Flowers of Thailand are so much more than just a pretty gift.
In Thailand, flowers are used for so much more than pleasing decorations or simple gifts to acknowledge a holiday or special occasion. While everyone loves beautiful flowers, in Thailand they also play an important part in religious ceremonies and are offered as expressions of spiritual devotion. Flowers are given from the heart to express love to people and to honour the spiritual connections to family.
The Thai have centuries-old traditions and are deeply devout. The Lotus has a special place in Thai culture, appearing in many Thai proverbs. It is the preferred flower making a sacred offering to monks.
The bright yellow flower known locally as ratchaphruek is found everywhere. The official botanical name of Thailand’s national flower is the Cassia Fistula Linn. The tree might also be called the chaiyaphruek and the actual flower may be referred to as dok koon.
When King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand died in 2016, the country planted golden marigolds across the land to help usher his soul to heaven. In Thai culture, the golden yellow or orange blooms of the marigolds represent God’s perfect light. Marigolds are used in decorations, and garlands for festivities and religious events.
Other important flowers, grown in Thailand and shipped worldwide, are roses, one of the most popular flowers in Thailand, and they symbolize love, passion, friendship, and romance, depending on their colors. Although everyone has a different opinion, traditionally rose colors mean: red for love, yellow for jealousy, white for innocence, and pink for gratitude or appreciation.
Daisies symbolize humility and friendship; and lilies are symbols of purity, respect, rebirth, and love. Tulips are exotic and used in gifting on special occasions and as gifts to important people. Jasmine has a strong, sweet fragrance, and although it is not originally native to Thailand, it has been growing there for centuries. The pleasantly fragrant flowers are commonly used in teas, perfumes, and beauty products.
Flowers and Love Go Hand in Hand
Who doesn’t love receiving flowers? Imagine a loving celebration without flowers; would it even be a celebration? Flowers help us express our deepest feelings without words. Flowers are an immediate source of joy, feelings of love, and warm affection. It feels good to give and to receive them. While generally, we think of love and roses belonging together, Thailand has absolutely gorgeous orchids and simply being around their colors and widely varied shapes have a positive effect on your mood.
The orchid represents not only love and passion, it is also a symbol of beauty, strength, and luxury. Thailand has over 1,000 different species of orchids, and you’ll find them everywhere. If you receive a pink orchid, it is a sign someone likes you, and a red orchid is a sign of love and romance. Although, any of the beautiful colors would be an impressive gift!
The frangipani (also known in other regions as plumeria) is another flower native to Thailand, often given as a gift, and used in decorations. You may spot it as a garnish on a drink, tucked behind someone’s ear, or as a table arrangement in a restaurant. The flowers may be pink, white, or yellow and they are frequently used in spiritual rituals. The flowers are also found in the wild, have a strong, sweet smell, and are often used in perfumes.
The Thais are very sweet, hospitable people, who believe in celebrating life’s little joys. When was the last time you sent flowers to someone you love?
In Thailand, The Most Beautiful Rose Can Seem Boring By Comparison!
Thailand has many beautiful flowers, from the popular roses, available in many stunning colors, to lotus, orchids, jasmine, bougainvillea, frangipani, krachiao, lilies, and daisies – you’ll find a huge variety of vividly colored blooms.
Thai Bougainvillea, or Paper Flower, is one of the most famous flowers in Thailand. A year-round bloomer, they come in pink, orange, red, purple, yellow, and white.
Krachiao, also known as the Siamese tulip, bursts into color at the start of the rainy season. To see huge fields of purple Krachiao, one of the best places to visit is Chaiyaphum, a province in Northeast Thailand. Despite the name, the Krachiao is not a relative of the tulip. Surprisingly, it is part of the same family as turmeric!
With over 1,000 different orchid species, orchids are everywhere in Thailand! The orchid is considered a symbol of Thailand and there are more orchids here than in any other Southeast Asian country. Orchids come in an astonishing array of colors, shapes, and sizes. There are hundreds of orchid farms in Thailand that export plants across the planet. Have you ever grown an orchid or received one as a gift? They truly are special flowers.
Tropical Flowers in Thailand are So Beautiful They Look Surreal!
From the flashy, vividly colored Bird of Paradise (there are five species actually) regularly included in bouquets, to the simple beauty and scent of Jasmine (You can smell the refreshing scent of Jasmine in our Phuket scuba diving center!), the beautiful Hibiscus, the useful Torch Ginger, and the ever-present glow of the Lotus flowers, Thailand has an astonishing variety of tropical flowers that are so gorgeous as to be mind-blowing! The roses you buy from your local florist may have come from Thailand! Lotus flowers carry great symbolism in Thailand as the culture is predominantly Buddhist. You can find lotuses in stupas and temples.
Jasmine is a very popular flower in Thailand. The Royal Jasmine is a native of Thailand, it is an evergreen vine with a beautiful, fragrant white flower. It smells sweet and light without being overpowering or too cloying. You may have had green tea with dried jasmine petals in it before. The Jasmine gives it that extra aroma and nuanced flavor.
The Lotus plant can be found in ponds, rivers, lakes, and large, water-filled urns everywhere in Thailand. The flowers may be pink, purple, or white. Don’t miss an opportunity to visit Talay Bua Daeng (the Red Lotus Sea) in Udon Thani Province during the cool season, to enjoy the incredible beauty of the Lotus.
Did you know that the Lotus isn’t just a pretty flower and religious symbol? The seeds are an edible delicacy, the root can be cooked in a soup, the leaves are useful to wrap food, and the plant is considered to have medicinal properties!
The Hibiscus flower can be found all around Thailand, especially in the northern region. Also known as roselle, these bright flowers come in a variety of shades and sizes. They are used to make tea, including as a traditional herbal remedy.
Torch Ginger, an attractive and distinctive flower, is used for both decorative and culinary purposes. In Thailand, the flower buds are used in certain types of salad. Other names for the flower include red ginger lily, wild ginger, porcelain rose, wax flower, and torch lily. While the flowers are generally a reddish-pink, they can also be white, deep red, and pale pink. The torch ginger blooms almost all year round and prefers the shade to the sun.
