Summary:
Fun facts about birth flowers. Trivial, historical, medicinal and mythological facts are provided for birth flowers for each month of the year.

Details or Sample:
Did you know that in addition to having an astrological sign, the month of your birth also has a designated flower? Modern pharmacology has its roots, so to speak, in the historical use of flowers, herbs and other botanicals. Additionally, by sneaking a peek into these bygone medicine cabinets, we can get a better idea of the legends and lore that surrounded the lives of our ancestors.

January
Carnation: The carnation was elected as the official flower of Mother´s Day by Ann Jarvis in 1907.

Snowdrop: Offering hope for the future, the snowdrop is currently being used in medical research and contains a chemical thought to be helpful in treating Alzheimer’s disease.

February
Iris: The iris takes its name from the Roman goddess of the rainbow who was charged with leading women to Elysium after they died.

Primrose: Primrose contains a toxic substance which was historically used in trapping donkeys and other animals.

Violet: Violets contain a chemical that desensitizes olfactory receptors in the nose, making it nearly impossible for humans to experience their scent.

March
Daffodil: Rumor has it that Prince Charles is given one daffodil every year as rent for an ancient land deal in Italy.

April
Daisy: An ancient Celtic legend holds that daisies are scattered about the earth by children who died in childbirth to help lessen their parents´ grief.

Sweetpea: Unfortunately, this flower´s name is a major misnomer. Sweetpea is a dietary staple in many third world countries, but to consume very much of it leads to a neurodegenerative disease called neurolathyrism.

May
Lily of the Valley: Greek legend has it that while gathering violets and lilies, Persephone, the daughter of the earth goddess, Demeter, was kidnapped by Hades, the lord of the underworld. Hades later charmed the affection of his hostage by offering her a pomegranate. He then made her his wife, striking a deal with her mother that she would stay in the underworld only half of the year. Demeter’s grief during these months led to fallow fields and leafless trees, an ancient explanation of winter.

Hawthorn: The Europeans call the hawthorn by a different name, one we´re all sure to recognize, the Mayflower.

June
Rose: The rose was traditionally used for the prevention of scurvy, a disease stemming from vitamin C deficiency which particularly affected sailors. While oranges contain 49 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, rose hips may contain upwards of 6,000.

Honeysuckle: Despite its sweet name, this is a very invasive plant which is suspected to release chemicals into the ground that prevent other plants from growing nearby. It is classified as an invasive, exotic weed in many countries including parts of the United States.

July
Larkspur: Extremely poisonous to eat and a source of cattle poisoning even today, the larkspur was traditionally used in Transylvania, where stable owners believed it kept witches away from their animals.

Water lily: A symbol of fertility in many traditions, water lily seeds can be viable for up to 2,000 years.

August
Gladiola: As the name indicates, this was the flower of the Roman gladiators.

Poppy: Poppies, still a source of medical debate today, were recently featured on the popular science television show, “MythBusters.” Weird scientist Adam Savage tested the hypothesis that eating foods containing poppy seeds would cause a positive test result for opiates in a drug screen. To prove the point, he ate an entire poppy seed cake then did indeed test positive after just 30 minutes, but came up clean in a follow-up test 18 hours later.

September
Aster: There are over 900 varieties of asters. Aster, as in “aster-isk” or “aster-oid,” means star.

Morning Glory: Sulfur derived from the morning glory plant was used by the ancient Mesoamericans to vulcanize rubber for making high-bouncing balls, an early version of super-balls.

October
Calendula: Calendula petals were used by Civil War doctors to ease bleeding and prevent infection in battle wounds. This practice was still used to some extent during World War I.

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Written by: PJ Rooks
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