70+ Flower Tattoo on Shoulder Ideas (And The Meanings Behind Them)
Flowers in tattoo worlds are like a little black dress in fashion – they’re always IN. These classic, timeless pieces of body art prove to be versatile and easy to adapt to any tattoo style you prefer. Floral-themed tattoos carry various meanings, depending on the flowers you choose or find relatable.
While flowers look perfect on any part of the body, they’re particularly mesmerizing on shoulders. So if you want to get a very first shoulder tattoo or you’re in the mood for a new piece of body ink, you came to the right place.
Scroll down to learn more about flower tattoos on shoulders, see beautiful designs, and check out the important symbolism they carry.
Do Shoulder Tattoos Hurt?
Shoulders are among the least painful areas to get a tattooed on and it’s all thick skin with very few nerve endings. Pain level is low to moderate, depending on each person’s perception of the pain of course.
Most people describe the pain as a pricking sensation or as being scratched. As the tattoo needle moves closer to the bone, it may feel like a somewhat painful vibration.
Basically, if you want a tattoo without much pain and discomfort, the shoulder is an ideal placement. Keep in mind every person and their tolerance to pain is different.
70+ Designs of Flower Tattoos on Shoulders
Flower tattoos come in many forms, colors, shapes, sizes, and styles. They can be chic and elegant or bold and edgy. The choice of flower tattoo design depends on you and your personality. So here are some amazing options that you can use to get inspired.
1. Sunflower Tattoo on Shoulder
Flowers spark joy, especially sunflowers. Their bright yellow petals remind us of sunshine even on cloudy days.
What many people don’t know is that the symbolism behind sunflowers is associated with a Greek myth. The story goes that Clytie, a nymph, was madly in love with Apollo, the God of Sun. He loved her too, at first.
Eventually, Apollo fell in love with a different nymph. So obviously, Clytie was jealous. Her jealousy was intense that she went and told everything to the other nymph’s father. It’s needless to say the father wasn’t impressed. He acted brutally and buried his daughter ALIVE!
Apollo was devastated, but also angry at Clytie at the same time. To punish his former lover, Apollo turned Clytie into a sunflower.
Since Clytie’s love for Apollo was so strong, she watched Apollo move across the sky every day just like sunflowers follow the sun.
Sunflowers represent adoration, loyalty, and hopeful love. Due to their association with the sun, sunflowers stand for optimism, finding joy, or something positive even in the darkest of hours.
Multicolor sunflower tattoo sitting on the front or back side of your shoulder is incredibly beautiful, you can opt for a black or grey design too. While sunflowers look best when their bright yellow color is perfectly etched on your skin, your black/grey tattoo can also have a great vibe. Just make sure your tattoo is detailed.
2. Rose Tattoo on Shoulder
While all flowers represent love in one way or another, roses are far superior in this department. Of all flowers out there, roses are most commonly linked with love. Romantic gestures always feature a bouquet of roses. Even a single rose can do the trick and speak volumes in expressing a person’s love for their significant other.
Indeed, roses are all about love and passing. But their meaning can also extend to confidentiality or secrecy, and other personality traits, virtues, and values.
The symbolism of a rose tattoo varies by color. For instance, the red rose stands for love and romance. The pink rose symbolizes gratitude, admiration, grace, and joy. On the other hand, the orange rose depicts passion and enthusiasm. A yellow rose symbolizes friendship or protection against envious lovers, and white roses stand for purity and innocence. Blue rose signifies the impossible or the unattainable.
Some people use rose tattoos to pay tribute to someone. For that purpose, you can also add their name or date associated with them.
Like other flower tattoos, your rose on the shoulder can be multicolor or black. You can add a rose tattoo directly on top of the shoulder, at the back, or front area. It’s also useful to add a stem that will go down your back or arm, depending on the placement.
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3. Lotus Tattoo on Shoulder
The lotus flower is mesmerizingly beautiful and also bears deep meaning in many cultures, especially in Eastern Asia.
Lotus is regarded as a symbol of purity and divine beauty. The flower itself blooms and thrives even in dirty waters. So in a way, lotus reminds us of obstacles and negative situations in life we need to overcome in order to bloom and thrive.
Compassion and strength are also associated with the lotus flower. After all, one needs to be strong, with eyes on the prize in order to survive in the toughest conditions and achieve the success they deserve. Just like a lotus flower in dirty water.
Since the existence of a lotus never really ends, the meaning behind this flower extends to eternal life.
Many people, usually women, choose a lotus tattoo because it symbolizes peace and simplicity. Lotus just floats on water and isn’t impacted by anything that happens around it. That’s why this delicate flower represents peacefulness.
If you have a mindset that isn’t impacted by the external world or you hope to achieve it, the lotus flower is a great choice of a tattoo.
The most common placements for a lotus tattoo are the back, ribs, and arms. But a lotus flower or a lotus branch even looks great on shoulder blades as well.
Also Read: 20+ Lotus Flower Tattoo Design Ideas (Meaning and Inspirations)
4. Hibiscus Flower Tattoo on Shoulder
Hibiscus flowers symbolize romantic love and affection because of their red and hot pink blossoms. These lovely flowers with five petals are generally known to repel the evil eye and negativity.
For that reason, people often get hibiscus flower tattoos to banish negativity and generate positive vibes.
A single hibiscus flower is a wonderful expression of a wearer’s feminine side. The shape and colors of this flower represent the beauty, grace, and femininity of a person. But hibiscus doesn’t have to be reserved for women only. Men who appreciate femininity can also rock these tattoos.
Hibiscus can also symbolize prestige and success. Like with other flowers, the specific symbolism depends on the color. So, red hibiscus stands for love, passion, and romance. Pink hibiscus depicts femininity while the purple flower is a symbol of mysteriousness and excellence.
The yellow hibiscus is rare and represents happiness and good omens, joy, and hope. A blue hibiscus tattoo on your shoulder depicts the belief in your freedom or to make your decisions. Blue is the color of serenity, independence, and freedom, after all.
Orange hibiscus is about hospitality, warmth, and joy. Many people opt for this kind of tattoo to pay tribute or show appreciation for Haiti.
5. Lily Tattoo on Shoulder
While different varieties of lily flowers bear a different meaning, the most common symbolism is fertility and purity. Lilies are sweet and innocent, which is why they’re associated with rebirth and fresh life.
Lily’s tattoo also symbolizes femininity, particularly motherhood. Passion and royalty are also associated with the beautiful lily flowers. Pink lilies stand for ambition and prosperity while yellow lilies depict good health and healing. Red lilies, like other flowers, represent passion and romance.
Your lily tattoo can take up the shoulder area only or extend down the arm, chest, or back. It all depends on the design you go for.
6. Cherry Blossom Tattoo on Shoulder
As a symbolic flower of spring, cherry blossom symbolizes renewal, rebirth, and the fleeting nature of life. These delicate flowers prove to be a wonderful metaphor for the transience of life since they don’t live very long.
Some people choose a cherry blossom tattoo to remind themselves, and others, to live each day to the fullest. Life is short and you only live once, but if you do it right once is enough. While this may seem like a cliché that people constantly repeat, it’s true and a cherry blossoms tattoo can depict that idea.
Cherry blossom tattoos are subtle, elegant, and can be big or small, black or multicolor. You can also choose whether to place it directly on the shoulder or maybe shoulder blade. Depending on the design, your cherry blossoms can extend down your arm and into a full- or half-sleeve.
7. Peony Tattoo on Shoulder
In Japanese culture, peonies are a symbol of bravery, honor, and good fortune. Peony, the king of flowers, is used in celebrations of big and important holidays. For that reason, these flowers represent richness.
While peonies were regarded as a symbol of masculinity, women can rock them too. A peony tattoo on your shoulder can mean a lot of things including prosperity, inner harmony, kindness, and purity.
Besides peonies alone, you can add other motifs to your tattoo including snakes or dragons. These combo tattoos on shoulders or shoulder blades often represent the balance of power and beauty.
8. Jasmine Tattoo on Shoulder
The meaning of the jasmine tattoo varies from one culture to another. In most cases, this beautiful flower depicts love, sensuality, or beauty. Pure white blossoms of jasmine represent purity and innocence.
Jasmine is a small flower that blooms at night. Despite its small size, jasmine has a powerful scent. For that reason, it often symbolizes the value of modesty.
Your jasmine tattoo can also stand for simplicity and humility. Most people opt for multiple jasmine flowers going down their shoulders.
9. Daisy Tattoo on Shoulder
Like other spring flowers, daisies usually symbolize new beginnings and hope. Daisies also park positive vibes and stand for fun, affection, and other sweet values and attributes.
You can place your daisy tattoo anywhere you want, but it looks particularly nice on your shoulder. It can be on the front area, on top of the shoulder, or a shoulder blade even.
Daisy tattoo often symbolizes patience, love, and purity. It’s one of those flowers that are purely for females and we can’t get enough of their cuteness.
10. Magnolia Tattoo on Shoulder
Magnolia flowers are delicate, yet incredibly beautiful. They symbolize perseverance, nobility, and love of nature. When you take a look at magnolia, you can see it’s strong in appearance, but also soft and subtle. That’s why magnolia represents the beauty that encompasses gentleness and femininity.
Despite its delicate nature, magnolia is also tough. So a tattoo featuring this flower may represent endurance. Strong persons who have overcome many challenges often choose magnolia flower tattoos.
Your magnolia tattoo can feature other flower motifs such as peonies, for example.
11. Iris Tattoo on Shoulder
Iris flower symbolizes a divine line between Earth and Heaven, but also intuition, rebirth, and hope. A tattoo of an iris depicts wise love, wisdom, greatness, and innocence. Named after the Greek goddess, Iris, this flower means different things to various cultures.
One thing is certain, though, iris tattoos are unique and look like proper works of art. In tattoos, the iris are usually blue or purple. That said, some people opt for black or watercolor options. Like many other flowers, the iris can be the central and only point of your tattoo or combined with other flowers and motifs.
People go for iris tattoos if they can relate to symbolism, but also for aesthetics, and to honor Iris they know and love.
12. Poppy Tattoo on Shoulder
Poppy is best known as a flower that symbolizes remembrance of the First World War. Today, poppies are used to pay tribute to all fallen soldiers.
The symbolism behind the poppy flower, besides remembrance, also points to sacrifice and undying love. In some cultures, especially in Asia, poppies symbolize success, good fortune, and romantic love.
The poppy tattoo can also depict fertility, fruitfulness, sleep, and nature. Many people opt for a poppy tattoo because it’s linked to death when they want to pay tribute to someone. But there are plenty of other reasons to get a poppy tattoo, as you can conclude by all meanings it represents.
Your poppy tattoo can be in vivid red, but also black. Besides flowers only, you can include stems too. That way, the stem can go down your arm or back.
13. Tribal Flower Tattoo on Shoulder
If you want to add an unusual twist to your flower tattoo, tribal style is a great choice. Tribal tattoos have been around for centuries and they’re a wonderful way to honor your culture.
The best thing about these tattoos is that you can use any flower you want and have a tattoo artist turn it into a tribal motif. Make sure to choose a flower whose symbolism you find relatable or your favorite flower.
Tribal designs are particularly powerful when they’re large, but your flower tattoo can be small and subtle and you’ll still look awesome.
14. Small Flower Tattoo on Shoulder
What we love about flowers is their versatility in tattoos. You can get your flower tattoo in any size, color, shape, or style you want. So, if you’d like a small or subtle tattoo on your shoulder, then small flowers can do the trick.
Despite their compact size, these tattoos are still impactful. You can still combine them with other motifs including hummingbirds, hearts, crescent moon, you name it.
Small flower tattoos usually come in the form of fine lines. That means you really need to find a tattoo artist who is skilled and talented. While these tattoos seem simple and easy, a great deal of expertise is necessary to give them their subtle and delicate look.
15. Big Flower Tattoo on Shoulder
If you don’t want a small or subtle tattoo, you can always go big. Flowers in elaborate designs truly shine, especially because a tattoo artist can focus on every single detail to create realistic tattoos.
These are usually custom tattoos that artists create just for you. That’s why they’re most suitable for edgy persons who want to rock unique tattoos that stand out easily.
While any type of flower is at your disposal, bold colors are particularly useful here. However, as you can see in the photos above, blackwork can give a special vibe to your flower tattoo, it all depends on the image itself and the flowers you choose.
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