Have you ever thought that every month has a birth flower and that each one has a special meaning? Like people, birth flowers are distinctive – filled with significance and wonderful stories. So whether you’re looking for a creative gift for someone’s birthday, or just want to add a personal touch to a flower arrangement for any occasion, our Birth Flower Guide will help you find out which flower is uniquely theirs.

OCTOBER: CALENDULA

The October birth flower is wonderful and unusual calendula in which lush, bright buds follow the path of the sun throughout the day, soaking up all the sunlight left in autumn. This colorful, annual flower first appeared in Indian and Arabic cultures, before being “discovered” by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. Now calendula is spread around the world as a garden plant.

The name ‘calendula’ derives from the Latin word calendae meaning ‘the first day of the month.’ It has also been translated as a ‘little calendar or little clock.’ The name was appropriate since the flower bloomed throughout the entire calendar year and provided monastery gardens and altars with a constant supply of golden blooms. Early Christians called calendula ‘Mary’s Gold’ (now marigold) because it was considered the Virgin Mary’s flower. For centuries this plant was associated with the sun and believed to open with the sunrise and close with the sunset. Since the flower buds follow the paths of the sun (like sunflowers), the Calendula is sometimes called ‘Summer’s Bride’ or ‘Husbandman’s Dial.’

In ancient India the October birth flower was believed to be one of the most sacred herbs, which colorful wreaths were used to decorate Hindu temple altars and to crown the gods and goddesses. In medieval times calendula flowers were considered an emblem of love and used to give young maidens knowledge of whom they would marry. To dream of calendula flowers was a sign of all good things to come; simply to look at them would drive away evil humors.

In the language of flowers, holiday bouquet with calendula can mean various things. For instance, Heilmeyer writes that during the nineteenth century the October birth flower, “representing the shining sun, became a symbol of life following its preordained path in the same way as the flower follows the sun.” Nowadays, the most important flower meanings of calendula are sympathy, sacred affection, and ‘my thoughts are with you.’ That’s why the calendula flower is so popular not only in birthday bouquets, but also in romantic bouquets and sympathy arrangements.

Share the joy of the holiday with your dear ones, show them your love and care, send a beautiful birthday flower arrangement!