The tradition of assigning a particular flower to each month links nature to the time of a person’s birth. These birth flowers carry cultural meanings and historical significance, offering a unique way to celebrate a birthday or mark a specific time of year. As the transition month between summer and autumn, September is represented by more than one bloom. This dual representation reflects the month’s layered character, bridging the vibrancy of late summer with the reflective nature of the approaching fall season.
Identifying the September Birth Flowers
September is traditionally celebrated with two distinct flowers: the Aster and the Morning Glory. The Aster is frequently cited as the primary flower, representing a late-season burst of color, while the Morning Glory offers a contrasting, yet equally meaningful, interpretation of the month.
The Aster symbolizes powerful love, faith, patience, and elegance, often blooming when most other flowers are fading. This association makes it a fitting symbol for enduring affection and wisdom acquired through time. The Morning Glory is associated with affection, mortality, and the fleeting nature of life due to its daily bloom cycle. Together, these two plants encapsulate the spirit of September, symbolizing both lasting devotion and the appreciation of transient beauty.
The Aster: Symbolism, Colors, and Varieties
The Aster flower draws its name from the Greek word for “star,” a nod to its numerous slender petals radiating from a central disk, giving it a celestial appearance. This star-like shape is thought to have inspired the Greek myth where the goddess Astraea wept over the lack of stars in the dark sky, and where her tears fell, the star-shaped Asters grew. Historically, the scent of burning Aster leaves was believed to ward off serpents and evil spirits.
The symbolism of the Aster centers on enduring love, patience, and wisdom, making it a popular choice for 20th wedding anniversaries. Its late-season bloom, often lasting well into autumn, signifies resilience and elegance, thriving when other garden blooms have faded. Asters come in a wide palette of colors, including purple, pink, white, and blue.
Purple Asters are associated with royalty, wisdom, and deep admiration, while white Asters convey purity and innocence. Pink varieties symbolize gentle affection and sensitivity, and blue Asters represent trustworthiness and serenity. Common garden varieties, such as the New England Aster and the New York Aster, are hardy perennials that provide a welcome splash of color to the September landscape.
Morning Glory: Meaning and Distinctive Traits
The Morning Glory is defined by opening its trumpet-shaped flowers only in the early hours of the day. These blooms typically unfurl with the sunrise and begin to close by late morning or early afternoon, withering before nightfall. This short-lived, daily cycle is the basis for much of its symbolism.
The flower’s fleeting beauty often leads to its association with the transient nature of life and the need to seize the day. Despite its brief lifespan, the Morning Glory also symbolizes affection and enduring love, particularly in Chinese and Victorian floriography. Its rapid, twining vines are seen as a symbol of growth and tenacity, reaching for new heights each day.
The blooms are most frequently seen in shades of vibrant blue, purple, pink, and white. The trumpet shape of the flower is a defining feature, and its heart-shaped leaves contribute to the symbolism of affection. Varieties like ‘Heavenly Blue’ are known for their striking color, while the plant reminds observers to appreciate the daily cycle of renewal and transformation.