Birth Month Flowers and Their Meanings: A Month-by-Month Guide

What are birth month flowers?

Birth month flowers are blooms traditionally linked to each month of the year, in the same spirit as birthstones. Most months have two: a primary flower and an alternative, often reflecting what blooms in that season in the Northern Hemisphere. Their meanings come from the Victorian language of flowers, known as floriography, along with older folklore, so you will find small differences between sources. The list below follows the one most widely used in the US and UK.

What is the birth flower for each month?

What do the birth flowers mean, season by season?

Winter: December, January and February

Winter's flowers are about hope in the dark months. The snowdrop is one of the first flowers to push through frost, which is why it stands for hope and rebirth. Carnation meanings shift with color, with pink often linked to a mother's love and red to deep admiration. The violet was a Victorian emblem of faithfulness, while evergreen holly has long been brought indoors in winter for protection and good cheer. December's narcissus has a special place in Chinese tradition too: the fragrant narcissus, grown in bowls of water and pebbles, blooms around Lunar New Year as a symbol of good fortune.

Spring: March, April and May

The daffodil is the classic flower of renewal and a national emblem of Wales, worn on St David's Day on March 1. The daisy takes its name from the Old English for "day's eye," because it opens with the morning light, and has long stood for innocence. In France, sprigs of lily of the valley are given on May 1 as tokens of luck and happiness, and in Britain the hawthorn blossom is so tied to the season that it is often simply called "the May."

Summer: June, July and August

June's rose speaks a whole vocabulary through color: red for romantic love, pink for gratitude and admiration, yellow for friendship and white for new beginnings. Larkspur, tall and airy, suggests an open heart, while the water lily, rising clean from still water, symbolizes purity. The gladiolus is named after the Latin gladius, meaning sword, for its blade-like leaves, and represents strength of character. The red poppy is a symbol of remembrance in the UK, Canada and Australia, which gives it a gentle, reflective meaning.

Autumn: September, October and November

The aster takes its name from the Greek word for star and stands for love and wisdom. The morning glory opens its flowers in the early hours, a quiet emblem of affection. October's marigold glows with warmth; in Mexico it is the flower of Día de Muertos, where its color and scent are said to guide the spirits of loved ones home. Cosmos comes from the Greek kosmos, meaning order and harmony. November's chrysanthemum is a symbol of longevity and nobility in China and Japan, and one of the "Four Gentlemen" of Chinese art alongside plum blossom, orchid and bamboo. In parts of Europe, including France and Italy, it is associated with All Saints' Day and remembrance, which is worth knowing if you are giving cut flowers.

Are birth flowers the same in every country?

The US and UK lists overlap closely, and where they differ it is usually in the second flower for a month; some sources, for example, give iris rather than primrose for February. In Canada and Australia the same list is generally used, even though seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. If she has a strong preference for one of her month's two flowers, that preference matters more than any list.

How do you choose a birth flower gift?

1. Go by her birth month, not her star sign. Zodiac dates cross month boundaries, but birth flowers follow the calendar.
2. Choose between her two flowers. Pick the one whose look she would love, or the meaning that suits her best.
3. Think about who the gift is really about. For a mother or grandmother, consider her children's birth flowers as well as her own. For a new mom, the baby's birth month is a moving choice. For an anniversary, use the month you married.
4. Add her name. A name beside the flower makes the design unmistakably hers.
5. Explain the meaning. A line in the card about what her flower represents turns a pretty design into a story.

Which gifts work best with a birth flower design?

Birth flowers shine on everyday pieces she will see often, where the design and her name greet her each time she reaches into her bag.

• Birth Flower Compact Mirror: a metal and glass mirror about 9 cm across, with her name and flower, sized for a clutch or pocket.
• Birth Flower Makeup Bag: cotton-linen, about 22 × 15 cm, printed with her name and birth-month flower.
• Birth Flower Passport Holder: about 10.8 × 14.2 cm, with her name and flower, plus the flower's meaning or your own message inside.

The mirror and makeup bag also pair naturally as a set for a birthday or a bridesmaid thank-you.

Give her a flower that lasts

A bouquet fades within days; a birth flower she carries every day stays with her. Browse our birthday gifts to find her month, or explore gifts for mom for designs that celebrate the people she loves. Each piece is personalized to order with her name and flower, so take a moment to confirm the spelling before you check out.