White flowers
59 cut flowers that come in white, with their role in a design, season, vase life, fragrance and pet safety, plus what white flowers mean across cultures.
Key facts
- 59 cut flowers in our guide come in white; 14 are available year-round.
- Longest-lasting: Anthurium, Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum), Carnation.
- Purity and new beginnings at Western weddings, and remembrance in sympathy work. In China, Japan and Korea white is the colour of mourning, so avoid all-white gifts for celebrations there.
red pink white yellow orange purple blue green
White cut flowers
| Flower | Role | Vase life | In season | Fragrance | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rose | Focal flower | 5–7 days | Year-round | Light | ✓ ASPCA non-toxic |
| Hydrangea | Focal flower | 5–7 days | Summer | None | mildly toxic |
| Lily | Focal flower | 7–10 days | Year-round | Strong | ⚠ toxic to cats |
| Tulip | Focal flower | 4–7 days | Winter, Spring | None | mildly toxic |
| Carnation | Focal flower | 10–14 days | Year-round | Light | mildly toxic |
| Gerbera daisy | Focal flower | 6–10 days | Year-round | None | ✓ ASPCA non-toxic |
| Lisianthus | Focal flower | 7–14 days | Year-round | None | — |
| Baby's breath | Filler flower | 7–10 days | Year-round | Light | — |
| Chamomile | Filler flower | 5–7 days | Spring, Summer | Light | — |
| Orchids (cut) | Focal flower | 10–21 days | Year-round | Light | ✓ ASPCA non-toxic |
| Tree peony | Focal flower | 3–5 days | Spring | Light | mildly toxic |
| Peony (herbaceous) | Focal flower | 5–7 days | Spring | Light | mildly toxic |
| Chrysanthemum | Focal flower | 10–14 days | Autumn | Light | mildly toxic |
| Narcissus (daffodil) | Focal flower | 4–7 days | Winter | Strong | mildly toxic |
| Camellia | Focal flower | 3–5 days | Winter | None | ✓ ASPCA non-toxic |
| Iris | Focal flower | 4–6 days | Spring, Summer | Light | mildly toxic |
| Delphinium | Line flower | 5–8 days | Spring, Summer | None | mildly toxic |
| Anemone | Focal flower | 3–6 days | Winter, Spring | None | mildly toxic |
| Calla lily | Focal flower | 7–10 days | Year-round | None | mildly toxic |
| Freesia | Filler flower | 5–8 days | Winter, Spring | Strong | — |
| Hyacinth | Focal flower | 5–7 days | Winter, Spring | Strong | mildly toxic |
| Lily of the valley | Filler flower | 4–7 days | Spring | Strong | ⚠ toxic to cats |
| Stock (Matthiola) | Line flower | 7–10 days | Winter, Spring | Strong | — |
| Globe amaranth | Filler flower | 10–14 days | Summer, Autumn | None | — |
| Statice | Filler flower | 10–14 days | Year-round | None | — |
| Gardenia | Focal flower | 3–5 days | Summer | Strong | mildly toxic |
| Jasmine | Filler flower | 3–5 days | Summer | Strong | — |
| Zinnia | Focal flower | 5–7 days | Summer, Autumn | None | ✓ ASPCA non-toxic |
| Dahlia | Focal flower | 4–6 days | Summer, Autumn | None | mildly toxic |
| Anthurium | Focal flower | 14–21 days | Year-round | None | mildly toxic |
| Dendrobium orchid | Line flower | 10–14 days | Year-round | None | — |
| Lotus | Focal flower | 3–4 days | Summer | Light | — |
| Water lily | Focal flower | 2–4 days | Summer | Light | — |
| Queen Anne's lace (Ammi) | Filler flower | 5–7 days | Spring, Summer | None | — |
| Protea | Focal flower | 10–14 days | Winter, Spring | None | — |
| Waxflower | Filler flower | 10–14 days | Winter, Spring | Light | — |
| Clematis | Filler flower | 4–6 days | Spring, Summer | None | mildly toxic |
| Lupin | Line flower | 5–7 days | Spring, Summer | None | mildly toxic |
| Snapdragon | Line flower | 7–10 days | Spring | None | ✓ ASPCA non-toxic |
| Poppy | Focal flower | 2–4 days | Spring | None | mildly toxic |
| Daisy (marguerite) | Filler flower | 5–7 days | Spring, Summer | None | mildly toxic |
| Cosmos | Filler flower | 5–7 days | Summer, Autumn | None | — |
| Cornflower | Filler flower | 5–7 days | Spring, Summer | None | — |
| China aster | Filler flower | 7–10 days | Summer, Autumn | None | ✓ ASPCA non-toxic |
| Ranunculus | Focal flower | 5–8 days | Winter, Spring | None | mildly toxic |
| Trachelium | Filler flower | 7–10 days | Summer | None | — |
| Alstroemeria | Filler flower | 10–14 days | Year-round | None | ✓ ASPCA non-toxic |
| Gladiolus | Line flower | 7–10 days | Summer, Autumn | None | mildly toxic |
| Sweet pea | Filler flower | 4–7 days | Spring | Strong | mildly toxic |
| Scabiosa | Filler flower | 5–7 days | Summer | None | — |
| Hellebore | Filler flower | 7–10 days | Winter, Spring | None | mildly toxic |
| Agapanthus | Focal flower | 7–10 days | Summer | None | — |
| Allium | Focal flower | 10–14 days | Spring, Summer | Light | mildly toxic |
| Astilbe | Filler flower | 5–7 days | Summer | None | — |
| Tuberose | Line flower | 5–7 days | Summer | Strong | — |
| Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum) | Line flower | 14–21 days | Year-round | None | mildly toxic |
| Grape hyacinth (Muscari) | Filler flower | 4–7 days | Spring | Light | — |
| Bouvardia | Filler flower | 7–10 days | Year-round | Light | — |
| Veronica | Line flower | 5–7 days | Summer | None | — |
White branches and foliage
Plum blossomCherry blossomPeach blossomCrabapple blossomMagnoliaWisteriaAzaleaSpiraeaOsmanthusCotton stemsLilacViburnum (snowball)Hypericum berries
By season
What white says
Purity and new beginnings at Western weddings, and remembrance in sympathy work. In China, Japan and Korea white is the colour of mourning, so avoid all-white gifts for celebrations there.
FAQ
Which white flowers are available all year?
Rose, Lily, Carnation, Gerbera daisy, Lisianthus, Baby's breath, Orchids (cut), Calla lily, Statice, Anthurium, Dendrobium orchid, Alstroemeria, Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum), Bouvardia.
Which white flowers last longest in a vase?
Anthurium (14–21 days), Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum) (14–21 days), Carnation (10–14 days), Orchids (cut) (10–21 days), Chrysanthemum (10–14 days).
What do white flowers mean?
Purity and new beginnings at Western weddings, and remembrance in sympathy work. In China, Japan and Korea white is the colour of mourning, so avoid all-white gifts for celebrations there.
Are white flowers appropriate as a gift in China, Japan or Korea?
Mixed with colour, yes. An all-white bouquet reads as mourning there, and white chrysanthemums in particular are funeral flowers.