Meanings of Black Roses

Tragic or Hopeful?

There actually is no such thing in nature as a black rose. If you see a black rose, it's likely a dyed white or red rose. That said, the black rose conjures varied images in the minds of people worldwide. Whether superstition, romance, a broken heart or the need for revenge, the black rose is a powerfully emotive image.

Death

One of the most common interpretations of the black rose is death. In folklore, a person who comes across this ominous flower will likely suffer their demise. Used as a literary tool of foreshadowing, the black rose denotes death on the horizon. Additionally, as red roses wilt and dry up, they take on a blackish hue, so the black rose itself is often a dead flower.

Tragic Love

If red roses are the hallmark of pure, romantic love, then the black rose is a perfect contrast to the tragic betrayal of the heart. Like Juliet's coffin covered in black roses, or the scorned woman who carries black roses to her ex-lover, there is no greater flower to symbolize tragic love than the black rose.

Vampires

Vampires love black roses. In tandem with the death symbolism, the black rose symbolizes for vampires their own eternal life through death. In many vampire novels and movies, the vampire gives his mortal love a bouquet of black roses. Often the most powerful of the vampire clans will have the black rose on their crest to identify their belonging. The novel, A Dozen Black Roses, by Nancy Collins, uses this symbolism extensively.

Slavish Devotion

Black roses also symbolize a slavish devotion. In medieval times, knights with black roses on their swords were fighting for the hand of a fair maiden in distress. Willing to die for their love, these knights were entrapped by their feelings. The black rose is a perfect symbol for an obsessive love. If you received a black rose on your doorstep, it's likely that it was left by a stalker.

Rebirth

Perhaps the best view of the black rose is the one that offers hope. Black Rose is the name of a feminist magazine, whose tagline is "empowering the essence of women." The black rose is considered the essence of the transformation from the worldly to the divine. The black rose can also be associated with the "death" of a bad habit or negative phase in one's life--leading to the rebirth and emergence of a stronger sense of self.

References

• The Language of Flowers: Flower Meanings and "Flower Sentiments"