What are your Birth Month Flowers?
Just as there are birthstones, there are birth flowers for every month of the year. Each month carries a primary and a secondary bloom, chosen long ago for the flowers that opened during that season and the meanings people gave them. The custom is often traced back to ancient Rome, when the flowers blooming in your birth month were thought to bring luck and say something about the person born under them.
Knowing your birth month flowers is a sweet way to feel close to your roots. It is also a thoughtful way to pick a gift for someone you love. Here is the full list of birth month flowers and their meanings, month by month.
Birth Month Flowers at a Glance
Short on time? Here is every month with its primary and secondary flower, and what each one stands for.
| Month | Primary Flower | Secondary Flower | What They Mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Carnation | Snowdrop | Love, fascination, hope |
| February | Violet | Primrose | Faith, modesty, young love |
| March | Daffodil | Jonquil | New beginnings, joy |
| April | Daisy | Sweet Pea | Innocence, gratitude |
| May | Lily of the Valley | Hawthorn | Sweetness, happiness |
| June | Rose | Honeysuckle | Love, devotion |
| July | Delphinium (Larkspur) | Water Lily | Positivity, an open heart |
| August | Gladiolus | Poppy | Strength, remembrance |
| September | Aster | Morning Glory | Wisdom, affection |
| October | Marigold | Cosmos | Warmth, harmony |
| November | Chrysanthemum | Peony | Joy, good fortune |
| December | Paperwhite (Narcissus) | Holly | Hope, goodwill |
January Birth Flowers: Carnation and Snowdrop
Primary Flower: Carnation
The year opens with the carnation. Carnations stand for devoted love, fascination, and warm regard. They are a favourite for Mother’s Day too, since they were loved by Ann Jarvis, the mother who inspired the day. Their botanical name, Dianthus, comes from Greek words meaning flower of the gods, so January babies are in fine company.
Secondary Flower: Snowdrop
Snowdrops are small and white, and among the first flowers to push through the cold. They carry the meaning of hope and fresh starts, which fits the very first page of a new year. People also see them as a quiet sign of strength to get through hard times.
February Birth Flowers: Violet and Primrose
Primary Flower: Violet
Violets are loved for their soft scent, so much so that they became a favourite perfume note in the Victorian age. They are known for their blue-purple colour. Violets speak of faith, modesty, and quiet loyalty.
Secondary Flower: Primrose
Primroses stand for young love, fresh energy, and healing. Fans of The Hunger Games may remember Primrose Everdeen, named after the flower for her gentle, caring nature.
March Birth Flowers: Daffodil and Jonquil
Primary Flower: Daffodil
The golden daffodil is one of the first to bloom once winter lifts, which is why it stands for hope and new beginnings. It also carries the meaning of joy, fresh energy, and warmth. Old folklore says a single daffodil can bring bad luck, so it is kinder to gift a whole bunch.
Secondary Flower: Jonquil
Jonquils belong to the daffodil family and share much of the same meaning. The small difference is in the stem. Each jonquil stem holds around four or five blooms, while a daffodil stem usually carries just one.
April Birth Flowers: Daisy and Sweet Pea
Primary Flower: Daisy
Daisies are tied to the purity and innocence of children, so they speak of fresh starts and pure joy. They make a lovely gift for anyone born in April. They are also given to new mothers, thanks to their link with childbirth and new life.
Secondary Flower: Sweet Pea
Sweet pea is a sweet nickname for an April loved one. The flower itself stands for thankfulness, kindness, and loyalty.
May Birth Flowers: Lily of the Valley and Hawthorn
Primary Flower: Lily of the Valley
These delicate bell-shaped flowers carry a touch of royalty. Lily of the valley was carried in the wedding bouquets of Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, and Meghan Markle. The flower stands for sweetness, purity, love, and happiness.
Secondary Flower: Hawthorn
An old myth says hawthorn holds magic for spells of love and protection. The flower itself stands for fierce, protective love, along with beauty and long life.
June Birth Flowers: Rose and Honeysuckle
Primary Flower: Rose
If you have a June birthday, the most loved flower in the world is yours. Roses speak the language of love, and each colour tells its own story. Red means deep passion, pink means warmth and care, and yellow means friendship.
Secondary Flower: Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is a sign of good luck and is believed to keep bad spirits away. It also stands for lasting love. An old belief says that bringing honeysuckle home means a wedding will follow within the year.
July Birth Flowers: Delphinium and Water Lily
Primary Flower: Delphinium
Delphiniums stand for an open heart, positivity, and youth. Their name comes from the Greek word for dolphin, because the closed bud looks a little like a dolphin’s nose. Blue is the most common shade, but you can also find them in light blue, white, and pink.
Secondary Flower: Water Lily
Water lilies grow in still and even muddy water, which makes them a sign of strength, rebirth, and calm. July babies are lucky to be matched with such a peaceful, resilient flower.
August Birth Flowers: Gladiolus and Poppy
Primary Flower: Gladiolus
The gladiolus is named for its sword-like shape, from the Latin word for sword. Tradition links it with the gladiators of ancient Rome, so it stands for strength of character and moral courage.
Secondary Flower: Poppy
The bright red poppy is a flower of remembrance, sacrifice, and comfort. It is worn in memory of soldiers who gave their lives.
September Birth Flowers: Aster and Morning Glory
Primary Flower: Aster
Aster takes its name from the Greek word for star. It stands for wisdom, grace, kindness, and courage. Asters are hardy flowers that bloom where many others cannot, much like the quiet strength of people born in September.
Secondary Flower: Morning Glory
Morning glory opens fresh with each sunrise, a sign of renewal and a calm spirit. It is a gentle reminder to enjoy the small, passing beauties of each day.
October Birth Flowers: Marigold and Cosmos
Primary Flower: Marigold
Marigolds glow in shades of yellow, orange, and warm red, much like the autumn sun. Their link to the sun gives them the meaning of warmth, light, and inner strength. They have also long been used to celebrate and to honour loved ones.
Secondary Flower: Cosmos
Cosmos flowers are simple and tidy in shape, which gives them the meaning of calm, modesty, and gentle harmony.
November Birth Flowers: Chrysanthemum and Peony
Primary Flower: Chrysanthemum
The chrysanthemum, or mum, has a royal side. The Japanese Imperial family uses it on their official crest. It stands for cheerfulness, long life, and joy, though the meaning can shift a little with the colour.
Secondary Flower: Peony
Peonies are full, soft blooms rich in meaning. They suit the big hearts of November people. They are believed to bring good luck, comfort, and romance.
December Birth Flowers: Paperwhite and Holly
Primary Flower: Paperwhite
The bright white paperwhite, a type of narcissus, blooms in the wild through December. It can grow in just gravel and water, since the bulb holds all it needs. That quiet strength suits people born in the last month of the year. Paperwhites stand for hope, goodwill, and faithfulness.
Secondary Flower: Holly
Holly stands for cheer, goodwill, and new life. It is a fitting close to the year, as we look ahead with hope to the one to come.
How to Gift Birth Month Flowers
A birth flower makes a birthday gift feel personal. Instead of any bunch, you hand someone the bloom tied to the very month they were born, along with the meaning behind it. It shows real thought, and it stays in memory long after the petals fade.
If the exact birth flower is hard to find, the colour is a simple way in. A blue delphinium can become any blue bloom, and a golden marigold can become any warm orange one. You can also build a mixed bouquet around the primary flower so the gift still carries the right meaning.
Not sure where to start? A fresh bouquet or a boxed arrangement works for any birthday, in any month. If you love the idea of flowers with meaning, you may also enjoy reading what your favourite flowers say about you, or our pick of romantic flowers that aren’t roses.
Birth Month Flowers FAQs
What is my birth flower?
Your birth flower is the bloom tied to the month you were born. Most months have a primary flower and a secondary one. A June baby has the rose, for example, and a December baby has the paperwhite. The full list is in the table near the top of this page.
Why does each month have two birth flowers?
Each month has a primary and a secondary flower. This grew out of small differences in culture and in which flowers were in season in different places. The second flower simply gives you more choice and another layer of meaning.
Is peony a birth flower?
Yes. The peony is the secondary birth flower for November, paired with the chrysanthemum. It stands for good luck, comfort, and romance, which makes it a warm gift for anyone born that month.
What is the rarest birth flower?
Lily of the valley, the May flower, is one of the harder ones to find as a cut flower. It has a short season around spring and can wilt quickly, which is part of why it feels so special.
Can I give someone their birth month flower as a gift?
Yes, and it is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give. A birth flower ties the bouquet to the person and their month. If the exact flower is out of season, a florist can match the colour or build a bouquet around its meaning.
Do birth flower meanings change between cultures?
They can. Flower meanings have grown over hundreds of years, and different places have added their own. The meanings here are the ones most widely shared, but a flower can hold a slightly different feeling from one culture to the next.
Send the Right Birth Flower This Birthday
I can see a little of myself in my birth flower. Can you?
Looking for the perfect birthday flowers? Our flower shops are near you in Sharjah and Dubai, and our friendly team will help you build an arrangement around any birth month flower. Visit us in store, or order online for easy flower delivery anywhere in the UAE.