Green candle: meaning, traditions, uses and safety tips

Green: the colour of plant life

Green is the colour of living nature: leaves, meadows, forests. A green candle, from soft green to fir green, recalls spring, the undergrowth, sage or tea. It is almost always obtained by adding a dye to a white wax: no naturally green wax is known. Some craft waxes are tinted with plant extracts, but their shade is uneven and fades quickly in light.

Traditional symbolism: hope, paradise, money and envy

In most European cultures, green evokes renewal, fertility and hope: spring branches, trees turning green again. In Islamic traditions, green is linked to Paradise, whose inhabitants the Quran describes as dressed in green, and it appears on the flags of many Muslim countries. In Ireland, it is the national colour and the colour of Saint Patrick's Day.

The colour also has a less flattering side: in English one speaks of being “green with envy”, and in French of “vert de peur” (green with fear) or “vert de rage” (green with rage). In the United States, green evokes money, because of the dollar. Depending on the place, green is therefore the colour of hope, luck or envy.

In rites

In the Roman Catholic liturgy, green is the colour of Ordinary Time, which covers most of the year: it is the Church's “everyday” colour. During the end-of-year festivities, holly, mistletoe and fir branches, which stay green in winter, symbolise life that goes on. In Islam, green is also a colour of banners and religious decoration, without this being a liturgical rule.

Contemporary practice and correspondences

In modern esoteric tables, green is linked to growth, balance, prosperity and nature. Some authors associate it with money and luck (perhaps because of the American dollar), others with serenity. The heart chakra (anahata) is traditionally associated with green in Western systems.

These associations belong to contemporary popular tradition: they predict neither money nor luck.

How to use it

• In spring: a green candle on the table of a seasonal meal, near plants or fresh flowers.
• For a nature corner: on a shelf near plants (keeping it away from dry leaves).
• At year's end: with fir branches and holly, making sure the foliage is not dry.
• Scents: green tea, cut grass, eucalyptus, fir or mint are classics.

Green does not mean eco-friendly

A green candle is not, for all that, an environmentally responsible candle. To judge, look at the material: paraffin comes from petroleum; soy and rapeseed waxes are plant-based; beeswax is animal-derived; stearin is today almost always made from palm oil, whose cultivation causes deforestation problems when it is not certified. Also look at the wick (cotton with no lead core), the packaging and the origin. The colour only tells you that a green dye was added.

Choosing and using safely

• Herb and mint scents: some essential oils (eucalyptus, tea tree, mint) are poorly tolerated by cats and dogs. Ask a veterinarian for advice, or choose an unscented candle.
• Seasonal decorations: dry fir, dried holly and wreaths catch fire very quickly. Keep any flame well away from them.
• General rules: never leave unattended, stable and non-flammable base, wick trimmed to about 6 mm, snuffer rather than blowing, stop at about 1 cm of wax.

See also the overview guide to candle colours.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to candle colors.