Flowers have always carried meaning; it’s been that way for centuries. Even before people started wearing them as jewellery or searching for what their birth flower says about them, flowers have been tied to emotions, personality traits, memories and even the people we love.
It’s why finding out the flower connected to your birth month feels so meaningful, even when you’re not someone drawn to symbolism. For some, they start looking into birth flowers and meanings because they want to learn more about themselves while for others, it may be as part of searching for a thoughtful gift. And over time, birth flower jewellery has become especially popular because it combines that symbolism with something you can wear and keep close every day.
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering “what is my birth flower?” or why certain flowers are connected to different months of the year, this guide walks through the history, symbolism and meaning behind each one.
What Are Birth Flowers?
Most of us grow up knowing our zodiac sign or birthstone, but fewer people realise that every month of the year also has its own flower attached to it too. These are known as birth flowers, and much like birthstones, they’re believed to carry different symbolism and personality traits connected to the month you were born.
The meaning of birth flowers comes from a mixture of history and tradition, something that has been passed down over generations. And over that time, different flowers have become associated with certain months, not just because they often naturally bloom during these seasons but also because they feel connected to characteristics of the people born in them.
Where Do Birth Flowers Come From?
The history of birth flowers goes back much further than most people realise. Long before flowers were turned into jewellery or printed onto birthday cards, different cultures were already attaching meanings to plants and flowers based on the time of year they bloomed.
The Romans are believed to be some of the first people to connect seasonal flowers with birthdays and celebrations, often giving them, as we still do, as gifts during birthdays and important occasions. Because certain flowers naturally appeared during particular months, they slowly became linked to the people born during that time too.
Flower symbolism and their meanings became even more popular during the Victorian era when people would often use flowers as a form of communication. It was known as floriography with each flower carrying a different message or emotion that people could give to one another without having to say it out loud. This is a large part of why birth flowers have the meaning they do today.
Birth Flowers by Month and Their Meanings
Each birth month has its own flower attached to it, and every one carries different meanings that have developed over time. Below, you’ll find each birth flower by month and the symbolism traditionally associated with it.
January Birth Flower: Snowdrop & Carnation
January is one of the months that has two birth flowers associated with it, the Snowdrop and the Carnation. Both feel very fitting for the first month of the year since January sits right in the middle of winter when everything is pretty cold and grey. And naturally, the flowers that bloom during this time have become tied to ideas like hope, endurance, love and affection, something we explore further in our guide to January birth flower meanings.
What Does the Snowdrop Mean?
Snowdrops are flowers people usually connect with hope and fresh starts because they appear right in the middle of winter when very little else is growing. Seeing them push through frozen ground has made them feel like a reminder that difficult seasons don’t last forever, and that you, like these flowers, are resilient and can get through hard times.
Why Is the Snowdrop the Birth Flower for January?
Snowdrops bloom naturally during January and the colder winter months, so they became linked to this time of year through seasonal traditions. Their ability to survive harsh weather and still flower while everything else looks bare made them known as flowers recognised for strength and renewal.
What Does the Carnation Mean?
Carnations have long been given to people as symbols of love and admiration, especially within families and close relationships. Different colours are believed to hold slightly different meanings too, with red carnations known for love, white carnations tied to purity and pink carnations connected to gratitude and affection.
Why Is the Carnation the Birth Flower for January?
Carnations became one of January’s birth flowers partly because they thrive well during colder weather compared to many other flowers. Their long-lasting nature and strong links to love and loyalty also helped them become popular flowers for birthdays and meaningful gifting during the winter months.
February Birth Flower: Violet & Iris
February also has two birth flowers allied with it, the Violet and the Iris, both known for their royal purple tones and colourful appearance during the final stretch of winter. While February can still feel cold and gloomy, these flowers bring a little more colour into the season, and as such have been connected to the ideas of hope, wisdom, loyalty and honesty, all qualities that have long been connected with February birth flowers.
What Does the Violet Mean?
Violets are flowers traditionally paired with the ideas of loyalty, humility and faithfulness. Despite their smaller size, they’ve always been admired for surviving colder weather and returning year after year, which has allowed them to be flowers people connect with strength and lasting love.
Why Is the Violet the Birth Flower for February?
Violets naturally bloom during late winter and early spring, making them one of the first flowers to appear as the seasons begin to change. Because they arrive during a time when winter still feels present, they became linked to hope and the idea of brighter days starting to return again, which helped secure their place as one of February’s birth flowers.
What Does the Iris Mean?
The Iris has long been connected to wisdom, courage and trust. In Greek mythology, the goddess Iris was believed to carry messages between heaven and earth, which helped the flower become tied to communication and guidance. Their tall stems and striking petals have also made them flowers people connect with confidence and individuality.
Why Is the Iris the Birth Flower for February?
Irises became linked to February because they bloom early in the year and bring colour into a season that can otherwise feel quite dull. Their beautiful looks and rich symbolism also made them popular flowers for gifting, particularly when expressing admiration or support.
March Birth Flower: Daffodil
The month of March is famously paired with the Daffodil, a flower that feels very fitting for the time of year since it arrives just as spring makes its first appearance. After months of darker days and cold weather, seeing bright yellow Daffodils suddenly appear can feel like a real sign that things are beginning to change. Because of that, March birth flowers have become tied to ideas like renewal, optimism and fresh starts, themes that appear during traditional March birth flower meanings.
What Does the Daffodil Mean?
Daffodils are flowers people usually link with rebirth and new beginnings because they’re one of the first signs that spring is on its way. Seeing them bloom after winter has also helped them become flowers that represent brighter days and finding light again after difficult periods.
Why Is the Daffodil the Birth Flower for March?
Daffodils bloom naturally during early spring, making them one of the flowers most strongly recognised with the month of March. Their arrival marks the shift between winter and spring, so they became closely linked to the idea of change and starting again. Their bright colours and reliable return each year also made them popular flowers for celebrations and gifting during springtime like Mother’s Day.
April Birth Flower: Daisy
By the time April arrives, spring is usually in full force with more daylight, slightly warmer weather and plenty more flowers appearing again. That’s part of why the Daisy feels so fitting for this month, since it has long been tied to ideas like happiness, loyalty and fresh starts. Across traditional April birth flower meanings, Daisies are also associated with honesty and innocence, which reflects why people born in April are often described as caring and full of energy.
What Does the Daisy Mean?
Simple white petals and a bright centre have helped the Daisy become a flower connected to purity and sincerity for generations. Its return each spring has also made it feel like a reminder of fresh starts and happier seasons ahead.
Why Is the Daisy the Birth Flower for April?
Spring is the season where Daisies begin appearing naturally across gardens, parks and open fields, making them connected to April and the shift into warmer months. Their colours and dependable return each year led them to becoming flowers linked to renewal and optimism, while their connection to love and loyalty also made them popular flowers for birthdays, weddings and family occasions.
May Birth Flower: Lily of the Valley
By the time May arrives, spring is usually in full bloom and Lily of the Valley fits that part of the year well with its small white bell-shaped flowers and sweet scent. Across May birth flower meanings, this flower is tied to happiness, kindness and the idea of brighter times returning after difficult periods. Those born in May match the bloom perfectly, usually described as caring, dependable and thoughtful.
What Does Lily of the Valley Mean?
Lily of the Valley is usually seen as a flower representing joy and comfort. Because it appears during late spring when everything feels full of colour again, it has become a flower people think of when it comes to happier chapters, closeness and appreciation for the people around them.
Why Is Lily of the Valley the Birth Flower for May?
Since the Lily of the Valley naturally flowers during late spring, it makes sense that it’s been tied to the last spring month of the year, May. And since this month is popular for celebrations like weddings and large family occasions, it’s become a flower that represents love, happiness and good fortune.
June Birth Flower: Rose
June is most famously represented by the Rose, a flower that has been given to people for centuries to express love and appreciation. With so many different colours and varieties, Roses have taken on all sorts of meanings depending on the occasion and the relationship behind them. Across June birth flower meanings, they are usually symbolic of love, loyalty, beauty and strong relationships, while people born in June are often described as warm and caring.
What Does the Rose Mean?
Roses are known for representing love more than almost any other flower, but different colours have slightly different meanings attached to them too. Red Roses are usually given to represent romance and passion, yellow Roses are tied to friendship and happiness, while white Roses are more commonly linked to remembrance and respect. Because of how widely they’re given during important moments in life, Roses have become flowers that represent closeness and an appreciation for the people who matter most to us.
Why Is the Rose the Birth Flower for June?
Early summer is when Roses begin flowering at their fullest so that’s largely why we link them to June and the warmer months ahead. Their popularity in gardens, weddings, birthdays and celebrations has also likely helped to secure their place as June’s birth flower.
July Birth Flowers: Water Lily & Delphinium
Found right in the middle of summer, July is represented by the Water Lily and the Delphinium, two flowers known for their bright colours and bloom during the warmer months. Across July birth flower meanings, these flowers are usually linked to openness, positivity, honesty and personal growth. There’s also a confidence to both flowers that suits the energy of midsummer well, which reflects why July babies are often described as driven and full of warmth.
What Does the Water Lily Mean?
Floating across ponds and still water, Water Lilies have become flowers people connect with peace, wisdom and finding balance in life. Because they rise from beneath the surface and bloom so visibly above the water, they’ve also become flowers tied to growth and seeing things from a different perspective. Their calm aesthetic and ability to thrive in difficult environments has helped them become symbols of resilience and self-belief too.
Why Is the Water Lily the Birth Flower for July?
Water Lilies flower most strongly during the height of summer, making them naturally suited to July and the warmer weather. Their striking appearance and long-standing place within art, culture and spirituality also helped secure their place as one of July’s birth flowers, especially because they became flowers people admired not only for how they looked, but for what they represented too.
What Does the Delphinium Mean?
Tall stems filled with colourful blooms have helped Delphiniums become flowers remembered for positivity, encouragement and having an open heart. They’re flowers that stand out in gardens during summer, which has also made them feel connected to confidence, joy and celebrating life. Different colours are believed to hold different meanings too, though blue Delphiniums are most commonly linked to the month of July.
Why Is the Delphinium the Birth Flower for July?
Delphiniums bloom throughout early and midsummer, making them strongly tied to July and the brighter part of the year. Their height, colour and colour made them popular flowers for celebrations and gifting, while their links to positivity and encouragement turned them into one of the flowers most closely connected to July birthdays.
August Birth Flowers: Poppy & Gladiolus
August is represented by the Poppy and the Gladiolus, two flowers that stand out for very different reasons but both feel fitting for the height of summer. Bright colours, tall stems and bold petals give these flowers a strong presence during August, and across August birth flower meanings they’re usually tied to imagination, strength, honesty and remembrance.
What Does the Poppy Mean?
Poppies are best known as flowers of remembrance, particularly the red Poppy, which has become recognised around the world as a symbol of honour and reflection. At the same time, Poppies are also flowers people connect with imagination, partly because of their soft petals and colourful appearance in open fields during summer.
Why Is the Poppy the Birth Flower for August?
Late summer is when Poppies bloom most strongly, making them naturally suited to August. Their striking colours and strong symbolism is one of the reasons they are popular flowers in art, celebrations and remembrance traditions, while their ability to thrive in open landscapes secured their place as one of August’s birth flowers.
What Does the Gladiolus Mean?
With their tall stems and sword-shaped leaves, Gladiolus flowers have become symbols of strength and determination for centuries. In fact, their name comes from the Latin word gladius, meaning sword. Because of their height and bold looks, Gladiolus flowers are also seen as representing confidence and standing firm in who you are, which is part of why they remain such popular flowers for celebrations and meaningful gifting.
Why Is the Gladiolus the Birth Flower for August?
Gladiolus flowers bloom during the height of summer, making them strongly tied to August and the bold energy that comes with the season. Their links to strength and character also helped them become popular flowers for birthdays and celebrations, eventually earning them a place as one of August’s recognised birth flowers.
September Birth Flower: Aster
As summer begins giving way to autumn, September is represented by the Aster, a flower recognised for its star-shaped petals and rich purple, pink and blue tones. Across September birth flower meanings, Asters are usually matched with concepts of wisdom, love, courage and loyalty. There’s something quite thoughtful about them compared to the brighter flowers of summer, which suits September well as a month that sits between seasons.
What Does the Aster Mean?
The name Aster comes from the Greek word for “star”, inspired by the shape of the flower itself. Because of this, Asters became flowers people connected with guidance, wisdom and looking forward. They’ve also long been given as flowers representing love, trust and admiration, particularly within close relationships and friendships.
Why Is the Aster the Birth Flower for September?
Asters bloom during late summer and early autumn, making them strongly tied to September and the changing of the seasons. Their arrival during this transition made them stand out as flowers associated with maturity and growth, while their bright colours made them popular flowers for gardens and seasonal celebrations as summer began fading into autumn.
October Birth Flower: Marigold
October is represented by the Marigold, a flower known for its strong orange and gold colours that seem to appear everywhere during autumn. At this point in the year, the seasons are clearly starting to change, trees begin losing their leaves and the evenings get darker much earlier, so flowers that still look bright and full of colour stand out more. Because of this, October birth flower meanings usually centre around confidence, passion, remembrance and strength.
What Does the Marigold Mean?
Marigolds are flowers that people have used in celebrations and remembrance traditions for a very long time, particularly during autumn festivals and cultural events. Their bright petals has made them especially popular with warmth, energy and determination. At the same time, they’re also strongly connected with remembrance because they continue flowering so boldly during autumn when much of nature begins changing around them.
Why Is the Marigold the Birth Flower for October?
Autumn is when Marigolds are at their brightest, which made them a natural fit for October. Their rich colours stood out during seasonal celebrations and festivals, while their ability to bloom in the cold helped shaped their reputation as flowers recognised for resilience and confidence during the autumn months of the year.
November Birth Flower: Chrysanthemum
November is represented by the Chrysanthemum, a flower known for its full layered petals and wide range of autumn colours. At a time of year where gardens begin looking much barer and winter starts feeling closer, Chrysanthemums continue blooming strongly which has allowed them to be flowers recognised for to loyalty, friendship, happiness and long life. Across November birth flower meanings, they’re also seen as flowers representing honesty and support.
What Does the Chrysanthemum Mean?
Chrysanthemums have been given as gifts for centuries to show care, appreciation and loyalty, particularly within friendships and family relationships. Different colours are believed to hold different meanings too, with red Chrysanthemums representing love, yellow linked to happiness and white more commonly tied to honesty and remembrance.
Why Is the Chrysanthemum the Birth Flower for November?
Chrysanthemums bloom during autumn and continue flowering well into colder weather, making them a natural fit for November. Their long flowering season and popularity within celebrations, gardens and family gifting helped secure their place as November’s birth flower, especially because they brought colour and life into a season where many other flowers had already disappeared.
December Birth Flowers: Holly & Poinsettia
December is represented by Holly and the Poinsettia, two plants that feel instantly recognisable during the winter and Christmas season. Bright red berries, rich green leaves and bold festive colours have helped these flowers become associated with celebration, protection, family and togetherness for generations. Across December birth flower meanings, Holly and Poinsettias are also seen as flowers representing hope and resilience during colder, darker months.
What Does Holly Mean?
Holly has been used during winter traditions for centuries, particularly because it stays green even during the coldest months of the year. Because of this, it became a plant people connected with endurance and strength. The bright red berries against dark green leaves also helped Holly become part of Christmas celebrations and family gatherings.
Why Is Holly the Birth Flower for December?
Holly naturally thrives during winter and has been used as decoration throughout December celebrations for generations. Its ability to remain bright and full of colour during harsh weather helped it become a symbol of resilience and protection, while its long-standing place in festive traditions secured its role as one of December’s birth flowers.
What Does the Poinsettia Mean?
Meanwhile, with its bright red leaves and striking appearance, the Poinsettia has become one of the flowers most recognised with Christmas and winter celebrations. It’s usually seen as representing goodwill, joy and bringing people together, partly because it appears everywhere during the festive season.
Why Is the Poinsettia the Birth Flower for December?
Poinsettias bloom during winter and became especially popular through Christmas traditions and festive decorating, making them naturally suited to December. Their bright colours helped bring warmth into homes during colder months, while their strong connection to celebration and family occasions helped secure their place as one of December’s recognised birth flowers.
Can You Have More Than One Birth Flower?
Yes, some months do have more than one birth flower. January, February, July, August and December are just a few examples where two flowers are recognised for the same month rather than one. This usually happens because different cultures and historical flower guides used slightly different flowers depending on the country or time period, and eventually both remained widely accepted.
Birth Flowers vs Birthstones: What’s the Difference?
Birth flowers and birthstones are actually very similar ideas, just represented through different things in nature. Birthstones use gemstones to represent each month while birth flowers use seasonal flowers and plants instead. Both are believed to reflect different personality traits, emotions and symbolism connected to the month you were born in. You’ll notice that a lot of the same themes appear across both too, especially around love, strength, loyalty and hope, something that appears throughout different birthstones and their meanings.
The biggest difference usually comes down to personal preference and the type of symbolism people feel more drawn towards. Some people prefer the colour and tradition behind gemstones, while others feel more connected to flowers because they feel more personal or more reflective of nature and the changing seasons. And for others, both birth flower jewellery and birthstone jewellery feel equally meaningful because they reflect different parts of them or someone they love.
Why Birth Flower Jewellery Feels So Personal
Part of the reason birth flower jewellery has become so popular is because it feels far more personal than standard jewellery designs. Rather than choosing something purely because it looks nice, people are choosing flowers that reflect their birth month, personality, family or someone important to them. Something like a personalised birth flower necklace can end up representing a child, a partner, a parent or even a memory tied to a certain time in life, which makes it feel much more thoughtful to wear every day.
Birth flower jewellery has also become especially meaningful for birthdays, Mother’s Day jewellery and memorial pieces because flowers already hold so much symbolism around love, family and remembrance. Some people choose their own birth flower, while others wear the flowers belonging to their children or loved ones so they can keep that connection close to them. And because every flower carries a different story and meaning, the jewellery itself ends up feeling much more personal to the person wearing it too.
How To Choose the Right Birth Flower Jewellery
The nice thing about birth flower jewellery is that there’s no single reason people wear it. Sometimes it’s chosen simply because someone loves the flower connected to their birth month, while other pieces end up representing family, relationships, memories or somebody important they want to feel close to every day. And because birth flowers already come with their own meanings and history, even very simple pieces can end up feeling incredibly personal to the person wearing them.
Birth flower jewellery can represent all sorts of different people, memories and moments in life, including:
- Your own birth flower as a reflection of your personality or birth month
- Your children’s birth flowers to represent family and motherhood
- A partner’s birth flower as a meaningful relationship keepsake
- Memorial jewellery featuring the birth flower of someone you miss
- Multiple birth flowers layered together to represent different family members
- Birth flower jewellery gifted for birthdays, anniversaries or Mother’s Day
- Matching birth flower necklaces between siblings, friends or couples
- Combining birth flowers with initials, birthstones or engraved names for a more personalised piece
Conclusion: Birth Flowers and their Meanings
Birth flowers have stayed popular for so long because they give people another way to express who they are and the people they care about. You might feel drawn to the flower from your birth month because you love what it represents, because it reminds you of somebody important or simply because it feels right to you. And while every flower comes with its own history and symbolism, the meaning behind it will always feel slightly different depending on the person wearing it.
That’s also why birth flower jewellery has become such a popular choice for gifts and keepsakes. A single flower can end up representing a child, a relationship, a parent, a birthday or a memory that still feels important years later. And sometimes, having something small that reminds you of those people and moments every day can feel far more special than jewellery chosen just for how it looks.
FAQs
What is my birth flower?
Your birth flower is the flower connected to the month you were born in, much like a birthstone or zodiac sign. Every month has at least one flower attached to it, and each one comes with different symbolism and history. For example, March is represented by the Daffodil, while October is represented by the Marigold.
Can birth flowers have more than one meaning?
Yes, birth flowers can have several meanings depending on their colour, history and the culture they come from. A Rose, for example, might represent love, friendship or remembrance depending on the colour and the situation it’s being given in. That’s part of why birth flowers feel so personal to different people.
Are birth flowers the same worldwide?
Not always. Different countries and traditions sometimes recognise different flowers for certain months because of climate, seasonal growing patterns and cultural history. While many birth flowers remain widely recognised around the world, some months may vary slightly depending on where you live.
What birth flower symbolises love?
Several birth flowers are connected to love, but Roses are probably the best known. Carnations, Violets and Lily of the Valley are also flowers that have long been given to represent love, affection and closeness within relationships and families.
Can you wear someone else’s birth flower?
Absolutely. A lot of people choose birth flower jewellery to represent children, partners, parents or somebody important to them rather than their own birth month. Wearing another person’s birth flower can feel like a lovely way of keeping them close to you every day.
What does birth flower jewellery mean?
Birth flower jewellery usually represents a person, relationship, memory or birth month that feels important to the wearer. Some people choose it because they feel drawn to the symbolism behind a flower, while others wear it as a reminder of family, motherhood, love or somebody they miss.
