Two flowers for every month, what each traditionally signifies, and the birthstone it pairs with.
| Month | Primary flower | Secondary | Meaning | Birthstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Carnation | Snowdrop | Devotion and admiration | Garnet |
| February | Violet | Primrose | Faithfulness and modesty | Amethyst |
| March | Daffodil | Jonquil | New beginnings and unequalled regard | Aquamarine |
| April | Daisy | Sweet Pea | Innocence and loyal love | Diamond |
| May | Lily of the Valley | Hawthorn | Returning happiness | Emerald |
| June | Rose | Honeysuckle | Love, in a shade-specific dialect | Pearl |
| July | Larkspur | Water Lily | An open heart | Ruby |
| August | Gladiolus | Poppy | Strength of character | Peridot |
| September | Aster | Morning Glory | Patience and elegance | Sapphire |
| October | Marigold | Cosmos | Warmth and fierce affection | Opal |
| November | Chrysanthemum | Peony | Friendship and honest cheer | Topaz |
| December | Narcissus | Holly | The wish for others to stay as they are | Turquoise |
The lists were drawn up in the northern hemisphere, so each month’s flower is usually one that blooms, or is sold, at that time of year in Britain and North America.
December — Narcissus and Holly. Paperwhite bulbs planted in November flower in four to six weeks without any cold period, in time for December.
January — Carnation and Snowdrop. Carnations are grown under glass and sold all year, which is why they became the default winter flower.
February — Violet and Primrose. Sweet violets flower from late winter into spring in mild spots; primroses follow closely and can bloom on sheltered banks in February in a warm year..
March — Daffodil and Jonquil. Daffodils flower from late February to April depending on variety and latitude; jonquils tend to come slightly later and prefer warmer, drier summers..
April — Daisy and Sweet Pea. Lawn daisies flower from early spring almost continuously until autumn.
May — Lily of the Valley and Hawthorn. Lily of the valley flowers in shade from late April to May.
June — Rose and Honeysuckle. Most garden roses have their first and strongest flush in June, and wild honeysuckle flowers in hedgerows from June through the summer..
July — Larkspur and Water Lily. Annual larkspur sown in spring flowers from June into August.
August — Gladiolus and Poppy. Gladioli planted in spring flower from late July through August.
September — Aster and Morning Glory. Asters are among the latest perennials to flower, from late August into October.
October — Marigold and Cosmos. Both flower from midsummer and are at their most generous in October, when little else in the garden is still in bloom..
November — Chrysanthemum and Peony. Garden chrysanthemums are triggered to flower by shortening days, which is why they peak in October and November.
Several traditional birth flowers are poisonous. Worth checking before giving a bouquet or bulbs to a home with cats, dogs or small children.
Pet toxicity follows the ASPCA plant database; if an animal has eaten part of a plant, call a vet or a pet poison line rather than waiting for symptoms.
The idea is Victorian. Floriography — the language of flowers — turned bouquets into coded messages during the nineteenth century, when saying things directly was often not an option. Assigning flowers to birth months came out of the same impulse, and the lists were popularised by almanacs rather than fixed by anyone in particular.
That is why they vary. British and American lists disagree on several months, and hemispheric seasons make a nonsense of some of the pairings — a December narcissus means something rather different in Sydney than in London.
Birthstones have a longer and better-documented history: the modern list was standardised by the American jewellery trade in 1912. Birth flowers never had an equivalent body, which is why a month can carry two flowers and why the second one differs from list to list. Pairing the two — an emerald with lily of the valley for May, a ruby with larkspur for July — is a modern gift convention rather than a tradition. Birthstones by month →