Choosing sympathy flowers in Chicago can feel difficult for a simple reason: you want to be thoughtful at a time when there isn’t much you can say to make things better.
Maybe a close friend has lost a parent. A coworker is grieving their partner. Or you heard about a loss and want the family to know you’re thinking of them, even though you can’t be there in person.
You don’t need to find a bouquet that says everything. A simple arrangement and a few sincere words are enough. Below, we’ll look at flowers commonly chosen for sympathy and remembrance, along with a few things to consider when sending them to a home, funeral, or memorial service in Chicago.
What Flowers Are Appropriate for Sympathy?
White, cream, pale pink, and green are common choices for sympathy flowers, but there’s no rule that every arrangement has to be completely white.
What matters more is the family, their traditions, and where you’re sending the flowers. Something simple may suit a friend’s home, while a larger arrangement can make more sense for a memorial service.
Here are several flowers commonly associated with remembrance and condolence.
White Roses: Simple and Versatile
When you don’t know the family’s flower preferences, white roses are an easy place to start.
They have a clean, understated look and work in arrangements for both the home and a service. Cream roses or very pale pink varieties can soften the palette if an all-white bouquet feels too formal.
If you’re considering roses, you can browse our white roses in Chicago and choose the size that feels appropriate for your relationship with the family.
Chrysanthemums: Flowers with Different Traditions in Chicago
Chrysanthemums mean very different things depending on where you are.
In France and several other European countries, they’re strongly associated with remembrance and are commonly placed on graves around All Saints’ Day. White chrysanthemums also have funerary associations in parts of East Asia.
There’s a Chicago connection, too. The chrysanthemum has been the city’s official flower since 1966.
That doesn’t mean you need to choose one simply because you’re sending sympathy flowers in Chicago, but it gives this traditional remembrance flower an interesting local connection.
Carnations: A Meaningful Choice When Someone Loses a Mother
White carnations have a particular history with remembrance.
When Anna Jarvis organized one of the first formal Mother’s Day observances in 1908, she sent hundreds of white carnations to honor her late mother, whose favorite flower was the carnation. The white carnation later became associated with remembering mothers who had died.
That history can make carnations especially meaningful when you’re sending condolences to someone who has lost their mom.
They’re practical, too. Carnations tend to hold up well in a vase, so an arrangement can stay with the family for some time after it arrives.
Orchids: For Something That Lasts Longer
A potted orchid is worth considering when you’d rather send a living plant than cut flowers.
Phalaenopsis orchids can hold their blooms for weeks with relatively simple care. They don’t need daily attention, which may be helpful in a household where flowers aren’t anyone’s priority right now.
They’re also easy to place on a side table or windowsill without taking up much room.
You can see available options in our orchids in Chicago.
White Lilies: Traditional, with One Important Caution
White lilies are commonly associated with funerals and sympathy arrangements in the United States. Their tall stems and large blooms also make them useful in larger arrangements intended for a service.
Their fragrance can be quite noticeable, so they’re worth considering carefully if you’re sending flowers to a smaller home.
There’s another important point if the family has cats. True lilies and daylilies are extremely toxic to cats, including the pollen and even the water in the vase. In that situation, choose a different flower.
Hydrangeas: Full Blooms for Larger Arrangements
A single hydrangea stem carries dozens of small florets, so it adds a lot of fullness without needing many stems.
That’s one reason you’ll often see white hydrangeas in sympathy arrangements and larger floral pieces. They mix easily with roses, lisianthus, chrysanthemums, and greenery.
Hydrangeas also need plenty of water. If you’re sending them to a home, a vase arrangement can be more convenient than a wrapped bouquet, since the flowers can go straight onto a table without the family having to arrange them.
How to Order Sympathy Flowers in Chicago from Ode à la Rose
Before ordering sympathy flowers in Chicago, check whether the family has shared any preferences.
An obituary or memorial announcement may ask for charitable donations instead of flowers. Religious and cultural customs matter as well. If flowers are welcome, think about where they’re going next.
For a funeral home, church, or memorial venue, confirm the service time and address before ordering. It’s usually better for the arrangement to arrive with plenty of time before the service begins rather than during it.
For a home delivery, convenience matters. A bouquet that arrives in a vase can save the family from having to find one, trim stems, and arrange flowers themselves.
Our Chicago atelier prepares bouquets locally, and available same-day delivery dates and time windows appear after you enter the destination ZIP code. You can also add a personal message, which we’ll print on a card and include with the flowers.
If you’re not sure what to choose, these arrangements cover a range of sizes and styles.
Josephine
Josephine keeps things very simple: white Mondial roses, gathered without added greenery.
The roses have a faint blush toward the center and light green edges, so the bouquet isn’t a flat, stark white.
It could suit a family home, a close friend, or someone who prefers a classic arrangement without several different flower varieties.
Anna
Anna mixes white Mondial roses and hydrangea with lisianthus, Queen Anne’s lace, spray pompoms, and eucalyptus.
Everything stays within white and green, but the different bloom sizes give the arrangement more texture.
It’s available in 15- and 25-stem versions.
Paulette
Not every sympathy bouquet has to look formal.
Paulette combines white roses, spray roses, tulips, snapdragons, and eucalyptus. The tulips and taller snapdragon stems make the arrangement a little looser than a traditional round rose bouquet.
That can work particularly well if you’re sending flowers directly to someone’s home.
Amelia
If you’d prefer something slightly warmer than pure white, Amelia combines cream Mondial roses with white lisianthus, mini daisy asters, and eucalyptus.
The cream roses add a little softness without bringing strong color into the arrangement.
Choose between 20 and 30 stems.
White Orchid
Our White Orchid is a living Phalaenopsis plant rather than a cut bouquet.
It stands about 25 inches tall and comes in a textured white ceramic pot with moss. The plant typically carries eight to ten blooms.
An orchid can be a thoughtful option if you’re sending something to the family’s home and would prefer a plant they can keep after the other flowers have faded.
Therese
Sometimes you know you want to reach out, but a large arrangement wouldn’t feel right.
Therese is a smaller white bouquet made with Mondial roses, tulips, spray roses, snapdragons, and eucalyptus.
Its size makes it worth considering for a coworker, neighbor, or acquaintance when you want to acknowledge the loss without sending a large floral piece.
Flower Basket
For a memorial or a larger space, the Flower Basket uses seasonal white flowers arranged in a wicker basket.
Depending on availability, the mix may include roses, hydrangea, chrysanthemums, lisianthus, orchids, and snapdragons.
At around 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide, it’s considerably larger than a table bouquet, so check where the family would like flowers sent before ordering.
Tall Sympathy Arrangement
The Tall Sympathy Arrangement is intended for a funeral, memorial, or other larger setting.
It stands around 30 inches tall in a white glass cylinder vase and uses seasonal white flowers that may include roses, hydrangea, chrysanthemums, lisianthus, dendrobium orchids, and snapdragons.
Because of its size and delivery requirements, availability can depend on the destination.
To see the arrangements available for your date, browse our sympathy flowers collection, enter the delivery ZIP code, and choose an available delivery window.
Choosing Sympathy Flowers in Chicago with Care
If you’re unsure what to send, you don’t need to make the choice complicated. Start with what you know about the person or family, and choose something simple if you don’t know their preferences.
Spend a little more time on the card. You can share a short memory of the person who died, let your friend know you’re thinking of them, or simply write, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
There may not be much you can say right now, but you can still let them know you’re there.
