Flower Motifs: Difference between revisions

** The [[Colour-Coded for Your Convenience|color]] of the duelists' signature rose generally links back to their hair color (with the exception of Utena's white rose). There may or may not be further symbolism behind the color choice: Red rose (Touga)= passion/lust; Orange rose (Juri) = desire (as in desire for Shiori to reciprocate her feelings), Yellow rose (Nanami)= jealousy which she exhibits towards anyone who would take Touga away from her; White rose (Utena) = innocence/purity. Saionji's green rose is more difficult; since it doesn't exist in reality, there's no meaning assigned to it...but green is traditionally the color of envy. Strangely, although "true" blue and black roses don't exist, they ''do'' have popular meanings: Black rose (black rose duelists) = death, blue rose (Miki) = impossible dreams/magic...which makes more sense in the manga, where Miki's dream is to remain "pure forever," which Anthy flatly states is an impossible dream, an illusion.

*** Believe it or not, green roses mean "I am from Mars" in floriography. This is probably not the meaning intended here. They do exist, as a mutant form that has extra sepals instead of petals.

* The first chapter of the ''[[Tokyo Mew Mew]]'' manga introduces most of the characters with specific flower backgrounds that give clues to their personalities.

* ''[[Bleach]]'':

*** Rose's zanpakutou is themed on the Golden Sal tree which is said to be able to detect witches in legend. Rose himself hates having his zanpakutou's kidou abilities associated with magic in any form, but his shikai abilities are both music and flower themed.

*** Charlotte Cuuhlhorne's zanpakutou is rose-themed. As a [[Magical Girl]] parody, a [[Villainous Crossdresser]], [[Camp Gay]] and [[Macho Camp]] all rolled into one, the rose theme of his clothing, zanpakutou and resureccion abilities act as a huge [[Shout-Out]] to the Barazoku magazine which began the association of the rose with homosexuality.

* The episode titles of ''[[Blue Drop]]'' are scientific names of flowers, which appear at a key moment in the episode, as a visual gloss alluding to the episode's main theme.

* In ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]'', one of the few things that reveal [[Psychopathic Manchild]] Russia's ([[Yandere|almost nonexistent]]) softer side is [[Sunny Sunflower Disposition|his love of sunflowers]], which according to him make him feel happy and relaxed enough to "dream of living in a warm places surrounded by them".

* In ''[[Berserk]]'', The morning after {{spoiler|having sex}} with Charlotte Griffith leaves the princess the pendant she gave him before a major battle earlier and a piece of Lily of the Valley which represents returning happiness. Considering that this same guy was pretty much having a breakdown the night before I think that is a pretty good (and smooth) representation. Then [[It Got Worse]]

* In ''[[One Piece]]'', all the women of Amazon Lily have a flower name, including the island itself. From [[Hot Amazon|Boa Hancock]], whose name comes from the ''Symphoricarpos Chenaultii Hancock'' and sweet, everyday girl Marguerite.

* Flower motifs are used extensively in ''[[Maiden Rose]]''

** Roses: For Klaus, roses have traditionally been gardened by his family over the generations, and the men of the family feel a calling for a "flower", without which they are incomplete but which has not been fulfilled for generations due to [[Shrouded in Myth|a broken promise]]. For Taki, he is the current shinka or "flower of the Emperor", a hereditary role, thus the [[Title Drop|maiden rose]] also being represented in his family crest and that of his military division. The scent of flowers sometimes mysteriously accompanies Taki, and Klaus outrights states at some point that the reason he has given up everything in pursuit of Taki is because Taki ''is'' the flower of his family myth.

* [[Honoo no Alpen Rose]], as the title says. The Alpine Rose is both [http://www.rogersroses.com/gallery/displayBlock.asp?bid=217&suppid=14 the flower] and a song that {{spoiler|is among the lead female's few memories of her past.}} The [http://www.mangafox.com/manga/alpine_rose/v01/c001/8.html first page of the manga] nicely explains the symbolism.

{{quote| "The Alpine rose is a red flower, also known as the Rose of the Highlands. Its flower can resist both snow and storms, and has soothed those who live in the mountains. However, it also means a warning, danger and greatness..."}}

** Angel Lily / Yuri <ref>= spider lily = "sweet" (jp) & "purity" (en)</ref> "In the language of flowers the name of the pure lily is special. It means 'It will bloom and grant love'"

** Angel Daisy / Hinagiku <ref>= daisy = "faith" (jp) & "Innocence, loyal love, purity, faith, cheer, simplicity" (en)</ref> "The daisy is the emblem of the innocent heart. It will blow away the evil wind!"

* ''[[American Beauty]]'' is, in fact, a variety of rose.

* In ''The Brown Bunny'', all of the women that Vincent Gallo's character meets in the film have the names of flowers.

** Relating the history of the botanical name of the Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia), which was named after Queen Charlotte (of Mecklenburg-Strelitz), who had a very close, long and loving relationship with her husband, George III, indicates how much she prizes lasting relationships and fidelity, which was the reason for her misgivings about {{spoiler|coming between Rachel and Hector, which is why she eventually decides to leave London}}.

* White lilies, a symbol of death and mourning, appear consistently throughout ''[[White Noise]]''.

'''Charlie:''' Wha... Why? What is wrong with this one?<br />

'''Leopold:''' The orange lily implies extreme hatred. The begonia and lavender danger and suspicion, respectively. Every flower has a meaning, Charles. Might I suggest the amaryllis, which declares the recipient a most splendid beauty. Or the cabbage rose. }}

{{quote| ''DON JUAN DEMARCO: "Every true lover knows that the moment of greatest satisfaction comes when ecstasy is long over. And he beholds before him the flower which has blossomed beneath his touch."''}}

* In the hysterical Mona Freeman film ''Darling, How Could You!'', a teenage girl attends a melodramatic play in which the villain tries to charm the virtuous heroine with dark red roses. When her mother receives same -- plus an invitation to dinner -- from a family friend, the girl assumes he's after her mom.

* [[Justified Trope|Justified]] in [[Tamora Pierce]]'s ''[[Circle of Magic]]'' series - one of the main characters is a plant mage. He even [[Meaningful Name|named himself]] after a flower. Briar Moss is a prickly character who hides his affection for his "sisters" behind barbed words. His knowledge of plants is useful when flowers hint at more than his magic though: when talking to the Empress of Namorn, she explains that her favorite plants include orchids - to which Briar admits he thinks of them as "parasites." The empress's liking for a plant that lives by killing others is a big clue to her character.

* Many British murder mysteries make reference to flowers - Belladonna (deadly nightshade) is a favorite as a poison. ''Rosemary and Thyme'' takes this to the next level though. Not only are they named after herbs, but the contents of their garden often provide a clue to the murder...or at least serve as inspiration for the [[An Aesop|aesop]] at the end.

* ''[[Little Women]]'': While Laurie and Amy are taking a walk through a rose garden, Laurie gets pricked by a red rose he tried to pick while thinking of Jo, whom he last saw when she turned down his marriage proposal. Amy then gives him a thorn-free white rose. Laurie instantly thinks of the [[Colour-Coded for Your Convenience|color symbolism]] - red roses are for romance, white roses are for funerals, and he wonders if this is either a sign about his changing feelings for the two sisters or an omen of death. He chides himself for being so superstitious and laughs it off, but since eventually he and Amy fall in love and Beth dies, it doesn't sound so funny.

* Parodied in the ''[[Discworld]]'' book ''Nanny Ogg's Cookbook'', where after discussing how a man was once sued for having an obscene garden, Nanny Ogg gives a list of "pretty flowers and their meanings". The list itself is not present, however, because Nanny Ogg being who she is, the publisher inserts a note declaring they've yanked the list for being overly suggestive. (Though [[Fridge Logic|considering]] ALL flowers are plant reproductive organs, Nanny may have had a point...)

** Hogwarts' school nurse, Poppy Pomfrey. Poppies are a popular sign of remembrance in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries, as well as the source for the opioid family of painkillers, including codeine, morphine and derivatives thereof. "Pomfrey" is one letter removed from "comfrey," another ancient medicinal plant (the root contains allantoin, a compound that accelerates healing of skin wounds).

** "Oh God Not Again", the Peggy Sue fanfic, notes that Snape's first question of Harry, concerning asphodel and wormwood, could be decoded as "I deeply regret Lilly's death" .

** Additionally, Phedre's ''marque'', a full-length back tattoo, is of a briar rose, symbolizing her relationship with pain.

* In [[Melanie Rawn|Melanie Rawn's]] ''Ruins of Ambrai'', the rebels send secret messages to each other using flowers.

* Almost all versions and retellings of ''[[Beauty and The Beast]]'' focus on [[Something About a Rose|roses]], which are not only the flowers Beauty asks her father for that trigger his fateful meeting with the Beast but also a famous symbol of love. Two retellings that add extra layers of symbolism and meaning to this flower motif are ''[[Beastly]]'', which emphasizes that ''white'' roses mean true love and has the Beast plant a flower called "Little Linda" in his greenhouse in honor of the Beauty's arrival, and ''[[Rose Daughter]]'', which goes all-out on the rose motif by decorating ''every single thing'' in the Beast's castle with it and having Beauty's major motivation at the castle be reviving the Beast's near-dead rose garden.

* In ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'', the winter rose is a symbol of doomed and forbidden love for the Starks.

* A Victoriana-obsessed decker from the first [[Shadowrun]] anthology named his cat Tansy, then set her beside his deck each time he began a hacking mission, because the wild tansy is a declaration of war in floriography.

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* Appears in ''[[Lois and Clark]]'' - Clark gives Lois yellow roses, telling her "yellow is for friendship" (This after a villain had been using more romantic gifts as [[Trojan Horse|Trojanhorses]] for his crimes, and to make her miserable). Also, a running gag involves Lois' inability to keep the plant on her desk alive; and during season 1, we saw Lex Luthor meticulously trimming a bonsai tree.

* The ITV series ''Rosemary and Thyme'' features two gardeners/detectives who use "the language of flowers" to solve murders.

** Perhaps mixed with color motives. She wears white flowers (for innocence) inside her hair when she decides to take care of it, and becomes an innocent victim later on the same episode. The flowers she carries to Morgana are purple, perhaps also symbolizing Morgana's royal origins (coincidentally, she ends up wearing purple much more often after discovering that she is a princess).

== [[Tabletop Games]] ==

* Hanafuda are a type of Japanese/Korean playing cards that use pictures of flowers instead of numbers. Each flower represents a different month of the year. They were popularized by [[Nintendo]] - yes, ''that'' [[Nintendo]] - [[Older Than They Think|in the late 1800's.]]

* The [[wikipedia:Four Gentlemen|Four Gentlemen]] (orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, plum) in Chinese art. Example: four of the eight flower tiles in [[Mahjong]] feature them.

* In ''[[The Glass Menagerie]],'' the phrase "blue roses" becomes an important motif. Jim calls Laura "blue roses" because he mispronounces ''pleurosis'', the name of her illness. A blue rose is a pretty and fascinating idea that can't exist in reality. So is Laura.

** Also, Amanda spends a good monologue raving about the summer when she went mad for jonquils, [[What Do You Mean Its Not Symbolic|symbolizing the high days of her youth]], which she's constantly trying to relive. Jonquil is a name found in the American Southeast for the ''narcissus.''

* [[William Shakespeare|Ophelia]] gives the court of Denmark a botany lesson in ''[[Hamlet]]'' IV.v.

{{quote| '''Ophelia:''' There's rosemary: that's for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies: that's for thoughts."}}

* [[.hack|Do you know what honeysuckles symbolize?]] [[I Will Wait for You|Devoted affection]].

** Cue {{spoiler|Yowkow/Alkaid}} turning [[Luminescent Blush|as red]] [[High-Pressure Emotion|as the PS2 graphics allow]].

** This even goes as far for Lucas to {{spoiler|meet the ghost of his mother in a field of sunflowers}}.

* Beatrix from ''[[Final Fantasy IX]]'' is associated with roses throughout the game (even her [[Leitmotif]] is called "Rose of May"), probably in association with her status as a [[Lady of War]].

* In the [[Visual Novel]] ''[[Narcissu]]'', the eponymous Narcissus (or daffodil) flower and its underlying [[Greek Mythology|myth]] serve as a tragic metaphor for the heroine, a [[Ill Girl|terminally ill young woman]].

* The ''[[Hitman]]'' series and its protagonist, 47, have a stylized lily as their symbol.

* ''[[Rule of Rose]]''. [[Shaped Like Itself|Three guesses what flower makes the motif.]] Though perhaps surprisingly, the motif is used quite sparingly, and it's a quite shock when it turns up in the big twist of the final chapter.