Botanical almanac

Birth flowers
by month

Explore each primary flower and a recognized alternative, with botanical names, practical care, and the traditions behind their meanings.

Variation note: Birth-flower lists are editorial and cultural traditions, not one international standard. Each guide names the convention and its sources.

01 JanuaryCarnationDianthus caryophyllusAlternative: Snowdrop 02 FebruaryVioletViola spp.Alternative: Primrose 03 MarchDaffodilNarcissus spp.Alternative: Jonquil 04 AprilDaisyBellis perennisAlternative: Sweet Pea 05 MayLily of the ValleyConvallaria majalisAlternative: Hawthorn 06 JuneRoseRosa spp.Alternative: Honeysuckle 07 JulyLarkspurDelphinium spp.Alternative: Water Lily 08 AugustGladiolusGladiolus spp.Alternative: Poppy 09 SeptemberAsterSymphyotrichum spp.Alternative: Morning Glory 10 OctoberMarigoldTagetes spp.Alternative: Cosmos 11 NovemberChrysanthemumChrysanthemum spp.Alternative: Not specified 12 DecemberNarcissusNarcissus papyraceusAlternative: Holly

Both flowers, with botanical names

All twenty-three birth flowers by month

Most months carry two birth flowers, not one, and the pages that list only the primary flower are giving half the tradition. Common names are also ambiguous — “marigold” and “aster” each cover several unrelated genera — so the accepted botanical name is given alongside every entry.

Primary and alternative birth flowers for every month, with the botanical name behind each common name.
Month	Primary flower	Alternative flower	Symbolic keywords
January	CarnationDianthus caryophyllus	SnowdropGalanthus spp.	Love, Fascination, Distinction
February	VioletViola spp.	PrimrosePrimula vulgaris	Faithfulness, Modesty, Virtue
March	DaffodilNarcissus spp.	JonquilNarcissus jonquilla	New Beginnings, Rebirth, Prosperity
April	DaisyBellis perennis	Sweet PeaLathyrus odoratus	Innocence, Purity, New Beginnings
May	Lily of the ValleyConvallaria majalis	HawthornCrataegus spp.	Return of Happiness, Humility, Sweetness
June	RoseRosa spp.	HoneysuckleLonicera spp.	Love, Passion, Beauty
July	LarkspurDelphinium spp.	Water LilyNymphaea spp.	Strong Bonds, Open Heart, Positivity
August	GladiolusGladiolus spp.	PoppyPapaver spp.	Strength, Integrity, Honor
September	AsterSymphyotrichum spp.	Morning GloryIpomoea spp.	Wisdom, Faith, Valor
October	MarigoldTagetes spp.	CosmosCosmos bipinnatus	Passion, Creativity, Warmth
November	ChrysanthemumChrysanthemum spp.	None listedThe reviewed reference gives one flower for this month	Loyalty, Devotion, Friendship
December	NarcissusNarcissus papyraceus	HollyIlex spp.	Good Wishes, Faithfulness, Respect

A “spp.” suffix means the common name covers a whole genus rather than one species. Hawthorn, rose, honeysuckle, larkspur, water lily, gladiolus, poppy, aster, morning glory, marigold, chrysanthemum and holly are all recorded at genus level for that reason, and each month page says which reading is being used.

Two entries are closer than their common names suggest: March's jonquil is a cultivated Narcissus, and December's paperwhite is also a Narcissus. March and December therefore draw on the same genus while naming different plants within it — a distinction most birth-flower charts collapse.

Unlike birthstones, birth flowers were never standardised by a trade body, so publishers genuinely differ — particularly between British and American lists, and for the second flower of each month. The mappings here follow one maintained editorial reference and are labelled as such rather than presented as a single international standard.

Botanical names are checked against Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew references. Read the source and review method or find the flower for a birthday.

What each guide includes

Immediate answer, then the evidence

Every flower page opens with the primary and alternative mapping, then distinguishes botanical description and care from symbolic or cultural interpretation.

Monthly mappings and variation notes use an accountable editorial reference, and every page carries its review date and sources.