Everything about the color Emerald Green

What color is emerald green?

Emerald green is a bright, vivid shade of green. The emerald green hex code is #50C878.

Like all greens, emerald green is made by mixing blue and yellow paint. There’s no exact ratio for how much of each color to use but the more blue you add, the darker the hue will be.

Shades of green

Emerald green has sometimes historically been known to as “Paris green”, “Imperial green” or “Veronese green”, but those names are less common today. A medium shade of green, it’s brighter than hues like teal and olive green, but darker than lime and neon green.

The history of emerald green

The name “emerald green” was first used in 1598. The color is named after the typical shade of an emerald gemstone.

Emerald green was particularly popular in the 1800s and was commonly used as an artists’ paint, household paint and in clothes dye. It was favored by artists like Monet, Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh, who featured the color prominently in his 1889 work Madame Roulin Rocking the Cradle. Unfortunately, the arsenic base used to create emerald green at the time was highly toxic and the color fell out of favor when its adverse health effects were discovered. Fear not: emerald green paint today is completely safe and non-toxic.

Ireland is often referred to as the “Emerald Isle” due to its green countryside, a nickname the country first received in the William Drennan poem When Erin First Rose. Ireland’s emerald characterization also famously featured in the 1959 Johnny Cash song ‘Forty Shades of Green’.

Emerald green was Pantone’s color of the year in 2013.

What does emerald green mean?

Because of its long history and associations with precious gemstones, emerald green is considered a classic color that can symbolize refinement, wealth and royalty.

The hue is also symbolic of Ireland because of its “Emerald Isle” nickname and green’s link with St. Patrick's Day, the country’s famous religious and cultural holiday.

Emerald is a shade of green, a color that symbolizes balance and harmony. Green has strong associations with nature and the environment and is seen as the color of luck, freshness and renewal.

In color psychology, green is thought to help balance emotions and promote a sense of calm and clarity.

How to use emerald green

Emerald green is an eye-catching color perfect for when you want to stand out. Its association with sophistication means it easily communicates a sense of prestige and luxury. But green’s link with the natural world also means it can inspire relaxation and calm – after all, green is the color of regeneration.

In interior design, a splash of emerald green can energize and add a feeling of freshness to a room. It is a popular shade in clothing and works particularly well in formal wear because of its classic elegance.

What color goes well with emerald green?

Emerald green looks great with colors like peach, aubergine, rose, ruby red and pink. It can also work well alongside other shades of green, for instance lime green. For a fresh look, pair emerald green with neutrals like beige. The colors that pair well with emerald green include:

• Scallop seashell
• Rose quartz
• Off-white or ivory
• Yellow green
• Lime green
• Beige

Similar colors to emerald green

Looking for a different hue? The following colors are related to emerald green.

• Forest green
• Seafoam green
• Teal green
• Lime green
• Neon green