Every person has two different birth flowers.
While the Greco-Roman and Chinese zodiacs hold great cultural significance, there’s a more lighthearted playfulness that comes with being told you have a particular personality type or certain character traits simply because of when you were born. People love to have certain symbols represent them, or be told who they are, and deciding whether or not that actually ticks those boxes, and examining your birth flower is yet another piece of insight into the puzzle of you.
Every person has two birth flowers, a primary and a secondary, selected based on their bloom time, which coincides with the month they symbolize. These specific flowers are meant to encapsulate certain personality traits of the people born in their respective months. Violets in February, for example, represent resilience and faithfulness, and daisies in April symbolize loyalty and innocence.
Whether you care about the insights these birth flowers offer about the months and people they represent or not, they make thoughtful gifts for your loved ones’ special days.
Additional copy by Meghan Shouse.
January’s Flower: Carnation
In Ancient Greece, carnations were used as home decor and strung into garlands. The meaning of these ruffled blooms often goes hand in hand with their colors. Red and pink symbolize love and affection, while yellow is much less cheerful, representing disappointment and rejection. If the flower is striped, regret is in your future.
January’s Secondary Flower: Snowdrop
As one of the first flowers of the year to bloom, often peeking up through the snow, snowdrops are seen as a symbol of hope and new beginnings. This birth flower also represents the Greek goddess Persephone; its bloom signaled that she was coming up from the underworld to usher in a new spring.
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February’s Flower: Violet
Resilient in nature, these common houseplants bloom during the depths of winter. During the Regency era, a gift of violets was a declaration of true intentions, and that goodwill has carried on. Today, violets of any color symbolize modesty, faithfulness, innocence, and everlasting love.
February’s Secondary Flower: Iris
The most intellectual of spring flowers, irises represent wisdom and courage. Named for the Greek goddess of the rainbow, this birth flower also symbolizes the link between the earth and the heavens. These days, they are also commonly associated with the passion of Christ and the resurrection, probably because the flower blooms in spring around Easter.
March’s Flower: Daffodil
One of the first flowers to bloom in the spring, daffodils are said to represent rebirth and new beginnings. In France, daffodils are a symbol of hope. However, gifting someone a single stem is bad luck, so always deliver a bunch.
Related Story: How to Plant Daffodils
March’s Secondary Flower: Sakura
The national flower of Japan, the sakura—commonly known as the cherry blossom—represents a time to reflect on renewal and optimism. Think of this birth flower as the floral equivalent of a spring reset. These stunning pink blooms mark the end of winter and signify the beginning of springtime.
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April’s Flower: Daisy
Long considered a symbol of friendship, innocence, purity, and love, the daisy has no negative connotations. In Norse mythology, the daisy is the symbol of love, beauty, and fertility. Give one to the friend best known to keep your secrets safe.
April’s Secondary Flower: Tulip
The national flower of Holland, tulips symbolize fame and can be seen as a declaration of true love. In the 1600s, before the Tulip Market crash in Amsterdam, the flowers were a sign of wealth and prosperity. Variegated or striped tulips, however, are a subtle way to tell someone they have beautiful eyes.
Related Story: How and When to Plant Your Tulips
May’s Flower: Lily of the Valley
An aggressive grower, lily of the valley can spread rapidly, often covering entire fields. With its dainty and sweet-smelling blooms, this birth flower represents sweetness and purity. Because it appears as a prelude to summer, it can also signify a return to happiness. Just be aware that it's toxic to people and animals.
May’s Secondary Flower: Hawthorn
Signifying the optimism that May can bring, hawthorn flowers are often used to represent hope and supreme happiness. These blooms also have a long medicinal history, having been used in ancient times to treat anxiety, digestive problems, and various skin conditions.
Related Story: 50 Pretty White Flowers to Plant in Your Garden
June’s Flower: Rose
While there are more than a hundred types of roses, the essential meaning of this birth flower is the same: love. Different colors express it differently, though. Red symbolizes long-lasting romantic love, orange is about excitement and desire, and yellow represents joy and friendship. The ancient Romans viewed roses as a representation of death and rebirth, often planting them on graves.
Related Story: What Every Rose Color Means
June’s Secondary Flower: Honeysuckle
Sweet-smelling and tasting, honeysuckle can be found all over the world. Symbolizing the bonds of love and enduring connections, this birth flower is perfect for both friends and loved ones alike. This flower also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine.
July’s Flower: Larkspur
Notoriously poisonous, the meaning of larkspurs is surprisingly positive. These blooms often symbolize positivity and dedication. They grow quite tall and were planted as protection against ghosts and spirits in Victorian times.
July’s Secondary Flower: Water Lily
Because they close up at night and rebloom with the rising sun, water lilies are often used to represent rebirth, transcendence, and renewal. These blooms have long been revered, and odes to them date back centuries.
August’s Flower: Gladiolus
Once showered upon victorious gladiators (hence their name), these sword-like flowers are symbolic of honor and victory. This birth flower is a traditional gift for those with a high moral character.
August’s Secondary Flower: Poppy
Just like in The Wizard of Oz, red poppies have historically meant pleasure, sleepiness, and oblivion. However, they can also symbolize dreaminess and the line between reality and imagination. These days, they're also used to memorialize soldiers who've been lost during combat.
September’s Flower: Aster
Once a symbol of revolution, the aster is now commonly used to remember soldiers lost at war. Because it also symbolizes patience, wisdom, and beauty, this birth flower is a traditional 20th wedding anniversary gift. It's also one of the most deer-resistant plants for your garden.
Related Story: The Top Deer-Resistant Plants
September’s Secondary Flower: Morning Glory
Morning glories have a long history of medicinal use, treating everything from headaches to rheumatism. But these colorful blooms are also known to represent unrequited love, affection, and the fleeting beauty of life, so they're perfect for the transitional month of September.
October’s Flower: Marigold
Used to string garlands and adorn altars during Mexico's Día de los Muertos festivities, marigolds are associated with death, grief, and the coming of winter. But thanks to their golden hue, they're also a bright light in the dark. These blooms are largely present in Indian wedding traditions as they are used to bestow brightness on the newlyweds.
October’s Secondary Flower: Cosmos
Like the balancing scales of the Libra zodiac sign, cosmos flowers represent inner peace and equilibrium. This birth flower has been grown and cultivated for centuries and was beloved by the ancient Mayan people for its beauty and healing properties.
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