With cheery, vibrant, and bright yellow petals, Forsythia flowers are welcoming harbingers of spring. Thanks to their large petals, stunning beauty, and colorful varieties, they are also a popular floral subject for tattoos. They are blessed with several symbolic meanings including anticipation, new life, and young love.
This article provides everything you need to know about Forsythia tattoos, including their history, symbolism, meanings, origins, and how people choose to have them tattooed on their bodies. You will also learn about the flower itself.
What Is A Forsythia Flower?
It is a genus of flowering plants in the olive family known as Oleaceae. Most species of Forsythia are native to regions throughout eastern Asia and there is also one species that grows in the wild throughout southeastern Europe.
There are only 11 known species of Forsythia shrubs and they tend to grow between three and four feet (one-three meters) high.
Forsythia flowers are usually a rich and deep yellow color, with four large, deep lobes. They bloom in spring and if it rains, the flowers turn upside down so that they protect the interior fruit and reproductive parts.
It has long been thought that Forsythia flowers are able to produce lactose, which is a type of sugar that is usually found in milk produced by mammals. Unfortunately, recent studies into their floral biology have debunked the legend as a myth.
The genus is named after famous Scottish botanist William Forsyth, whose claim to fame is that during the 19th century he was a founding member of England’s Royal Horticultural Society and a head gardener for the royal family. He is also known as the man who introduced the genus to Britain.
What Is The History Of The Forsythia Tattoo?
Flowers have always been a popular tattoo choice, particularly in recent years when they have become more and more popular with women. Not only are they beautiful to look at and come in a myriad of spectacular colors, but flower tattoos are symbolic. Each type of flower is imbued with meaning, from love, sympathy, and friendship to danger, distress, and everything in between.
Although Forsythia flowers are a popular floral tattoo amongst women, they are increasingly being favored by men who today also like the beauty and symbolism of colorful floral tattoos.
What Does Forsythia Tattoo Symbolize?
Every single flower has a meaning (or set of meanings) unique to it. This is known as floriography and it has been practiced for centuries.
In floriography, the Forsythia flower symbolizes friendship, happiness, energy, joy, and pride. This is thanks largely to the flower’s steadfast yellow color, which is its most noticeable feature. Yellow flowers in general are also linked to optimism and these are no exception.
The flower is also associated with the following meanings:
Excitement
We all know the pleasure of enthusiasm and eagerness. The flower is a great way to celebrate a time you were excited.
Compassion
Compassion is one of humanity’s greatest virtues. Showing compassion, or valuing this trait as a way of life, lessens pain in others. Forsythia flower tattoos are a great way to show that this is something that you value.
Honesty
Honesty has both positive and negative connotations but if it is a virtue that you value, the flower is a great way to signal your strong connection to the truth.
Anticipation
Few feelings are as tantalizing as anticipation and this flower is a great way to show that you value this particular emotion.
A new start
With its strong connection to spring and the renewal and regeneration that it brings, the flower is a potent symbol of new starts, forgiveness, and starting with a clean slate.
Young Love
Young love is a gentle and innocent kind of love, not tarnished by heartbreak, distance, or unrequited feelings. The flower is a way to recognize the simple joy of young romance.
Devoted Love
In Korea, these flowers are especially linked to the idea of romantic love.
Where Do People Usually Get Their Forsythia Flower Tattooed On Their Body?
Flowers, no matter what type you prefer, are usually associated with positive feelings and happy vibes. For this reason, people are happy to have them tattooed on all parts of their bodies, including spaces that are rarely covered up by clothing such as hands, the neck, and even the face.
Forsythia flowers are large, symmetrical, and bold and they look spectacular along the central portion of the body including the neck, back, chest, and stomach. If you choose to get a tattoo here, you can rest assured that it will excel as the most prominent image on your body.
As a flower strongly associated with spring, they are also perfect for those parts of the body that are revealed after the long and cool months of winter. This includes the feet, arms, thighs, and shoulders.
How Do People Usually Get The Tattoos Inked On Their Body?
Flowers are detailed and intricate organisms and it can be hard for tattoo artists to represent their fine botanical lines.
For some people, they prefer the accuracy and intricacy of a black and white line drawing, with a minimum of shading.
For other people, however, the beauty of the flower comes mostly from its vibrant yellow color, large size, and bold and vivid shading.
So, Is This Tattoo Right For You?
Spring is in the air, and a floral tattoo is a great way to celebrate the beauty of life, renewal, and rebirth. This is particularly true for Forsythia tattoos, which represent all that spring has to offer including excitement, anticipation, and a new start.
If yellow is a color that is particularly meaningful to you, the flower is a great way to honor that preference because it only grows in this single hue.
This flower is imbued with meaning, symbolism, and purpose. There is no doubt that, if you have a love of yellow and fondness of spring, it may well be the floral tattoo that you have been searching for.
