Flowers are some of the most beautiful things on earth and whatever you believe that led them to exist is a wonderful thing. We appreciate their beauty and scent as well as what they represent. Flowers are some of the most symbolic things on the planet and this is why they are so popular with humans. So many things revolve around flowers. Furniture, decorations, jewelry, clothing, perfumes and tattoos.
We are sticking to tattoos specifically and, in this case, we are talking about the magnolia tattoo. Magnolias are one of the most captivating flowers in the world and there is a lot of symbolism wrapped around this beautiful flower. Depending on the culture might impact the significance of the meaning, but no matter what it means to you, the magnolia will still be a flower that people are drawn to.
In this post, we will talk about the magnolia along with the history and facts that surround this flower. However, the main point of this post is to discuss the magnolia tattoo meaning. We will also talk about a few variations of the magnolia tattoo that we are fans of and talk about the meaning of those tattoos. By the end of this post, we hope you have a better grasp of the symbolism behind the magnolia tattoo and what it means to the people who wear it.
About the Magnolia
It doesn’t matter where you grew up, if you didn’t live under a rock you probably know what a magnolia flower is or you’ve at least heard of it. The Southern Magnolia is also known as the Magnolia Grandiflora. The magnolia is native to the southeastern part of the US but graces cities all over the world. They are easily grown in many different climates and soil types which led them to spread to new countries. It is one of the most commonly planted decorative evergreen trees in the entire world.
The magnolia is also called the American tree, but this isn’t the magnolia’s only claim to fame. It is the state flower of Louisiana and Mississippi as well as being Mississippi’s state tree. The biggest Southern magnolia found in Mississippi is more than 120 feet tall and a six-foot diameter of the trunk. The Southern magnolia blooms creamy white flowers that give off a lemon scent. They generally grow to be about 12 inches in diameter.
The magnolia tree family is one of the oldest ones in the world. The flowers of the magnolia tree have petal-like tepals instead of real petals and sepals and this is because magnolias are so old. In addition, the magnolia flower doesn’t produce nectar but is still able to attract beetles to help with pollination through their sugary secretions and their fragrance.
There are different kinds of magnolia trees depending on what you need. If you need a giant magnolia tree to go in your backyard, you can get big magnolias like the Goliath that resides in Mississippi or you can get a magnolia tree that will grow to be under 20 feet tall.
The Little Gem is a variety of magnolia that is classified as a dwarf variety. They can grow to be 20 feet tall but usually stay between 10 and 20 feet tall with smaller flowers and foliage. The Brackens Brown Beauty is another type of magnolia that is very popular and is considered a mid-sized magnolia and is great for cold weather. The Margaret Davis is broad and large. It is one of the fastest-growing magnolias in the family. The Goliath is just what you think it is. The flowers are huge as well as the tree.
Magnolia Tattoo Meaning
The magnolia is full of symbolism so the magnolia tattoo follows suit. The meaning of this tattoo is both intriguing and interesting. The history is already fascinating and because they are grown all over the world, you can imagine there is some interesting symbolism.
First off, the magnolia tattoo symbolizes long life, eternity and endurance. Because the magnolia is very old, there are a lot of traits of the magnolia that are associated with longevity. There have been magnolia fossils found that go back over 20 million years which proves how long this flower has been around.
It is a very hard and tough flower that is unlike most of the gentle flowers you know of. Much of their durability is thought to be because they had to adapt many times over the years to survive and this is why it symbolizes long life, eternity and endurance.
The magnolia tattoo also represents magnificence and beauty. These flowers are large and bold. However, something about them is very subtle with their light colors and sweet smells. Their boldness mixed with softness liken these flowers to the beauty of life.
Then you’ve got all the different colors of the magnolia tattoo and what those colors symbolize. White magnolias symbolize perfection and purity while the pink magnolia is representative of joy, innocence and youth. Green magnolia tattoos symbolize good fortune, luck, joy and health while the purple magnolia symbolizes achieving health and luck.
Magnolia Tattoo Variations
We wanted to add a few variations of the magnolia tattoo that we wanted to share. Outside of normal magnolia tattoos, there are some cool styles and combinations of flowers below.
Watercolor Magnolia Tattoo
The watercolor magnolia tattoo just seems to be one of the best styles to get this flower inked in. The whimsical style of watercolor tattooing just flows with the colors and shape of the magnolia flower.
Magnolia Tree Tattoo
Many people get the magnolia flower tattooed but some choose to have the whole tree tattooed. In this case, you have a great option for a tattoo that fills a lot of space. The tree is just as beautiful as the flower and it makes a great option for a magnolia tattoo.
Magnolia and Skull Tattoo
Sometimes people like to mix up the dark with the light. The skull and the magnolia show us both the good parts of life and the dark parts. It symbolizes the duality of man. The good and bad of every situation. There is something really visually pleasing about this tattoo and seems to be a great choice.