The flower traditionally given to women on International Women’s Day in Italy is the mimosa.
In Italy, the yellow mimosa became associated with 8 March after the country’s first nationwide postwar celebration in 1946. The flower was practical as well as symbolic: it blooms around early March, grows readily in many parts of Italy, and was inexpensive and easy to find after the hardships of the Second World War.
The choice is often linked to activists in the Unione Donne Italiane, including Teresa Mattei, Rita Montagnana, and Teresa Noce. Historical accounts differ over who first suggested it, so the tradition’s origin is less certain than the flower itself.
Mimosa is not a universal International Women’s Day custom. Other countries use different symbols, flowers, or no floral tradition at all. In Italy, however, bunches of bright yellow mimosa remain the familiar gift, especially among friends, relatives, colleagues, and school communities.