# Flowers for women **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flowers-for-women/184862 "2003-06-27T22:05:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![livelykid1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/73ab20/32.png) [@livelykid1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/livelykid1)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flowers-for-women/184862/1 "2003-06-27T22:05:45Z")
Where did the custom of men giving flowers to women come from? And if it has an origin in an old culture, why do women still derrive so much pleasure from something as simple as being given a few daisies? ---
**Author:** ![fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ba0ec/32.png) [@fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fish_in_the_sky)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flowers-for-women/184862/2 "2003-06-28T00:19:11Z")
How did it start? “Pretty flowers for a pretty lady.” I really doubt it’s more complicated than that. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flowers-for-women/184862/3 "2003-06-28T00:42:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by livelykid1 \* > \*\*Where did the custom of men giving flowers to women come from? And if it has an origin in an old culture, why do women still derrive so much pleasure from something as simple as being given a few daisies? \*\* One source: > [@](#): > > Giving flowers dates back to the 1700s when Charles II of Sweden introduced the Persian custom of “the language of flowers” to Europe. Books about the meanings of particular flowers were published, and entire conversations could be carried out using only a bouquet of flowers. From: [http://www.sciquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/valentine2.asp](http://www.sciquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/valentine2.asp) Some of us love certain flowers! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Padmaraga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@Padmaraga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padmaraga)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flowers-for-women/184862/4 "2003-06-28T00:48:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fish in the sky \* > \*\*How did it start? “Pretty flowers for a pretty lady.” I really doubt it’s more complicated than that. \*\* Exactly! My husband asked me once why I (or women in general) like to get flowers, and I gave him the long version of this explanation. He really didn’t get it, though. When I get flowers my emotional reaction is “he thinks I’m as pretty as these flowers”. Don’t expect it to make any sense - like I said, it’s an emotional reaction. And it works. And, as already pointed out, it’s cheaper than another piece of jewelry! ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flowers-for-women/184862/5 "2003-06-28T01:10:27Z")
Conversely, recently I’ve noticed women giving flowers to men which struck me as bizzare since no men I know like flowers. When did this tradition turn on its head and women start giving flowers to men? Is it a demonstration as a statement of equality? What was the precedent? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flowers-for-women/184862/6 "2003-06-28T01:38:33Z")
My cynical side always assumed it was because women liked to see men waste money on their behalf. The idea is it’s a nice gesture that has no practical value whatsoever so it speaks to your willingness to woo the female and make her happy in any manner possible. Jewelry is similar…several thousand dollars for a rock the size of a pea? Who are we kidding? They are nice to look at but in my world they aren’t _that_ nice to look at! Still…to make the women in my life happy I will do these things and more for them even if I don’t understand it.