While there are practically endless designs that abound in the tattoo world, one of the most enduring ones are flowers. Flowers, in all their myriad diversity and color – yellow, pink, red, purple, blue – have always held a special place in our hearts. We have used them through the ages in our religious customs, to decorate our bodies and our homes, and to give to other people as an expression of our love and affection. Hence, it is not surprising that flower tattoos have been in use almost as long as tattooing as an art has been in existence.

Of course, when people choose tattoo designs, they primarily want to express their own unique individuality. Tattoo artists understand this need and have been creating endless varieties of flower tattoo designs, so much so, that you will find even the common rose in innumerable sizes, shapes and depictions. The choices also become practically endless if the flower tattoo design is combined with other tattoo designs like butterflies, hearts, or fairies, to create a tattoo quite unlike any other. For example, a feminine armband tattoo can be created by designing a vine made up of roses and exotic orchids, interwoven with water lilies, leaves, and little fairies. For males, flower tattoos can be created using the geometrical and symmetrical patterns of either the Celtic style or tribal artwork.

Apart from their beauty, flower tattoos also connect us to the natural world, because flowers symbolize fertility, procreation, death, and rebirth - the endless cycle of life. Plus, the various colors of flowers used in tattoos also are symbolic of different things. For example, the color red can mean passion, while a white flower signifies purity. Given below are a few popular flowers that are chosen as tattoo designs, along with what they symbolize:

Rose: The rose has always held a special place in our hearts, hence it is no surprise that it is one of the most popular subjects for tattoos. While each type of rose may signify different things to different people, however, over time each type of rose has been associated with certain traditional meanings, making the rose one of the most eloquent flowers. White roses convey simplicity and charm; Pink roses whisper of clandestine love; Yellow roses, rather morosely, communicate the waning of love, or warn of jealousy, or to let bygones be bygones; Rosebuds portray innocence and youth; and Red roses, of course, are the eternal symbol of love and passion.

Lily: There is a fascinating divergence in the significance of each type of lily. The calla lily bespeaks beauty and maidenly modesty; Frog lilies depict disgust; The water lily is a sign of the purity of the heart; The day lily signifies coquetry; The yellow lily portrays flirtatiousness and coquetry; The white lily, sweetness and purity; And the tiger lily urgently whispers a challenge to be loved.

Hibiscus: This beautiful flower is said to originally have come from southern China, which then was taken to the Pacific Islands, and found its way to the United States in 1842. The hibiscus symbolizes delicate beauty.

Lotus: Having its origins in India and Egypt, this flower is inextricably entwined with the religious customs, legends and myths of these ancient cultures. A lotus tattoo symbolizes enlightenment, peace, fortune, goodness, and beauty. In the West, it also represents estranged love along with the yearning it implies.

Daisy: Generally, daisies symbolize innocence, although the various types of daisies are associated with their own unique significance. For example, the Michaelmas daisy is used for bidding farewell; Colored daisies depict beauty; The white daisy that grows in the wild whispers about thinking about matters.

Daffodil: This flower, over time, has come to mean a wide variety of meanings, some of which are: unrequited love, hope, deceitfulness, and even regard.

Sunflower: According to ancient Greek legend, it is said that Clytia, who was a lovely water sprite, fell hopelessly in love with Apollo, the sun deity. Clytia stood tall and straight for nine days, in admiration of her love and hoping for his attention. But Apollo did not notice Clytia, hence she was transformed into the sunflower, which continues to have her face upturned towards the Sun God, following him as he crosses the firmament. Thus, the sunflower depicts the splendor of ardor.

Of course, there are many, many more flowers, each with different meanings. When you get a flower tattoo, it can either be as bold and large as you want it to be or dainty and small. Irrespective of the flower tattoo you choose, whether a lotus, a daffodil, or a rose, it will signify something special and unique about you.