Flower tattoo designs have become very popular among women as a way to show off their femininity, beauty and grace, and are a tattoo choice that few women regret making. Flower designs can be combined with butterflies, birds or symbols such as music notes or hearts to create a tattoo design that has a personal meaning for the owner. Some flower tattoos start off as a single bloom, growing into a bouquet of flowers as the woman adds to the design.

The Meaning of Flower Tattoos

Floral tattoos are different to flower tattoos. Floral tattoos use stylized flower designs and linear floral elements such as swirls and curls, whereas flower tattoos depict real or imagined flowers in a bright, colorful and attractive way. Floral tattoos are more decorative than meaningful, while flower tattoos generally symbolize an emotion or life event.

A floral chest tattoo, decorating this woman’s cleavage. The design uses floral elements and stylized flowers, while not being a flower tattoo. Floral tattoo designs are often vine-like, consisting of elegant, feminine swirls and curls that are perfect decorations for a girl’s body. [source]

Lilies are associated with the spirit, and are often presented to women during spiritual, tranformative life events such as a wedding or childbirth. Because of the spiritual meaning of lilies, they are also sometimes presented at funerals and are often chosen as tattoo designs to remember a loved one who has passed away.

A large, feminine tattoo design of two lily flowers that stretches from this girl’s hip to her ribs. The tattoo artist has finished the lily flower stems with a flourish, adding a floral curl design to complete the elegant tattoo. [source]

Cherry blossoms appear in spring, decorating the stark branches of the cherry blossom tree with delicate, feminine blooms. The cherry blossom is a symbol of awakening, change and new beginnings. It can be used in a tattoo design as a celebration of a triumph, of finding the good within the bad and of creating a brighter future even though aspects of the past may have been dark and somber. Cherry blossom tattoos are not only favored by women; the cherry blossom is sometimes found in men’s tattoos as part of an Asian scene that includes dragons and koi fish.

John Torres tattooed this beautiful cherry blossom arm tattoo [source]

Lotus flower tattoos have a wide variety of meanings. For some, the lotus represents passion and sensuality, but for others it symbolizes the end of a struggle. Because a lotus pushes up through the mud, fighting its way towards the sun, it is often used to symbolize the emergence from a difficult period of life. Lotuses are often paired with koi fish, japanese waves and other water design elements that give their own symbolism to the tattoo; respresenting fluidity and change.

A stunning lotus flower tattoo that uses shadows to give the design a 3D effect. The tattoo artist has used blue checkers in the background to represent water, adding another appealing and symbolic element to the tattoo. [source]

Rose flower tattoos are symbols of love, passion and intelligence and are one of the most popular flower tattoo designs. Many classic tattoo designs incorporate a rose, often including the thorns of the flower to represent that sometimes love hurts. Roses are popularly combined with symbolic images in tattoo designs, such as skulls, daggers, sun bursts and crosses. The rose is often chosen as a tattoo design to remember a loved one who has passed away.

This gorgeous pink rose tattoo by Michelle Maddison is the perfect way to remember a loved one. [source]

The meaning of sunflower tattoos lies in the bright color and size of the flower. Sunflowers symbolize friendship, joy and good luck and make beautiful tattoo designs for fun-loving, free spirited girls. Sunflowers look good on a blue background, such as an open sky or denim pocket. Using such elements in a sunflower design adds to the sense of fun and freedom represented by this flower. A flower with a similar meaning to sunflowers is the daisy, representing peace, fun and friendship.

This sunflower tattoo has a double meaning. First, the tattoo is of a famous painting by Vincent van Gogh called “Sunflowers”. The second meaning is personal to the wearer of the tattoo – either the painting has some deeper significance or the sunflower itself represents something personal for the tattoo owner. [source]

The hibiscus flower is also known as the surfer’s flower or the island flower. The hibiscus is often featured in island style tattoo designs and is a favorite among beach bums because the colorful, frilled petals mimic breaking waves, while the phallic stamen is similar to a curved palm tree. Although the meaning of hibiscus flowers was originally grace and charm, the flower has come to represent all of the fun, relaxed aspects of a modern island lifestyle.

Hibiscus flower tattoos look fantastic along the bikini line, as both the flower and the placement of the tattoo then represent beach and surf lifestyle choices. The pity about this tattoo is that it is likely to distort over time, especially if this girl has children. [source]

Some family names are derived from the names of flowers, and other families have a flower in their family crest. For a member of one of these families, a flower tattoo can be a way to show allegiance to their family heritage and honor their ancestors. Some women choose a flower tattoo design because the flower was a favorite with their mother or grandmother.

Tattoo artist Megan Wood has created a beautifully artistic tattoo design centered on the cheerful daffodil flower. [source]

Placement of Flower Tattoos on the Body

The ankles, arms, ribs and back are among the most popular placement areas for flower tattoos. Because flower tattoos don’t make a rebellious statement, many woman feel comfortable wearing them in exposed areas, such as the ankles and arms. Placing a tattoo on the back or stomach often means the woman prefers not to reveal the tattoo while at work or in certain social situations.

Korean tattooist Silo inked this elegant and delicate flower design on the ankle. The design is inoffensive and so the tattoo owner has chosen to have it tattooed in a place that can be seen when wearing summer clothes such as shorts and sandals. [source]

Flowers can be used in tattoo designs on the hips, lower back or chest to accentuate the femininity of these areas. Tattooing a softer area of the body such as the stomach or thighs is not advised, as the skin in these areas is prone to stretching (especially during pregnancy), distorting the tattoo design over time. For the brave, flower tattoos look exquisite on the wrists and hands, peeking out from the sleeves of a long top or creating a bold, feminine statement in short sleeves. The skin on the back, arms and lower legs is less likely to stretch than skin that covers softer areas of the body.

This rose tattoo begins on the back of the girl’s neck and trails down her spine, ending in a tribal, celtic knot on the small of her back. A tattoo like this is easy to hide under clothing, and is well-placed for those who wish to be discreet about their body art. [source]

The Nature of Flower Tattoos

As a symbol of femininity, flower tattoos can also symbolize a relationship with mother nature. Women who choose flower designs often have a deep appreciation for nature and natural beauty. Most flowers have a brief existence, living on the plant for a few days or weeks before withering away. Because of this, flowers can also represent the changeability of the natural world, and how fleeting beauty and youth actually is.

A stunning rose tattoo from abstract tattoo artist Ondrash. See more of his abstract tattoos here.