To learn about the history of birth flowers and their meanings, we tapped the Editor-in-Chief of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, Carol Connare, for her expert insights.
“[Birth flowers] are the product of folklore and tradition that dates to ancient times,” says Connare. “The language of flowers, including their symbolic meanings, is present in ancient Greek mythology, and ancient texts from China, Egypt and Rome, as well as folklore from Asian and European cultures.”
These flowers, associated with a specific month, often reflect the botanical’s best time for bloom, helping gardeners in centuries prior map their planting schedule to reach optimal botanical growth. Lily of the Valley, for instance, is a delicate, bell-shaped flower that reaches peak bloom in May, its designated birth month. While most birth flowers follow this rule of blooming within their set month, it’s not a steadfast edict.
While flower meanings “don’t necessarily signify [the] personality traits of people born in that month, they are about the symbolism of the flower itself,” says Connare. Innocence, patience and beauty are just a few examples of attributes tied to florals.
