Spring Birth Flowers
Birth flowers date back to the Roman Empire (when birthdays started to be celebrated). Part of their birthday celebrations included decorating the altars of Gods with special flowers. Each month is associated with two unique birth flowers, and once you learn the flowers you can specialize any birthday bouquet by including these special blooms!
The March birth flowers are the daffodil and the jonquil.
Daffodil: Some of the first flowers in bloom in Chicago are daffodils.The daffodil represents rebirth and new beginnings. It is also associated with inspiration, forgiveness, and creativity. These cheery yellow flowers prefer to be in a vase alone. When cut, they ooze a sap that is toxic to other fresh cut blooms.
Jonquil: A member of the daffodil family, jonquils tend to have a sweeter scent than the daffodil. They also tend to have clusters of blooms on the same stem rather than a single bloom. The jonquil represents creativity, success, and rebirth. A perfect bloom for new beginnings!
The April birth flowers are the daisy and the sweet pea.
Daisy: Purity, innocence, joy and cheerfulness are tied to this sweet bloom. In the Victorian Era, the daisy’s meaning was “an ability to keep things secret.” According to an old Celtic legend, God would sprinkle daisies over an infant’s grave to bring comfort and show sympathy.
Sweet Pea: The sweet pea represents peace, innocence, and purity. It’s sweet fragrance and delicate, water color-esque blooms make it the perfect addition to any spring bouquet.
The May birth flowers are the lily of the valley and the Hawthorne tree.
Lily of the Valley: Joy, love, sincerity, happiness and luck all are associated with these little bell-like blooms. The Lily of the Valley has many literally associations as well. Some say the blooms symbolize the tears Eve shed after being expelled from the Garden of Eden. Germanic mythology ties the flower to the goddess Ostara (where Christians created the “Easter” holiday). In the Victorian era, the bloom symbolized “a return to happiness.”
Hawthorne Tree: The Celtics believe the Hawthorne symbolized love and protection. However, this tree contains many competing meanings– some of which include sex, beauty, fertility, and also death. Bringing both bad luck and protection to those around it.
