What Are the Anniversary Flowers by Year?
Each wedding anniversary has a flower, from carnations for the 1st year to yellow roses and violets for the 50th. The list below is the one most UK florists use, alongside where it came from, what the main flowers mean and how to give them in a way that lasts longer than a week in a vase.
The anniversary flower for each year
These are the wedding anniversary flowers by year as they usually appear in florists' guides. Most lists only name a flower for years 1 to 15 and then the milestones, and the early years vary a little between florists, so if your year is missing, there is no widely agreed flower for it.
| Anniversary | Flower |
|---|---|
| 1st | Carnation |
| 2nd | Cosmos (some lists: lily of the valley) |
| 3rd | Sunflower (lists vary) |
| 4th | Hydrangea |
| 5th | Daisy |
| 6th | Calla lily |
| 7th | Freesia |
| 8th | Lilac |
| 9th | Bird of paradise |
| 10th | Daffodil |
| 11th | Tulip |
| 12th | Peony |
| 13th | Chrysanthemum |
| 14th | Dendrobium orchid |
| 15th | Rose |
| 20th | Aster |
| 25th | Iris |
| 28th | Orchid |
| 30th | Lily |
| 40th | Gladiolus |
| 50th | Yellow rose and violet |
Flowers sit alongside the traditional gift materials rather than replacing them. Our list of traditional and modern anniversary gifts sets out the materials for every year.
Where do anniversary flowers come from?
The material for each year, such as paper, cotton and leather, has a long history. The flower list is much newer. It was popularised by florists, mainly in the United States, during the twentieth century, which is why you will see small differences between guides. The one link with older British tradition is the 4th anniversary, where the UK list gives linen and flowers together; we cover that year in what is the 4th wedding anniversary?
Treat the list as a helpful prompt, not a rule. The flowers from your wedding day will always mean more than a chart.
What flower represents an anniversary?
If you only remember one, make it the rose. Red roses stand for romantic love and are the flower of the 15th anniversary; our 15 year anniversary gift ideas lean into that. Red roses are also the natural choice for a ruby 40th, even though the florists' flower for that year is the gladiolus. See our ruby wedding anniversary gifts guide for ways to combine the two.
Flowers for the milestone anniversaries
For a silver 25th, the iris is the usual flower and its blue-purple colour sits well with silver. For a pearl 30th, lilies are given for their pale, pearl-like petals; read more in what is the 30th wedding anniversary? The golden 50th pairs yellow roses with violets, and gold and yellow flowers suit the colour scheme of most golden parties; our golden wedding anniversary gifts guide has more ideas. The diamond 60th has no agreed flower, so white blooms are a sensible choice.
How to give anniversary flowers that last
Fresh flowers are lovely, but they fade. A few ways to keep the gesture: press a stem from the bouquet and frame it, plant a bulb or shrub of the anniversary flower in the garden, or give a flower that does not wilt at all. A handwritten card makes any of these better; our guide on what to write in an anniversary card will help, and our anniversary quotes have short lines to borrow.
Everlasting roses for any anniversary
If you want a flower that will still be on the shelf in ten years, these cast metal roses are made in our Cornwall workshop. The casted rose and Forever Rose with wooden token suit the 4th anniversary, when flowers are part of the UK tradition, and the 15th anniversary Forever Rose marks the year the rose belongs to.
Casted Rose — Everlasting Metal Flower, 4th Anniversary£32.19
Forever Rose with Wooden Token — 4th Anniversary£32.19
Forever Rose with Wooden Token — 15th Anniversary£32.19
Solid Metal Rose — 9th Anniversary Gift£32.19
For more ideas, browse our anniversary gift ideas.
Anniversary flower FAQs
- What are the anniversary flowers by year?
- The common florists' list runs carnation (1st), cosmos or lily of the valley (2nd), sunflower (3rd), hydrangea (4th) and daisy (5th), through rose (15th), iris (25th), lily (30th) and gladiolus (40th), to yellow roses and violets (50th).
- What flower represents an anniversary?
- The red rose is the flower most closely linked with love and anniversaries, and it is also the usual flower for a 15th anniversary. Red roses are a common choice for a ruby 40th as well.
- Is there a flower for the 60th anniversary?
- There is no widely agreed flower for the 60th diamond anniversary. Many families choose white flowers to echo the diamond theme, or simply the couple's own favourites, such as the flowers from their wedding.
- Are anniversary flowers a British tradition?
- Not really. The year-by-year flower list was popularised by florists, mostly in the United States, during the twentieth century. The UK traditional list does include flowers alongside linen for the 4th anniversary.
- What can I give instead of fresh flowers?
- A flower that lasts is a popular alternative. Cast metal roses, pressed flowers in a frame or a bulb planted in the garden all keep the meaning of anniversary flowers without wilting after a week.