The symbolism of the yellow rose is less extensive than its red and white cousins, but the flower still carries a number of interesting – and sometimes contradictory – connotations. Its color links it to the sun, and in alchemy the yellow rose is a symbol of compassion and humanity.

During the Victorian Era, floriography or the “language of flowers” – which used specific blossoms to send symbolically coded messages – became immensely popular, and yellow roses embodied several different values; while they could be used to represent joy or friendship, more common meanings were jealousy and romantic rivalry. These latter meanings are possibly due to the symbolism of yellow itself; one of the color’s many connotations is of treachery/infidelity, so a flower of the same color would carry some of the same meaning.

The yellow rose is also an official flower of the state of Texas.