Picking out flowers for your dad can be a little tricky. Before doing so, remember to go bold. Strong, vibrant colors pair well with men and bring life and joy to their special day. You typically want to set your eye on gorgeous, yet easy flowers to take care of, with a long vase life to keep brightening up their days.

Before digging into the flowers to best complement your gift, let’s take a look at where it all began.

How Father’s Day Was Originated

Carnations are the holiday flower for Mother’s Day but did you know that roses are considered the official Father’s Day flower? The official US holiday started back in 1910, when Louis Smart Dodd, of Spokane, Washington proposed the idea of Father’s Day to honor her own father, Mr. William Smart. Widowed and despite many hardships, Mr. Smart sacrificed endlessly to raise six children to become a role model for all men raising a family on their own. Since then, Father’s Day has been celebrated nationwide on the third Sunday of June.

Mrs. Dodd suggested roses as the official Father’s Day flower, with a red rose honoring fathers who are still living and a white rose to honor fathers who have died.

Father’s Day is now celebrated worldwide on different dates. In North America and several countries in Asia it is celebrated in June, while Spain and Belgium celebrate the holiday in March. Sweden celebrates in November, and New Zealand in September. 

The Best Flower to Complement Your Father’s Day Gift

So you’ve thought of the perfect Father’s Day gift, however, it’s lacking that emotive side that only flowers can help express. Let’s go over typical Father’s Day flowers and what they mean.

• Red Rose: The official Father’s Day flower, and usually used to symbolize love. This is the classic choice to complement a breakfast in bed, a portrait, or even add an adorning touch to their coat lapel in honor of the celebration.
• Sunflower: The vibrant yellow of the Sunflower represents loyalty and adoration, and will bring joy and a smile to your dad’s face. Sunflowers make great gifts because they require very little to live, so he doesn’t need a green thumb to keep one alive.
• Orchid: Who doesn’t love an orchid? Usually in purple or yellow, orchids are a sign of deep respect and a great way to show how you look up to him. A subtle, yet stunning bouquet of orchids will help your dad feel appreciated on his special day.
• Chrysanthemum: Symbolizing friendship and general well-being, the chrysanthemum is a bold yet beautiful flower to send your father to express gratitude for having him in your life. The flower is usually gifted in red, making it one of the most popular masculine flowers.

Father’s day is coming up on Sunday, June 20th. Are you’re still scratching your head trying to figure out which flower best complements your gift? For more ideas on flowers to order and send to your dad, browse through our catalog today and pre-order your Father’s Day bouquet.