Primary
Carnation
In the Victorian language of flowers it signifies devotion and admiration.
Birth flowers by month
January Birth Flowers
The January birth flowers are the carnation and the snowdrop. One is a florist's flower that lasts for weeks in a vase; the other is a wild bulb that pushes through frozen ground. Between them they cover the two moods of the month: warmth kept indoors, and the first evidence outside that winter does end.
- Carnation
- Dianthus caryophyllus pink family · toxic to pets
- Snowdrop
- Galanthus nivalis amaryllis family · toxic to pets
Toxicity: ASPCA list.
January birth flowers at a glance
Secondary
Snowdrop
In the Victorian language of flowers it signifies hope and the first sign of thaw.
Carnations are grown under glass and sold all year, which is why they became the default winter flower. Snowdrops are the opposite — they flower in the open from January, often through snow, long before anything else in the garden.
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January birth flower
Carnation
The plant
Dianthus caryophyllus, a member of the pink family native to the Mediterranean and cultivated for more than two thousand years. Cut stems regularly last two to three weeks in water, longer than almost any other common florist's flower.
Why it belongs to January
The name is usually traced either to "coronation", from its use in ceremonial garlands, or to the Latin for flesh, from the color of the original wild flower. The white carnation became the emblem of Mother's Day in the United States in the early twentieth century.
Meaning by color
Red for admiration and deep love, pink for gratitude, white for pure affection and luck. Victorian lists gave yellow to disappointment and striped carnations to a refusal, so those two are best avoided as gifts.
Keeping it
Recut stems at an angle, keep the water fresh and away from ripening fruit, which releases ethylene and shortens vase life.
Safety
Listed by the ASPCA as mildly toxic to cats and dogs: stomach upset and skin irritation rather than serious poisoning.
January birth flower
Snowdrop
The plant
Galanthus nivalis, a small bulb of the amaryllis family native to Europe and south-west Asia. Each nodding white flower has three outer petals and a green-marked inner cup.
Why it belongs to January
In Britain snowdrops were long called Candlemas bells, after the feast on February 2 when they are usually in full flower. The compound galantamine, first isolated from snowdrops, is used today in medication for Alzheimer's disease.
Keeping it
Gardeners plant them "in the green" — just after flowering, with leaves still on — because dried bulbs bought in autumn often fail to establish.
Safety
The bulbs are toxic if eaten, to people as well as to pets.
Giving January birth flowers
A January birthday bouquet works best with carnations as the body and a small pot of snowdrops on the side: the cut flowers last, and the bulbs can go into the garden once they finish.
Toxicity notes follow the ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants list; if a pet has eaten part of a plant, call a vet or a poison line rather than waiting for symptoms.
Paired with the January birthstone
January pairs these flowers with Garnet — deep red, hardness 6.5–7.5 on the Mohs scale. Why the pairing is a modern habit →
How many people have a January birthday
January accounts for 8.16% of US births, the 9th largest share of the 12 months. On an average day it sees 10,909 births, the smallest daily count of any month.
January: 10,909 births a day, 1,090 fewer than September.
Questions
What is the January birth flower?
Carnation is the primary flower, with Snowdrop as the second.
What does the January birth flower mean?
Devotion and admiration, in the Victorian language of flowers; Snowdrop adds hope and the first sign of thaw.
Sources
Statements of fact on this page were checked against these sources in October 2026. How we choose and check sources: editorial policy.
Cite this page
AstroHot. “January Birth Flowers: Carnation and Snowdrop Meaning.” Accessed October 27, 2026. https://astrohot.com/birth-flowers/january/
For Wikipedia
{{cite web |title=January Birth Flowers: Carnation and Snowdrop Meaning |url=https://astrohot.com/birth-flowers/january/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-27}}