The birth flowers by month are carnation (January), violet (February), daffodil (March), daisy (April), lily of the valley (May), rose (June), larkspur (July), gladiolus (August), aster (September), marigold (October), chrysanthemum (November) and narcissus (December). Most months also have a second flower, such as snowdrop for January or holly for December.
Each birth month flower carries a traditional meaning, from love and loyalty to rebirth and remembrance. The chart below lists all of them, explains why months have two flowers, and pairs each flower with the month's birthstone.
Birth Flowers by Month Chart
This chart follows The Old Farmer's Almanac birth flower guide for flowers and meanings, and the GIA birthstone list for the stones.
| Month | Primary flower | Second flower | Traditional meaning | Birthstone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Carnation | Snowdrop | Love, fascination, hope | Garnet |
| February | Violet | Primrose | Modesty, loyalty, youthfulness | Amethyst |
| March | Daffodil | Jonquil | New beginnings, rebirth, prosperity | Aquamarine, bloodstone |
| April | Daisy | Sweet pea | Innocence, purity, gratitude | Diamond |
| May | Lily of the valley | Hawthorn | Happiness, sweetness, hope | Emerald |
| June | Rose | Honeysuckle | Love, passion, affection | Pearl, moonstone, alexandrite |
| July | Larkspur | Water lily | Positivity, lightness, purity | Ruby |
| August | Gladiolus | Poppy | Strength, remembrance, peace | Peridot, spinel |
| September | Aster | Morning glory | Patience, love, affection | Sapphire |
| October | Marigold | Cosmos | Creativity, passion, joy | Opal, tourmaline |
| November | Chrysanthemum | Peony (on some lists) | Friendship, loyalty, honesty | Topaz, citrine |
| December | Narcissus (paperwhite) | Holly | Rebirth, hope, protection | Turquoise, tanzanite, zircon |
For the full story behind each stone, see the birthstone chart by month.
Why Are There Two Flowers for Each Birth Month?
Most months have two birth flowers because the tradition grew from folklore and regional custom rather than one official list, so different sources settled on different blooms for the same month.
The Old Farmer's Almanac lists a single November birth flower, the chrysanthemum, while the Farmers' Almanac adds the peony as November's second flower. The two almanacs agree on the primary flower for all 12 months, which is why the primary list is the safest choice for a gift or a tattoo (Old Farmer's Almanac and Farmers' Almanac, accessed October 2026).
The almanacs also word meanings differently. The Farmers' Almanac birth flower chart describes the January carnation as "love and distinction" and the September aster as "wisdom, faith, and patience," while The Old Farmer's Almanac uses "love, fascination, hope" and "patience, love, affection." Both are valid readings of the same tradition.
Season explains many pairings. A second flower often blooms at a different point in the month or suits a different climate, like snowdrop pushing through late winter soil beside the January carnation.
Where Birth Month Flowers Come From
The exact origin of birth flowers is unclear, but the Farmers' Almanac notes that some historians trace the custom to Ancient Rome, where flowers were part of birthday celebrations.
The modern meanings owe the most to the Victorians. By the 1800s, a full "language of flowers," also called floriography, had developed, and people used bouquets to send messages in courtship, friendship and mourning, according to the Farmers' Almanac.
The Farmers' Almanac reports that by the 1800s a full language of flowers had developed, used in parlor conversation, courtship and mourning, with specific flower colors conveying different messages. That Victorian code is the source of most birth flower meanings in use today, such as violet for modesty and faithfulness (Farmers' Almanac, accessed October 2026).
Color still matters in that code. A red carnation and a white carnation can read differently, so check the color meaning before you send a January bouquet or choose a flower design.
Birth Flower Meanings Month by Month
Each birth month flower has a short story worth knowing before you gift it. Here are the essentials.
- January, carnation and snowdrop: love and fascination, with the snowdrop adding hope as one of the first blooms of the year.
- February, violet and primrose: modesty and loyalty; the Farmers' Almanac links primrose with young love.
- March, daffodil and jonquil: rebirth and new beginnings, fitting for the first month of spring.
- April, daisy and sweet pea: innocence and purity, with sweet pea standing for blissful pleasure in the Farmers' Almanac list.
- May, lily of the valley and hawthorn: sweetness, happiness and hope.
- June, rose and honeysuckle: love and passion, with honeysuckle for the bonds of love.
- July, larkspur and water lily: positivity and an open heart, with water lily for purity.
- August, gladiolus and poppy: strength of character, with poppy for remembrance.
- September, aster and morning glory: patience and love, with morning glory for affection.
- October, marigold and cosmos: warmth, creativity and harmony.
- November, chrysanthemum (and peony on some lists): friendship, loyalty and joy.
- December, narcissus and holly: renewal and hope, with holly for protection and domestic happiness.
Birth Flowers vs Birthstones
Birth flowers and birthstones are two separate traditions: birthstones were set by jewelers on a published list, while birth flowers grew from folklore and the Victorian language of flowers.
The US modern birthstone list dates to 1912, when the National Association of Jewelers (now Jewelers of America) published it, as covered in our September birthstone guide. No equivalent body ever fixed the flower list, which is why flowers vary by source and stones mostly do not.
The two pair beautifully. A June birthday can combine the rose with pearl, and a May birthday can combine lily of the valley with emerald, as the May birthstone guide explains. Fresh flowers fade within days, while a flower motif or birthstone piece can be worn for years.
How to Wear Your Birth Flower
The easiest way to wear a birth flower is a flower motif paired with the month's birthstone or an initial. Flower designs such as the Spring Flower Studs, Daisy Earrings, Poppy Earrings and Daisy Kiss Ring give an April daisy or August poppy lover a playful nod to their month.
Charms make a birth flower gift personal. Build a story on a chain with pieces from the EVRY charms collection, and read the guide to charms and their meanings for ideas on mixing symbols. The charm builder lets you combine several pieces in one design.
For a full birthday set, add the month's stone from a birthstone necklace and wrap it with a fresh bouquet of the birth flower. Shop more ideas in the birthday collection.
Frequently Asked Questions About Birth Flowers by Month
How do I find my birth flower?
Your birth flower is set by your birth month, not your exact date. Find your month in the chart above: someone born on March 15 has the daffodil, with jonquil as the second flower. Both The Old Farmer's Almanac and the Farmers' Almanac agree on the primary flower for all 12 months, so the primary flower is the safest choice. Use the second flower if it suits the person's style or local season better.
What are the birth flowers for each day and month?
Birth flowers are assigned by month only, not by day. The major references, The Old Farmer's Almanac and the Farmers' Almanac, list one primary and usually one second flower for each of the 12 months, giving 23 to 24 flowers in total. Day by day flower calendars exist online, but they are modern inventions without a shared source, so use the monthly list for gifts, tattoos and jewelry.
Why do some months have two birth flowers?
Some months have two birth flowers because the tradition comes from folklore and regional custom, not a single official list. Different sources settled on different blooms, and the second flower often reflects a different bloom time within the month. November shows this clearly: The Old Farmer's Almanac lists only the chrysanthemum, while the Farmers' Almanac adds the peony. Either flower is a correct choice.
What is the rarest birth flower?
No source ranks birth flowers by rarity, and every one of the 12 primary flowers is a common garden or florist plant. What feels rare is availability out of season: lily of the valley, the May birth flower, has a short spring bloom, and the snowdrop flowers in late winter. A flower motif in jewelry solves the season problem, since it can be given in any of the 12 months.
What is the most popular birth flower?
The rose, June's birth flower, is arguably the best known birth flower, because it is also the classic flower of love, passion and affection in the Victorian language of flowers. The daisy for April and the carnation for January are also widely recognized. Popularity matters less than meaning, so choose the flower tied to the person's month, then pick a color with care, since colors change the message.
Celebrate a birthday with a flower motif, a charm or a birthstone from the EVRY birthday collection.
