Sunflower Tattoo Meaning: Here’s What Makes It Spectacular

With their bright yellow petals that remind us of the goodness of the sun, there are many reasons we love sunflower tattoos.

Sunflower plants not only beautify our gardens, but also scream of summer. 

And for sure, they do make awesome tattoos as well. 

Agreeably, the sunflower may not be as popular as the rose flower tattoo, but they are eye-catching and very vibrant as well. 

Spread across the globe, sunflower tattoos have been gaining popularity across genders and ages because of their striking appearance. 

If you have been considering getting a sunflower tattoo, you should also know everything this flower represents. 

Let’s get right into it.

What Is The Meaning Of Sunflower Tattoo?

There is something comforting about the sunflower. At least, the famous artist, Van Gogh, who is known for his stunning drawings of the sunflower, agrees with us. 

But the sunflower goes beyond beauty and vibrancy. There are a lot of meanings attached to this lovely flower. 

Sunflower goes way back in time. The first time they were noticed was between 1438-1533 in Mexico during the Inca Empire in pre-Columbian America. These people worshiped the sun as their god. And so when they discovered the sunflower, they found it to be a perfect representation of the Sun god. 

Then came along the Native Americans who also believed in the power of the sunflower. To them, the flower was a symbol of a bountiful harvest. They also believed that the sunflower has a connection with the sun. Another belief they have is that the sunflower gives energy and helps in fertility, which can be seen in the abundant food harvest. 

These Native Americans did not only revere the sunflower but used it for dye, oil, medicine, and even food. 

Sunflowers symbolize a lot of things all over the world. 

For instance, in China, this flower means good luck. Also, this flower signifies self-awareness and intelligence, vitality and energy, as well as positivity and happiness.

Because of the vibrant color of the sunflower, Chinese people link the flower to what they call chakra therapy, a color healing therapy that is non-invasive. 

In religion, the sunflower can be a symbol of long life, hope and faith.

In Christianity, it is a sign of the love God has for His people. To Esoteric Christianity, the sunflower is a symbol of spiritual attainment and love.

It also means the complete faith in God that paves a way for them to make heaven when they depart the earth. 

To further explain what the sunflower means, let’s take a deeper look at individual symbolism of the sunflower. This will help you choose what meaning you want your sunflower tattoo to be. 

Love

Rose flower is not the only flower that is associated with love. In fact, the rose flower’s love tilts towards lust and passion. The sunflower, on the other hand, represents true, unspoiled, genuine and long-lasting love that exist between two people.

A good depiction of the sunflower as a symbol of undying love is the Greek mythology love story of Helios, the Greek god and Clytie, a beautiful water nymph.

Clytie was in love with Helios, but sadly, Helios did not reciprocate this love. 

Clytie waited so long for Helios to return her love that she always gazed at the sun. She eventually turned into a sunflower so that she can always face the sun, or in this case, Helios, the love of her life. 

From this powerful story, you can see how a sunflower tattoo can be a representation of true and genuine love. 

Longevity, Intelligence, and Good Luck  

Sunflowers represent intelligence, longevity, good luck and vitality in certain cultures.

Just as we mentioned above, the Chinese people regard the flower as a symbol of good luck.

Not only that.

The royals among them were known to consume sunflower seeds just to attain a high level of intelligence, and in some cases, immortality.

In terms of longevity, sunflowers can withstand heat waves, drought and severe weather conditions and still stand strong.

Therefore, a sunflower tattoo can be a way for you to remind yourself to stand strong in the face of animosity.  

So when you are opting for the sunflower tattoo, you can choose your own representation to be that of longevity, good luck and intelligence.

Happiness and Joy

There is no better flower tattoo that symbolizes happiness and joy like the sunflower.

It is a way to show how you feel and want to always feel.

The bright color of the sunflower is often associated with joy, happiness and positivity. It is also a representation of hope and warmth. 

Having the sunflower tattoo is a way to remind yourself to keep looking on the brighter side of life. 

Every year, the sunflower is reborn and thus symbolizes new beginnings and attainment of new heights in personal life and career. 

To sum it up, the sunflower tattoo can signify a happy life, faithfulness, happiness and joy, love, vitality and longevity, femininity, grace and gratitude, intelligence and faith. 

Why Are Sunflower Tattoos Popular?

Who doesn’t like the sun?

With the way the sun brings some warmth and brightness into our lives, you will understand why people want to carry this feeling wherever they go.

And this is one major reason sunflower tattoos are very popular.

It is the perfect way to remind yourself of the beauty of the sun and the things it signifies. 

Still on the reason why sunflower tattoos are popular, it’s also because of the rich symbolism it bears.

Symbolisms like joy, happiness, devotion, optimism, positivity, love, new beginnings and many more are things we want to always have or experience in life. 

Because flowers are used to represent love, the sunflower tattoo is popular for representing love.

And in this case genuine and true love, especially between two people. 

We can’t forget to mention that the vibrant color of the sunflower is another reason the tattoo is popular. 

Best Placement for Sunflower Tattoo

There are so many places you can have a sunflower tattooed on your body. 

The shoulder presents a good place for any circular image like a sunflower tattoo. The natural curved lines of the flower blend well with the natural shape of the shoulder. 

The sunflower can be tattooed on the entire arm with the stems drawn around it. 

Another great option is to have your sunflower tattoo under your chest and along the rib cage. This way, the sunflower tattoo will mimic the movement of your body.  

Also, the upper back and forearm are great choices, if you want to use names or initials as the stem of the sunflower tattoo. 

Any small tattoo or outlines can go on almost any part of the body. Think of the back of your ear, on the wrist, on the foot, or anywhere you prefer. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunflower Tattoo

Conclusion

Sunflowers are not just for body art, but also used for other things. They play important inspirations for indoor décor, landscapes, weddings etc. 

It’s not surprising why they make such amazing tattoos.

Even as a standalone tattoo or combined with other patterns, sunflower tattoos provide just the right inspiration for every tattoo enthusiast. 

With some modifications in color, shades and style, you can create your own unique sunflower tattoo to represent what you want it to mean to you.

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