Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Rest in Blooms | Thoughtfully Curated Funeral Flowers
Grief is a deeply personal journey, and when words become insufficient, flowers step in to express the unspeakable. They provide a non-verbal, symbolic gesture of love, respect, remembrance, and spiritual connection.
In the realm of funeral floristry, two flowers have emerged as powerful icons of mourning and memory: the lily and the chrysanthemum. Though both are visually striking, their meanings, cultural associations, and emotional tones differ significantly.
This article explores how to choose between these two flowers for a funeral tribute, based on symbolism, cultural sensitivity, psychological comfort, and personal relevance.
Lilies, especially white lilies, are often associated with purity, virtue, and the soul's rebirth into peace. In Christian funerals, lilies represent the resurrection and the promise of life after death.
In a 2006 study published in Mortality: Promoting the Interdisciplinary Study of Death and Dying, it was noted that symbolic acts such as flower offerings during funerals serve as “ritualized expressions of care and continuity” and help mitigate the finality of death (Walter, 2006).
Lilies may be particularly suitable if the deceased or the bereaved family finds comfort in spiritual or religious interpretations of the afterlife.
Popular arrangements include:
Explore our Lily-based funeral flowers →
Unlike lilies, chrysanthemums carry a broader and more culturally nuanced symbolism. In East Asian cultures, such as Japan and Korea, chrysanthemums are directly associated with grief, respect, and enduring memory. They are used extensively in ancestral rites and All Souls’ Day observances.
In European cultures, particularly in France, Italy, and Poland, chrysanthemums are reserved almost exclusively for funerals and grave visitations. A 2012 sociological review by Goulart and Carvalho (Journal of Cultural Studies) identified chrysanthemums as “semiotic markers of death and collective mourning” in several Catholic-majority countries.
Their association with grief makes them a powerful choice, especially when cultural traditions are an important consideration.
Appropriate for:
View all Chrysanthemum tributes →
The meaning of flowers is not universal. What comforts one culture may confuse or offend another. The right flower should not only reflect your emotional intention but also respect the cultural and religious background of the deceased and their family.
In North America, lilies are the most commonly used funeral flowers. They are associated with spiritual purity, resurrection, and peace, often appearing in traditional Christian ceremonies.
In Japan and Korea, the chrysanthemum holds deep cultural significance. It symbolizes mourning, respect, and even immortality. It is frequently used in ancestral rites and formal funerals.
In Western European countries such as France, Italy, and Poland, chrysanthemums are almost exclusively used for funerals and memorials. They convey grief, solemn respect, and remembrance.
For Christian rites, particularly within Catholic traditions, the lily represents the afterlife, redemption, and the return to innocence of the soul.
In Buddhist cultures, the chrysanthemum is often seen as a symbol of impermanence, spiritual humility, and detachment from the material world.
These nuances remind us that choosing the right flower is more than a decorative act—it is a gesture of cultural literacy and emotional intelligence.
As anthropologist Jack Goody writes in The Culture of Flowers, “Funeral flowers act as visible signs of moral and spiritual obligations… a form of public emotion with private roots” (Goody, 1993).
Your choice of flower speaks volumes about your relationship to the departed, and what you wish to express to those who remain.
Lily says:
Chrysanthemum says:
Choosing one over the other is not about hierarchy—it’s about alignment. What memory are you preserving? What message do you wish to send? That clarity will guide your decision.
Research in grief psychology underscores the role of symbolic acts in healthy mourning. A 2017 study in the Journal of Loss and Trauma found that ritualized actions, including the use of symbolic flowers, significantly contribute to emotional regulation during bereavement (Neimeyer et al., 2017).
Sending flowers is not just a social obligation; it's a psychological bridge—a gesture that helps the grieving process by providing structure, beauty, and a shared language.
The shape, color, and cultural meaning of the flower all influence how both sender and receiver interpret the message.
At Rest in Blooms, we believe that every floral tribute should be guided by both intention and sensitivity. Our collections are curated with this philosophy in mind—blending aesthetic elegance with emotional and cultural intelligence.
To choose the right arrangement:
If you are unsure, we offer compassionate guidance through our customer service team, trained to help you choose with care.
Choosing what to say can be just as difficult as choosing what to send. Here are a few message templates based on common emotional themes:
For Peace and Serenity (Lily):
For Memory and Respect (Chrysanthemum):
These messages can be included with any order through our online checkout system.
Saying goodbye is never easy, but how we say it matters. When chosen with care, a simple flower can speak to the depth of our love, the weight of our grief, and the beauty of the human connection that death cannot erase.
Whether you choose the serene purity of the lily or the grounded reverence of the chrysanthemum, the gesture becomes more than symbolic—it becomes meaningful, memorable, and human.
View all Sympathy Arrangements →
With seamless coordination and trusted local florists, we ensure every tribute is thoughtfully crafted and delivered with care—right where it’s needed, when it matters most.