Roses are red, says the old poem, but that is not always true.
These flowers come in a variety of colors, and different meanings have been attributed to each of the different hues.
The most popular and well-known color connection is red.
Red roses are internationally known as the sign of love, and a gift of red roses is a clear sign of your strong emotion for the person you are giving them to.
But red is also known to mean respect, courage, and are used as the congratulatory rose.
Darker shades of red are said to represent unacknowledged beauty, and a single red rose means, quite simply, "I love you.
" White roses are the next best known rose with a meaning behind the color.
White roses are signs of purity, innocence, and spirituality.
They are often used in bridal bouquets, and are seen there as a sign of the purity, not only of the bride herself, but of the union being entered into.
Yellow roses have fewer associations to romantic feelings, and are seen as the rose to give to good friends.
Their sunny color means happiness, friendship and good tidings.
The only exception here are yellow roses with red-tinted tips, which are seen to signal a friendship that one side would like to see develop into a romantic relationship.
Black roses do not occur in nature, but when they are dyed black, these roses are the symbols of death and are becoming popular for "divorce bouquets" to signify the dissolution of a marriage.
Other color meaning include the regal and stately purple rose that beg to be remembered fondly, fiery orange roses that signal desire, and the slightly less fiery color of peach roses that can indicate modesty and simple gratitude.
If you are unsure of what the roses you are buying mean, ask your florist before you give them, to make sure you are not sending any mixed signals.