An Even Number of Flowers in Russia: When It Is Wrong and When It Is Right
In Russia an even number of flowers is meant for the dead: it is what people bring to funerals, cemeteries and war memorials. A bouquet for a living person should have an odd number of main flowers, such as 5, 7, 9 or 11. The rule is widely known and taken seriously, especially by older people, so an even gift bouquet can come across as an unpleasant omen.
In our Saint Petersburg shops this is one of the first things customers from abroad ask about, usually after seeing a Western bouquet of twelve roses. Below we explain how Russians actually count a bouquet, at what size the rule stops applying, which occasions call for an even number, and how to order so the count is right without you having to check it yourself.
What customers ask at the counter
The most common request we hear is to add or remove one stem. A visitor picks a ready bouquet of ten tulips, someone mentions the custom, and the bouquet becomes eleven. Russians do this almost automatically, and many will count the flowers in a gift bouquet before they even read the card.
The second question is whether the rule is a superstition or real etiquette. It is both. Few people believe that an even bouquet brings bad luck, but nearly everyone associates even numbers with mourning, so receiving one feels as odd as being handed a wreath at a birthday party. Choosing an odd count costs nothing and avoids that moment.
The third question comes from people sending flowers to an older relative: whether the grandmother will notice. In our experience she will, and she may take one flower out before putting the rest in a vase. For mothers, grandmothers, teachers and in-laws, the count deserves particular care.
Business customers ask the same thing for corporate gifts. A bouquet for a director's anniversary, flowers for a speaker after a conference or a thank-you to a client follow the same rule as personal gifts, so the count of main flowers should be odd. A mixed composition with a card from the whole team is the simplest way to avoid counting altogether.
How Russians count a bouquet
Only the main flowers are counted. In a bouquet of seven roses with eucalyptus, ruscus and a few sprays of gypsophila, the number is seven; greenery and filler do not change it. When we make a mono bouquet of roses, tulips or peonies, we keep the count odd as a matter of course.
Spray roses and spray chrysanthemums are counted by stem, not by individual bloom, because one stem carries several heads. A bouquet of five spray rose stems may show twenty flowers, and that is perfectly acceptable. The same applies to orchids on a single branch and to hydrangea, where one head is one flower.
Mixed bouquets, flower boxes and arrangements in baskets are not counted at all. They are judged as one composition, so you can choose them freely for any celebration. More examples are collected in our article on stem counts in Russian flower etiquette.
Bouquets we can deliver
Counts that work, and where the rule ends
For small gifts, 3, 5 or 7 stems are the usual choice: modest, easy to carry and suitable for a colleague, a teacher or a first date. One flower is also an odd number and is fine. For birthdays and anniversaries, 9, 11, 15 and 25 are popular counts, and 51 or 101 roses are kept for proposals and big declarations.
Above about fifteen stems the eye stops counting, and many people consider the rule no longer applies. Even so, large bouquets in Russia are nearly always made in odd numbers out of habit, and there is no reason to break the pattern.
The Western dozen is the clearest trap. Twelve red roses look like a love gift in London or New York, but in Saint Petersburg they are an even number. Order eleven or thirteen instead; the bouquet looks nearly the same and is read correctly. See odd or even: the Russian flower number rule for a short summary.
When an even number is correct
At a funeral, a wake or a graveside visit, flowers are brought in pairs: two, four or six carnations, roses or chrysanthemums. Calm colours are preferred, usually white, dark red or burgundy, with simple wrapping or none at all. Here an odd number would be the mistake, and relatives will notice it just as quickly.
Saint Petersburg has several dates when people lay flowers at memorials. On 27 January, the anniversary of the end of the Siege of Leningrad, and on 9 May, Victory Day, the city brings even numbers of carnations and tulips to the Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery and to monuments across the city. Many families also visit graves on the anniversary of a death and on Radonitsa in spring.
If you live abroad and want flowers placed on your behalf for a family memorial, say clearly that the bouquet is for a grave or a memorial and that the number must be even. Out of habit people tend to add a stem, so it helps to state the count in the order. Our article why Russian bouquets have odd numbers of stems explains the background of both customs.
Other details that matter as much as the count
Colour carries its own meaning. Red roses are for love and are best kept for a loved one rather than a colleague; white and pastel shades suit mothers, newborns and weddings; bright mixed bouquets work for almost any birthday. Some older people still associate purely yellow bouquets with separation, so mix yellow with other colours if you are unsure.
Wrapping and size also send signals. A compact bouquet in kraft paper or a flower box is easy to bring to an office or a restaurant, while a large bouquet is more appropriate at home. For a first meeting with your future in-laws, a medium bouquet of an odd number of roses or a seasonal mixed bouquet is the safest choice.
Timing matters too. Flowers on the morning of a birthday, before the person leaves for work, are remembered far longer than a bouquet arriving late in the evening. If you are in another time zone, plan the delivery window by Moscow time, which is also Saint Petersburg time.
Ordering the right number from Pyat Tsvetov
Pick a bouquet in our catalogue; the number of main flowers is shown in the description. City delivery costs 500 RUB, and for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. Payment on the site is by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. A card with your text is free.
In large cities we deliver within 1-2 hours after confirming the order, at an exact time (plus or minus 30 minutes), in a window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or on a date 1-30 days ahead. In Saint Petersburg we deliver around the clock. Delivery is anonymous by default, and the courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival.
If you need an exact count for a gift or for a memorial, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05 before ordering. We will confirm the number of stems, the colours and the delivery time with you. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Why is an even number of flowers bad in Russia?
Even numbers are traditionally brought to funerals, graves and memorials. Giving them to a living person is not offensive in law or manners, but it reminds people of mourning, so odd numbers are used for gifts.
Does greenery count towards the number of flowers?
No. Only the main flowers are counted. Eucalyptus, ruscus, gypsophila and other filler do not change the number.
Is twelve roses acceptable in Russia?
Twelve is even, so it is better to give eleven or thirteen. The bouquet looks almost the same and avoids any awkward association.
How many flowers should I bring to a grave in Russia?
An even number, most often two, four or six stems, in calm colours such as white, dark red or burgundy.
Does the rule apply to spray roses?
Spray roses are counted by stem, not by bloom. Five stems with many small heads are still five flowers, which is an odd and correct number.
Ready to send a bouquet?
Pick a city, choose the flowers, and we will hand them over with a photo confirmation.
Choose a city →