Celebrate Birthdays with Birth Month Flowers

A bouquet of fresh-cut blooms, a flower arrangement or a living plant makes a lovely gift. It feels especially thoughtful when someone gives you birthday month flowers. Roses are June’s birth month flowers.

The red ones symbolize love, which explains why they're often given on Valentine's Day. For December birthdays, poinsettias send cheery good wishes, while yellow daffodils, the birth flowers for March, means new beginnings and joy.

You don’t have to wait for someone to send you flowers. Grow your own larkspurs if you have a July birthday, cut a handful of irises if you celebrate in February or plant fall-blooming asters if you light the candles on your cake in September. If you’re giving a birth month flower to someone else, skip the store-bought card and tuck in a handmade card instead. Then you can tell the recipient what the flowers mean — and what he or she means to you.

January: Carnation

Spicy-scented carnations, like 'CanCan Scarlet,' are the birth flowers for January. Different colors convey different meanings. White carnations symbolize pure love, while yellow means "wish you were here" and pink says, "you're unforgettable." Snowdrops, which indicate hope and beauty, are also flowers for this month.

February: Iris and Violet

February birthdays are represented by violets or irises, flowers that suggest loyalty and faithfulness. The three upright petals of an iris bloom can indicate courage, faith and wisdom, or friendship, hope and compliments. These 'Tall Dutch' irises come in a mix of vibrant colors.

March: Daffodil

Daffodils, sometimes called jonquils or narcissus, are the birth flowers for March. Because they often bloom in early spring, they symbolize new birth, beginnings, happiness and joy.

April: Daisy and Sweet Pea

Cheerful daisies, like 'Crazy Daisy' Shasta daisies, represent April birthdays. While they often symbolize beauty, innocence, love or purity, they can also mean, "I'll never tell." Sweet peas are also birth flowers for April.

May: Lily of the Valley

Lilies of the Valley, with their sweet perfumes, celebrate May birthdays. They suggest humility and happiness.

June: Rose

Like carnations, roses, which represent June birthdays, have different meanings for different colors. Red roses signify love, while yellow ones indicate anything from jealousy to friendship. Orange or apricot roses, like 'At Last,' mean desire and enthusiasm.

July: Larkspur and Waterlily

While pink larkspurs can symbolize fickle love, purple ones mean first love, and white indicates a happy spirit. These pretty flowers are linked to July birthdays. Waterlilies, which stand for a pure and open heart, or majesty, also represent this month. Shown here: A mixture of 'Giant Imperial' larkspur.

August: Glads

'Remember me" is the message of gladioli, birth flowers for August. The flowers can also mean strength and integrity, while the sword-shaped leaves suggest love-pierced hearts. In ancient times, glads were associated with magical powers.

September: Aster

Fall-blooming asters symbolize a strong and powerful love and are the birth flowers for September. They also indicate faith and wisdom.

October: Marigold

Marigolds, in their rich, autumnal colors, symbolize undying love and represent October birthdays. These pungent-smelling flowers can also mean "I'm thinking of you" or indicate sadness and sympathy.

November: Mum

Chrysanthemums, plants especially prized by Japanese gardeners, stand for November birthdays. White mums signify innocence and purity, while yellow ones indicate that a loved one feels slighted.

December: Narcissus, Holly and Poinsettia

Several plants represent December birthdays, including narcissus (think forced bulbs), hollies and poinsettias. Hollies show a desire for a happy home, while poinsettias stand for good cheer. Narcissus, like these 'Paperwhite' bulbs, signifies modesty and faithfulness.