However, if you are a shy and timid person, the violet tattoo is perfect for you.

Iris stand for faith wisdom and virtue. And magnolias symbolize a person's love for nature and gives a sense of nobility.

Getting tattooed with a flower can have these different meanings along with being quite beautiful and elegant. The flower can be as small and dainty or as large and bold as your want. Whichever flower you choose, be it a rose, a lotus, a violet or any other your tattoo can say exactly what you want it to.