Trend · November 9
Why purple flowers are given on November 9
A song from 1975, a clip that went viral on TikTok and a lovely idea: giving violets to that person who arrived recently and is already essential.
- When
- November 9in Colombia October 9 also circulates
- What to give
- Violets or any purple flower
- Where
- Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Spain
- Song
- “Un ramito de violetas”Cecilia, 1975 · viral version by Zalo Reyes
The origin: “Un ramito de violetas”
The Spanish singer Cecilia released “Un ramito de violetas” (A little bunch of violets) in 1975. The song tells of a woman who receives a little bunch of violets every November 9, with no card, from an admirer who never shows his face. In the end it turns out that the sender was her own husband.
A clip of Zalo Reyes’s version went viral on TikTok and fixed the date: if the song says November 9, that is purple flowers day.
Who is your purple person?
On TikTok, purple flowers aren’t for your long-term partner, but for your “purple person”: someone who came into your life recently and very quickly became essential. It could be a new friend, a classmate or someone who held you up during a hard time.
That’s why the tone of the trend is more about gratitude than romance: “I haven’t known you long, but you already matter”.
November 9 or October 9?
The lyrics say November 9 and it is the most cited date. In Colombia a variant on October 9 also circulates, so you may see purple flower videos a month earlier.
In the Florario calendar the date is November 9; the variant is mentioned in its details.
What purple flowers mean
Purple is associated with admiration, respect and gratitude, and also with a certain mystery, very much in keeping with the nameless admirer in the song. Giving them says “I admire you” more than “I love you”, although it can be both.
Which purple flowers to give
- Violets: the ones in the song. They are sold in small pots and last much longer than a bouquet.
- Lavender: cheap, smells lovely and can be dried.
- Lisianthus or purple tulips: if you prefer a showier bouquet.
If the person is from Spain, avoid purple chrysanthemums: there they are associated with All Saints’ Day, which falls just a week earlier.
How to make a purple bouquet last
Violets are the flower of the song, but they bloom at the end of winter and as cut flowers last barely two or three days. For November 9 it is more practical to give a pot of violets or a bouquet of lisianthus, lavender and iris, which last a week or more.
- Lavender: put it in a little water or keep it dry; it lasts for months and scents the room.
- Lisianthus: trim the stem and remove the lower leaves; the buds keep opening at home.
- Iris: buy them with the bud closed but showing color; they open in a day or two.
Want more color dates? There are the yellow flowers of September 21 and the blue flowers of October 3 and November 19, and everything given that month on the November page.
Frequently asked questions
When are purple flowers given?
On November 9. In Colombia an October 9 variant also circulates.
Why are purple flowers given on November 9?
Because of the song “Un ramito de violetas” (A little bunch of violets) by Cecilia (1975), which tells how a woman receives violets every November 9. A clip of Zalo Reyes’s version went viral on TikTok and fixed the date.
What is a purple person?
Someone who came into your life recently and very quickly became essential. In the trend, the purple flowers of November 9 are given to that person.
What do purple flowers mean?
Admiration, respect and gratitude, with a touch of mystery.
Which purple flowers can you give?
Violets, which are the ones in the song, lavender, lisianthus or purple tulips. In Spain it’s best to avoid chrysanthemums because they are associated with cemeteries.
