What flower is commonly worn on Remembrance Day?

The flower commonly worn on Remembrance Day is the red poppy. It is worn as a symbol of remembrance for military personnel who died in war, especially those killed in the First World War.

The tradition was inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” written by Canadian physician and soldier John McCrae in 1915. Poppies grew across the battlefields of the Western Front, where their bright red flowers appeared among the disturbed soil and wartime destruction.

The symbol was promoted after the war by Moina Michael in the United States and Anna Guérin in France. Veterans’ organizations later adopted artificial poppies for charitable fundraising, supporting veterans, widows, orphans, and military families.

The red poppy is especially associated with Commonwealth countries and is often worn in the days or weeks before 11 November. It should not be confused with every commemorative poppy design: white poppies can represent peace, while France traditionally uses the blue cornflower, or bleuet de France, in remembrance ceremonies.