Birth Flower Meanings: What Each Month's Flower Stands For

We make cards, pin badges and prints in the UK. We don't sell flowers or jewellery, so the guide below is a straight guide - the card and the prints at the end are the only things we're selling.

Birth flower meanings come from Victorian floriography - a whole coded language where a bunch of flowers said the thing nobody was allowed to say out loud. Most of it faded; the birth flower list survived.

Here is what each one traditionally stands for, plus how to work it into a message without it reading like a greetings card cliche.

Winter births

• January, carnation: love and devotion. The snowdrop alongside it means hope - a decent line for anyone who had a hard year.
• February, violet: loyalty and modesty. Good for the friend who does everything and mentions none of it.
• December, narcissus: good wishes and staying faithful through the worst weather. Holly sits with it for endurance.

Spring births

• March, daffodil: new beginnings. The obvious choice for a birthday that lands on a new job, house or start.
• April, daisy: innocence and loyal love. Sweet pea, the second flower, means blissful pleasure.
• May, lily of the valley: a return to happiness. Quietly one of the nicest things you can say to someone.

Summer births

• June, rose: love, and the colour changes the meaning - red for love, yellow for friendship, pink for gratitude.
• July, larkspur: an open heart. Fitting for the person who says yes to everything.
• August, gladiolus: strength of character, from the Latin for sword.

Autumn births

• September, aster: wisdom and patience, named after the Greek for star.
• October, marigold: warmth and fierce affection - the loud one on the list.
• November, chrysanthemum: friendship and honesty, and in the UK a normal cheerful gift.

Using the meaning in a message

• Say the meaning, then undercut it: "Your birth flower means strength of character. Explains a lot."
• Use it as the closing line rather than the opener, so the card still sounds like you.
• Pair it with a memory: "June, rose, love. Which is a fancy way of saying thanks for the last twenty years."
• Skip it entirely for anyone who'd find it soft. The joke version works better for them.

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Prints for the wall

A5, A4 and A3 art prints, drawn in house and printed in the UK.

How to write it so it lands

• Say the meaning, don't just name the flower.
• Put it at the end of the message.
• Colour changes the meaning for roses.

Where to shop next

• Birth flowers by month
• Birthstones by month
• Birth flower gift ideas
• Birth flower card messages
• Birthday card messages
• Buy a birthday card online
• Wall art and prints
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges

Frequently asked questions

Where do birth flower meanings come from?

Mainly Victorian floriography, the 19th century language of flowers, combined with older almanac and folk traditions about what bloomed in each month.

Do birth flower meanings mean anything officially?

No - there is no official list. They are a tradition, which is why sources differ slightly on the second flower for some months.

Which birth flower has the best meaning?

May's lily of the valley, usually given as a return to happiness, and March's daffodil for new beginnings are the two people pick most often.