What are your Birth Month Flowers?

Just as there are birthstones, there are birth flowers by month. Each month gets a primary and secondary flower because of cultural differences and availability. This tradition dates back ages ago when it was believed that flowers blooming that month brought good luck. Knowing your birth month can help you connect to your roots and discover more about yourself. Here’s a quick explainer of the birth month flowers and their hidden meanings: 

January

Primary Flower- Carnations

The first month of the year has carnations as its primary flower. Carnations represent devoted love, fascination, and distinction. They’re a popular choice for Mother’s Day. This is because they were the favorite of Ann Jarvis, the mother who inspired Mother’s Day. Their scientific name, ‘dianthus caryophyllus’, means ‘flower of the gods’. If you were born in January, you truly are godlike.

Secondary Flower- Snowdrop

Snowdrops are primarily white and one of the first flowers to bloom in the new year. They symbolise hope for new beginnings, apt for the first month of the year. They also represent goodwill to overcome challenges in life. 

February 

Primary Flower- Violet

Violets are prized for their fragrance, so much so that they became the favorite perfume ingredient in the Victorian era. They are famous for their bluish purple color. They symbolise modesty, faith, humility, and loyalty.

Secondary Flowers- Primrose 

Primroses are a symbol of youthful energy, love, and healing. Fans of The Hunger Games would know Primrose Everdeen was named after the primrose flowers to represent her youth, loving nature, and her skill for healing the wounded. 

March 

Primary Flower- Daffodil

The golden yellow flowers bring cheer as the first flowers to bloom after the end of winter. For this reason, they are symbols of hope and new beginnings. They also represent creativity, vitality, and happiness. But a solitary daffodil can mean misfortune. 

Secondary Flower- Jonquil 

Jonquils are part of the daffodil family and have similar meanings. One small difference. Each Jonquil stem can hold around 4-5 flowers, while each daffodil stem only holds one flower. 

April 

Primary Flower- Daisy

Daisies are connected to the purity and innocence of children and, hence, also new beginnings. This connection makes them flowers of great joy. Besides being a good gift for anyone born in April, they are also given to new mothers due to their association with childbirth and motherhood.

Secondary Flower- Sweet Pea

What a great nickname for April-born loved ones. The flowers themselves represent gratitude, kindness, and loyalty. 

May

Primary Flower- Lily of the Valley

The delicate bell shaped flowers enjoy royal approval, a favourite of Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, and Meghan Markle. The dainty flowers represent sweetness, purity, love, and joy. 

Secondary Flower- Hawthorn

The popular myth about these flowers is that they have magical properties that can be used in potions and spells for love and protection. Hawthorn represents fiercely protective love, beauty, longevity, and fertility.

June

Primary Flower- Rose

If you have a June birthday, you are lucky to have the most loved flower as your birth month flower. Roses are famously representative of love, their various colors representing different kinds of love. Red for passionate love, pink both romantic and familial, and yellow for love towards friends.

Secondary Flower- Honeysuckle

Honeysuckles are symbols of good luck and believed to ward away evil spirits. They are also representative of enduring love. It is believed that if you bring honeysuckles home, a wedding is bound to happen within the year.

July

Primary Flower- Delphinium

Delphiniums are symbols of goodwill, dignity, and youth. Blue delphiniums are the most common, but they’re also available in light blue, white, and pink. Apollo, the Greek God of the sun favored these flowers, making them popular offerings at Apollo temples. 

Secondary Flower- Water Lily

Water lilies grow in water, even muddy waters, making them a symbol of resilience, rebirth, and enlightenment. The July-born are lucky to be represented by such a symbol of strength and peace.

August

Primary Flower- Gladiolus

Named for their sword-like shape, they were believed to have been worn by gladiators in ancient Rome for protection in battle. For this reason they have become symbols of a strong character and moral behavior.

Secondary Flower- Poppy

The vibrant red poppies are symbols of spilled blood, sacrifice, remembrance, and consolation. They’re used in memory of war and its fallen soldiers.

September

Primary Flower- Aster

Asters, named after the Greek name for ‘star’, embody wisdom, elegance, kindness, and valor. They are resilient flowers, able to grow in conditions unsuitable for most other flowers. It truly speaks to the unshakable strength of September-borns.

Secondary Flower- Morning Glory

Morning glory blooms anew every morning, a symbol of renewal and spiritual awakening. It’s symbolic of the ephemeral nature of life and a reminder to enjoy its small beauties.

October

Primary Flower- Marigold

Marigolds embody the sun with their bright golden colors. They come in a range of yellow, reddish yellow, and orange. Their association with the sun gives them meanings of power, light, and inner strength.

Secondary Flower- Cosmo

Cosmos are simple in their appearance, giving them meanings of modesty, serenity, innocence, and harmonious existence.

November

Primary Flower- Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums are quite the royal flowers, used by the Japanese Imperial family on their official crest. They are symbols of optimism, longevity, and joy.

Secondary Flower-  Peony

Peonies are full blossoms rich in meaning. They perfectly represent the big hearts of November born people. They are believed to usher in good luck, prosperity, and romance. 

December 

Primary Flower- Paperwhite

The bright white flowers bloom in the wild in the month of December. They can be grown in just gravel and water as the flower bulbs contain all the nutrients required for survival and growth. This shows the resilience of December born folks. Paperwhites represent goodwill and faithfulness. If you receive one from a romantic partner, it means they believe you to be the one. 

Secondary Flower- Holly

Hollies represent merriment, goodwill, and fertility. A good representation of the last month of the year as we hope for a productive next year. 

I can see myself in my birth month flower. Can you? If these flowers aren't available near you, you can always incorporate them into other aspects of your life like art and home decor.