Most Popular Flowers in Sweden

Sweden is a flower-loving country. We send flowers for birthdays, weddings and funerals, pick up bouquets at the petrol station on a Friday evening, and line our windowsills with potted plants all winter long. But which flowers are actually the most popular – and why? This guide walks through the ten best-selling cut flowers in Sweden, covering their season, price, vase life and symbolism, and also looks at what is trending right now.

Sweden's national flower – and its favourite flower

There is an important distinction to make. Sweden's official national flower is the twinflower (Linnaea borealis), the delicate woodland bloom that Carl von Linné had named after himself. The twinflower is rarely sold as a cut flower but carries strong cultural weight – it symbolises the Swedish forest landscape and scientific heritage.

Quite another matter is which flower is actually sold most and commonly called "Sweden's favourite flower" in everyday speech: the tulip. The tulip did not originate in Sweden – it arrived in Europe from the Ottoman Empire via the Netherlands – but Sweden has adopted it as its own, above all as a herald of winter's end and approaching spring. Forced tulips, grown under artificial light in heated glasshouses in Holland and to some extent in Sweden itself, mean you can buy something bright and spring-like as early as January.

The ten best-selling cut flowers in Sweden

1. Roses (Rosa spp.)

The rose is the world's best-selling cut flower and tops the Swedish sales charts as well. In Sweden the market is dominated by imported roses from Kenya and Ecuador, grown under precise conditions for maximum vase life.

• Appearance and colours: Classic bloom shape, long stems (50–90 cm), fragrant varieties such as David Austin roses or unscented florist roses. Red, pink, white, yellow, orange, purple and bicolour.
• Season in Sweden: Swedish field roses bloom June–September, but 95 % of sales depend on imported roses available year-round.
• Symbolism: Red rose = declaration of love. Pink = appreciation and gratitude. Yellow = friendship (historically given a negative connotation in Sweden, though this has softened). White = purity and condolence. Orange = energy and admiration.
• Price: A single stem retails for SEK 15–30. A bouquet of ten roses costs SEK 199–399 depending on variety and shop.
• Vase life: 7–14 days with regular water changes and fresh-cut stems.
• Avoid: Open-bloomed roses in midsummer heat – they wilt quickly. Choose tight buds when buying.

The roses presented after every Swedish Olympic medal are almost always Swedish garden roses – a wonderfully brief season of domestic pride.

2. Tulips (Tulipa spp.)

The tulip is probably the flower most associated with the Swedish longing for spring and the feeling of home. Despite its Turkish origins and the large-scale cultivation taking place in the Netherlands, the tulip has become part of Swedish everyday culture in a way no other flower has managed.

• Appearance and colours: Simple, elegant cup. Single, double, fringed and parrot varieties. Red, yellow, white, purple, pink, orange, black (Queen of Night) and bicolour.
• Season in Sweden: Home-grown tulips bloom March–May. Forced tulips – cultivated under artificial light and warmth – are on the market from November right through to April.
• Why tulips are so Swedish: In the mid-twentieth century the tulip was popularised as the accessible domestic spring, purchased at Konsum or Domus. Forced tulips became a way of surviving the darkness – a tradition that remains very much alive.
• Price: SEK 5–15 per stem. A bunch of ten tulips costs SEK 79–149.
• Vase life: 5–10 days. Tulips keep growing in the vase and may bend towards the light – part of their charm.
• Avoid: Do not place tulips next to narcissi – the narcissi secrete a substance that shortens the tulips' vase life.

Did you know that a single tulip bulb once cost more than a house? In seventeenth-century Holland, "tulip mania" erupted – one of history's earliest speculative bubbles.

3. Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii)

Gerbera is the sunburst, colour-saturated flower that never seems to go out of fashion. It catches the eye with its simple, clear form – like an oversized daisy in wild colours.

• Appearance and colours: Round, flat flowerheads on long stems (40–60 cm). Red, orange, yellow, pink, white, purple and bicolour.
• Season in Sweden: Grown in greenhouses year-round, mostly imported from the Netherlands and Kenya.
• Symbolism: Joy, positive energy, wellbeing. Popular for birthday bouquets and "thinking of you" flowers.
• Price: SEK 10–20 per stem. A bunch of seven gerbera costs SEK 99–179.
• Vase life: 7–12 days. Fragile stems – avoid bending them.
• Avoid: Gerbera dislike overly warm water – change the water every other day using cold tap water.

Gerbera is one of the five best-selling cut flowers in the world and is grown on an enormous scale in the Westland region of Holland.

4. Lilies (Lilium spp.)

The lily's grandeur and powerful fragrance make it a favourite in wedding and condolence arrangements. There are dozens of species and hybrids, but Oriental lilies and LA hybrids dominate the Swedish market.

• Appearance and colours: Large trumpet-shaped flowers, often 5–7 blooms per stem. White, pink, red, orange, yellow and speckled.
• Season in Sweden: Home-grown lilies bloom in summer (July–September), but imported lilies are available year-round.
• Symbolism: Purity (white lily), passion (red), motherhood. Common in weddings and funerals.
• Price: SEK 20–40 per stem. A bouquet of three stems (approximately 15–21 flowers) costs SEK 149–299.
• Vase life: 10–14 days. Remove the stamens (the yellow pollen clubs) immediately – the pollen stains clothes and furniture.
• WARNING – cats: All parts of true lilies (genus Lilium) are lethal to cats. Even a small bite of a leaf or drinking the vase water can cause kidney failure. Choose alternative flowers in homes with cats.

The intense fragrance of Oriental lilies can be overwhelming for sensitive individuals – choose LA hybrids if you are unsure.

5. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)

The sunflower is summer's superstar and has become, during the 2010s and 2020s, one of the hottest choices for informal, cheerful bouquets. It signals sunshine, warmth and a relaxed joy for life.

• Appearance and colours: Characteristic brown-black centre disc surrounded by yellow to orange petals. Miniature varieties down to 30 cm, giant varieties up to 2 metres.
• Season in Sweden: Home-grown season July–September. For the rest of the year, sunflowers are imported from southern Europe and South America.
• Symbolism: Happiness, optimism, loyalty. Perfect for housewarming parties, summer gatherings and celebratory bouquets.
• Price: SEK 15–25 per stem. A bunch of five sunflowers costs SEK 99–199.
• Vase life: 6–10 days. Change the water daily – sunflowers are thirsty plants.
• Fun fact: A sunflower is not actually a single flower but thousands of tiny flowers (florets) packed into the centre disc.

6. Peonies (Paeonia lactiflora and hybrids)

The cult status of the peony in Sweden is well deserved. It blooms during a frustratingly short window – often only two to three weeks in June – but the beauty and fragrance are so intense that they define the entire summer. Peony bouquets sell out within hours of delivery at many florists.

• Appearance and colours: Lush, fully double ball-like flowers packed with petals. White, cream, pink in every shade from palest blush to deep cerise, and red.
• Season in Sweden: Home-grown flowering occurs June–July. Imported peonies from France and Chile are available March–May and October–November, but they lack the powerful fragrance of the domestic season.
• Symbolism: Romance, prosperity, marriage, good fortune. One of the most popular wedding flowers in Sweden.
• Price: SEK 30–60 per stem in season. Out of season SEK 50–90. A wedding bouquet featuring peonies can cost SEK 600–1,500.
• Vase life: 5–7 days. Buy buds that have just begun to open for maximum vase life.
• Tip: Place a peony bud in the refrigerator overnight if you want to slow the opening for a special occasion.

Peonies have been cultivated in China for over 2,000 years, where they are called "queen of flowers". In Sweden it was the bouquet aesthetics of Instagram in the 2010s that gave the peony its current cult following.

7. Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus)

Carnations have for decades suffered the reputation of being a "cheap flower" – unfairly so, because modern cultivars are elegant and extraordinarily long-lasting. A reputable florist no longer looks down on the carnation.

• Appearance and colours: Fringed, fragrant petals. Red, pink, white, purple, yellow, bicolour. Spray carnations carry clusters of smaller blooms.
• Season in Sweden: Grown in greenhouses year-round, mostly imported from Colombia and Spain.
• Symbolism: Love and admiration (red), tenderness (pink), purity (white). In Sweden, white carnations are traditionally worn on 1 May.
• Price: SEK 8–15 per stem. A bunch of ten carnations costs SEK 79–149.
• Vase life: 14–21 days – among the longest-lasting cut flowers available.
• Avoid: Carnations suffer near fruit – ethylene gas from ripening fruit significantly shortens their lifespan.

8. Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum spp.)

Chrysanthemums are an autumn flower par excellence and the bloom that dominates graveyards and memorial arrangements in Sweden during November, especially around All Saints' Day.

• Appearance and colours: Enormously varied – pompom, spider, anemone-like. Yellow, white, pink, purple, orange, red.
• Season in Sweden: Autumn and early winter. Home-grown season September–November, imported varieties available year-round.
• Symbolism: In Sweden chrysanthemums are strongly associated with grief and memorial occasions. Use with care as a celebratory bouquet – the recipient may perceive it as mournful.
• Price: SEK 10–20 per stem. A bouquet costs SEK 99–199.
• Vase life: 14–21 days – exceptionally long-lasting.
• Fun fact: The chrysanthemum is the national symbol of Japan and adorns the imperial family's crest.

9. Orchid (Phalaenopsis as a potted plant)

Strictly speaking, the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) is primarily a potted plant rather than a cut flower, but it tops the sales lists of Swedish florists and supermarkets and fully deserves its place here. It is one of the best-selling gift plants in Sweden.

• Appearance and colours: Elegant, butterfly-like flowers along a gracefully arching spike. White, pink, purple, yellow, orange, bicolour, striped.
• Season in Sweden: Available year-round as a potted plant, grown in the Netherlands.
• Symbolism: Elegance, luxury, success. A popular corporate gift and housewarming present.
• Price: SEK 99–299 for a pot with one to three spikes.
• Longevity: A well-cared-for Phalaenopsis blooms for 3–6 months. Water sparingly – root rot is the most common cause of death.
• Tip: Place the orchid in indirect light, away from direct sun. Fertilise every four weeks during the blooming period.

10. Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)

Hydrangeas have climbed dramatically in popularity during the 2010s and 2020s and are now among the most sought-after flowers at Swedish florists, particularly for weddings and summer arrangements.

• Appearance and colours: Large mophead or lacecap clusters of hundreds of tiny flowers. White, pink, blue, purple, green, red. The colour of some varieties depends on soil pH.
• Season in Sweden: Garden blooming June–September. As a cut flower, mostly imported from Holland and Colombia.
• Symbolism: Gratitude, sincerity, heartfelt emotion. Popular in weddings and midsummer arrangements.
• Price: SEK 40–80 per stem (the large flowerhead justifies the price). A bunch of three hydrangeas costs SEK 199–349.
• Vase life: 7–10 days. Hydrangeas are thirsty – mist the flowerhead directly with water and change the vase water every other day.
• Tip: If a hydrangea starts to droop, submerge the entire flowerhead in cold water for 30 minutes – it usually revives.

Trending flowers in Sweden 2024–2026

Flower fashion changes. Beyond the classic top-ten, these blooms and plants have made their way into Swedish homes and weddings in recent years:

• Dried flowers: Statice, lagurus (bunny-tail grass), pampas grass and dried peonies are hugely popular. They last for months and need no water – perfect for a decorative bouquet with zero maintenance.
• Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana): From niche interest to standard home décor in five years. Sold dried in florists and interiors shops. Note: it can be invasive – buy indoor-grown specimens.
• Eucalyptus: Used primarily as a green complement in bouquets but more popular than ever. The fragrance is an added bonus.
• Dried botanicals and natural materials: Cotoneaster, rosehips, berries and branches are coveted as accents in autumn arrangements.
• Ranunculus (Ranunculus): Has become the 2020s substitute for peonies for those who cannot find peonies out of season. Equally lush, blooms February–May.
• Fritillary (Fritillaria): The speckled, nodding bell flower appears increasingly in florist arrangements in Sweden – a bloom with dramatic character.

When should you avoid a particular flower?

Not every flower suits every occasion. Here are the most important considerations:

• Lilies in homes with cats: Lethal – choose roses, tulips or gerbera instead.
• Yellow roses for older recipients: Despite the softening of the interpretation, an older generation may still associate yellow roses with jealousy or infidelity. When in doubt, choose pink or red.
• Chrysanthemums as a celebratory bouquet: In Sweden they are strongly linked with grief. They work better as autumn décor in the right context.
• Strongly scented flowers (lilies, carnations) in hospitals or for people with migraines: Choose unscented alternatives such as tulips or gerbera.
• Carnations near fruit: Ethylene gas from ripe fruit significantly shortens their lifespan.
• Hydrangea in direct sun: It wilts quickly in intense heat – choose a cool spot with indirect light.

Summary

Sweden has a flower culture that stretches from the modest woodland twinflower – our official national flower – to the lavish peony bouquets that sell out within minutes every June. The ten best-selling cut flowers cover a broad spectrum of price, durability, fragrance and symbolism: roses for love and gratitude, tulips for spring and the feeling of home, gerbera for joy, lilies for grand occasions (but keep them away from cats), sunflowers for summer, peonies for romance, carnations for longevity, chrysanthemums for autumn and memorial occasions, orchids for luxury, and hydrangeas for elegant arrangements. The trends point towards dried flowers, pampas grass and natural materials – a movement towards the sustainable and the wild. Whether you are buying a single tulip at a petrol station or ordering a spectacular wedding arrangement: the right flower, at the right moment, with the right care – that is the heart of the art of flowers.