Flowers in Russian Culture: Customs Our Customers Ask About
Flowers in Russian culture are a normal part of social life rather than a rare luxury: Russians give them for birthdays, holidays, visits, performances, school days and to say thank you. A few customs matter a great deal, above all giving an odd number of stems on happy occasions and keeping even numbers for mourning.
We have run flower shops in Saint Petersburg since 2011, and customers from abroad ask us the same handful of questions every week. This guide collects our answers: how many flowers to give, which dates matter, who gives flowers to whom, what is special about Petersburg, and how to send a bouquet to Russia when you are far away.
How many flowers to give: the question we hear most
The first thing customers from abroad ask in our shops is how many roses to order. The answer is always an odd number for a living person and a happy occasion: 5, 9, 15, 25. An even number is what Russians bring to a funeral, a grave or a memorial, and many recipients will notice it even if they never mention it. Our florists count the stems in every mono-bouquet for exactly this reason.
The rule matters most for small bouquets where each flower can be counted at a glance. In a large mixed composition with spray roses, eustoma and greenery nobody counts, so the custom stops applying. Grand gestures follow it too: 51 or 101 roses are popular for proposals and anniversaries because the number itself is odd.
For a funeral or a memorial visit, the opposite applies. Choose 2, 4 or 6 stems, usually carnations, roses or chrysanthemums in white or dark red, and keep the bouquet modest.
Bouquets through the Russian calendar
International Women's Day on 8 March is the busiest day of the year in every Russian flower shop. Women receive flowers from partners, sons, colleagues and even schoolboys in class; tulips, mimosa and spring mixes sell fastest. Ordering several days ahead is the reliable way to get the exact time you want, because the most convenient slots disappear first.
On 1 September, the Day of Knowledge, pupils carry bouquets to their teachers on the first school day, and in early October Teacher's Day brings a second wave. Mother's Day falls on the last Sunday of November and is growing more popular each year. Valentine's Day is widely celebrated by younger couples, while New Year is traditionally about gifts and a fir tree rather than bouquets.
Personal dates carry even more weight. Round-number birthdays such as 50, 60 or 70 are celebrated as jubilees with large bouquets and many guests, and wedding anniversaries are marked by the couple's children and grandchildren. A bouquet that arrives on the morning of a jubilee is one of the most appreciated gifts an absent relative can send.
Bouquets we can deliver
Who gives flowers to whom
The classic direction is from a man to a woman: husband to wife, son to mother, colleague to colleague on 8 March. Guests invited to a home bring a bouquet for the hostess along with a cake or a bottle for the table, and the hostess puts the flowers in water at once. Arriving at a birthday without flowers is a bigger social slip than bringing a small or simple bouquet.
Men receive flowers on jubilees, at retirement, after a performance or a defended thesis. For them we compose tall, structured bouquets in burgundy, deep blue, white and green, without lace, bows or pale pink. Teenagers and young men often prefer a potted plant or a bouquet combined with a small gift.
Gratitude is the third big reason. Patients thank doctors and nurses with flowers after an operation or the birth of a child; we wrote a separate guide on flowers for a Russian doctor or nurse. At work, colleagues collect for a bouquet on birthdays and service anniversaries, as described in our article on sending flowers to a Russian colleague.
Colours and flowers with a special meaning
Red roses speak of love and are the standard for a partner. White flowers suggest tenderness and are chosen for brides, young girls and teachers. Soft pink, cream and peach suit mothers, grandmothers and friends because they read as warm but not romantic. Older customers sometimes still avoid an entirely yellow bouquet, an old association with parting, though younger people rarely care.
Red carnations are tied to Victory Day on 9 May, war memorials and veterans, so most Russians see them as solemn and civic rather than personal. Chrysanthemums have no funeral meaning in Russia at all and are a favourite autumn gift because they last so long. Orchids are welcomed both in bouquets and in pots; our florists explain the nuances in Are Orchids OK in Russian Culture?.
Artificial flowers belong to cemeteries and are never given as a present to the living. Whatever you choose, fresh flowers are expected.
Petersburg traditions with flowers
Saint Petersburg adds its own customs. Theatre audiences bring bouquets to hand to ballet dancers, singers and actors at the curtain call, and the flowers are carried to the stage edge during the bows. In late June, school leavers celebrate their graduation during the White Nights, and girls in evening dresses often hold bouquets from their families.
The city also remembers with flowers. On 27 January, the anniversary of the full lifting of the Siege of Leningrad, and on 9 May, residents lay carnations and tulips at memorials and at the Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery, always in even numbers. Visitors who join these days of remembrance usually buy a few stems on the way.
Weddings in Petersburg traditionally include a ride around the city and a stop to lay flowers at a memorial or a monument, a custom couples still keep. Popular stops include the Field of Mars and the embankments along the Neva, where the bride's bouquet appears in almost every photo.
Sending flowers to Russia from abroad
Choose a bouquet in our Bouquets catalogue, check the number of stems for the occasion and write the card text; the card is free. Delivery is anonymous by default, so the courier will not name you unless your card does. Before arriving, the courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes in advance, and if nobody is in we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the bouquet with a neighbour or concierge.
We deliver across Russia. City delivery costs 500 RUB, and for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after confirmation; you can also choose an exact time with a margin of 30 minutes, a window from 09-12 to 18-21, or pre-order 1-30 days ahead. In Saint Petersburg we deliver around the clock.
Payment is online on the site by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. If you have questions about a bouquet or a delivery, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
How many flowers should I give in Russia?
Give an odd number of stems for birthdays, dates and celebrations. Even numbers are reserved for funerals and memorials.
Which day do Russians give the most flowers?
International Women's Day on 8 March. It is followed by 1 September, when pupils bring flowers to teachers, and by personal jubilees.
Can I give flowers to a man in Russia?
Yes, especially on a jubilee, at retirement or after a performance. Choose tall, structured bouquets in deep or neutral colours.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Yes. Foreign bank cards are accepted via Robokassa, and you can also pay by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay on the site.
Do you deliver at night in Saint Petersburg?
Yes, in Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock. In other large cities you can choose express delivery, an exact time or a time window.
Ready to send a bouquet?
Pick a city, choose the flowers, and we will hand them over with a photo confirmation.
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