Yellow flowers are a symbol of true friendship, but there is a deeper meaning to discover – we reveal all, plus 3 easy yellow blooms to grow in the cutting garden

Have you ever noticed bouquets of flowers from the supermarket often have yellow blooms? Or that you can't help but smile as you pass by daffodils in spring? It's by no coincidence.

In many traditions and cultures yellow flowers symbolize joy and friendship, which is why they are such cheerful blooms to grow in the yard and gift to others. These connotations are founded in both modern culture and ancient traditions. There are even specific yellow flowers associated with different events and emotions.

Just like birth month flowers, the symbolism behind yellow flowers makes them an easy way to brighten up your planting and mood. Here, we take a closer look at what exactly yellow flowers symbolize and our top three yellow flowers to grow for cutting, so you can bring the joy of them indoors and share them with others.

What do yellow flowers symbolize?

There are a few ancient traditions where yellow flowers hold specific meanings.

For example, in Ancient Egypt, yellow was associated with rebirth and and eternal life. For this reason, yellow marigolds (like these marigold plants from Walmart), were often used at burial grounds.

In Ancient Chinese traditions, yellow flowers were associated with wealth and and good fortune. Often yellow chrysanthemums (plants from Amazon) in particular were symbolic of longevity and resilience.

You'll also find yellow daffodils (like these bulbs from Amazon) when the Welsh holiday of St David's Day comes around every 1 March. In Welsh tradition, daffodils are the national flower.

Interestingly, though, in Victorian floriography (the language of flowers), yellow flowers were more of a negative symbol. Yellow roses implied suspicion, infidelity, and unfaithfulness.

As for modern tradition, yellow flowers are a cultural symbol of happiness, friendship, new beginnings, and more. In fact, 21 September is celebrated as Yellow Flower Day in Mexico and Latin countries, where yellow blooms are gifted to express happiness, joy, and a desire for strong friendship.

3 yellow cut flowers to grow in your garden

With yellow flowers being a cultural symbol of positive emotions, they make for touching gifts on special occasions.

With this in mind, yellow blooms can make a lovely addition to a cut flower garden, ready to harvest and share with others. Here, Homes & Gardens' Head of Gardens, Rachel Bull, shares her top three yellow cut flowers to grow:

1. Sunflowers

There are few flowers more cheerful than sunflowers, and the good news is it's incredibly easy to grow sunflowers at home.

'Sunflowers are some of the easiest annuals to grow in spring,' Rachel says. 'You can plant sunflower seeds (from Amazon) directly in the ground after the risk of late frost and have blooms just a few months later.

'Depending on the sunflower variety you choose, these plants will need staking. You can use these bamboo plant stakes from Amazon to help support the tall stems and stop the flowerheads flopping over,' Rachel describes.

When you harvest them, you can make cut sunflowers last longer by regularly making a fresh diagonal cut at the bottom of the stem.

'Don't forget to harvest sunflower seeds also, so you can grow them again next year for free,' Rachel adds.

Rachel Bull

Rachel is a gardening editor, floral designer, flower grower and gardener. Her journalism career began on Country Living magazine, sparking a love of container gardening and wild planting. After more than a decade writing for and editing a range of consumer, business and special interest titles, Rachel became editor of floral art magazine The Flower Arranger. She then trained and worked professionally as a floral designer. She joined the Homes & Gardens team in 2023, where she heads up the Gardens section, and presents the weekly social series Petals & Roots.

2. Billy buttons

If you dream of a blobbery (a garden full of spherical shapes), then opt for growing Billy buttons in your cutting patch. They're also known craspedia and originate from Australia and New Zealand.

'Billy buttons are some of the most cute and charming blooms to incorporate in a cutting patch,' says Rachel. 'They're best started from seed (like with these Billy button seeds from Amazon), and will provide you with bright spherical blooms from spring to fall.

'They make for great architectural plants and will also attract lots of pollinators. When cutting them, make sure to use essential pruning tools (like these pruning snips from Amazon) to make clean, sharp cuts,' Rachel adds.

3. Black-eyed Susans

Black-eyed Susans are adored for their long blooming period, typically from mid-summer until frost. What makes them extra special for a cutting patch is that they're cut-and-come-again flowers.

'You can harvest black-eyed Susan flowers numerous times throughout summer and fall,' says Rachel. 'Take pruning shears and cut at a 45° angle at the base of the stem. This will encourage the plant to produce more blooms until frost.

'These are also perennial plants, so it's important to cut back black-eyed Susans in fall and winterize black-eyed Susans by mulching to ensure they make it through the harshest season,' Rachel adds.

You can purchase black-eyed Susan seeds from Amazon. They're best started indoors in early spring.

FAQs

Are there any yellow flowering houseplants?

Yes, there are yellow flowering houseplants. The most notable include zebra plant (from Walmart) and yellow kalanchoe (from Walmart). You can also grow yellow mini rose plants indoors, and even yellow chrysanthemums.

If you're looking for more symbolic plants to grow and gift, check out our guide to birth month trees and zodiac houseplants. These can make special additions to memory gardens for loved ones, too.

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