Birthday Flowers
Birthday or ‘Birth’ flowers are a tradition carried back for generations among certain parts of the world, namely Westernised countries. Each day of every month is symbolic of different properties and is represented by a different unique flower (or plant in some cases).
What is a specific ‘Birth-date’ Flower?
Listed below are some examples of random dates and which flowers should be given to somebody on that day – one bizarre, and one traditional. See here for a complete list.
January Birthday Flowers
January 11th – Lemon: Quite an odd gift to give someone as a birthday present. You may want to reinforce it with another more practical gift. 
While getting a lemon may be simple, getting a lemon plant with leaves and stem may be more difficult as it is not something a florist would typically stock.
January 23rd – Nightshade: Also known as ‘Solanaceae‘ it is an ambiguous plant which can be perceived as poisonous, desirable or both. It has five petals with a pink and white tinge.
February Birthday Flowers
February 25th – Spearmint: It sure smells good, and you can even eat it! Mentha spicatacan be used for alcoholic drinks, tea, and as a home remedy for stomach-aches among countless other uses.
February 29th – Grass: Yep, grass. You would think that on a day that only occurs once every four years that it would be reserved for the most exotic and rare flora on earth. It does not have to be simple common ‘everyday’ grass. Formations and tufts of Wheatgrass for instance can look very neat and appealing.
March Birthday Flowers
March 12th – Maple: Maple, or the Acer plant, is one of the most widely recognisable plants in the world. It is present on the Canadian flag and appears basically all over the world. It is a common ornamental plant due to its ability to grow fast and withstand harsh temperatures, particularly cold.
March 31st – Love Lies Bleeding: The Amaranthus caudatus flower is a unique looking red plant which hangs in clusters off it’s leaves. It is edible, and can grow up to 8ft. high.
April Birthday Flowers
April 17th – Daisy: The bellis plant is one of the most common flowers to give to a loved one in the world. More commonly known as the daisy, it’s flower heads can grow up to 4cm in diameter.
April 18th – Wild Grape: Remember not to give as a simple bunch of grapes – try and find the leaves and stem if possible too. Can grow in surrounding forests and bushland naturally.
May Birthday Flowers
May 17th- Thistle: Remember to remove the spikes and thorns – that could backfire as a loving present. Other than the prickles, the thistle can flower beautiful pink, purple and white heads.
May 29th – French Marigold: Smells pungent, feels greasy but sure looks pretty! Apart from vanity, the flower’s oil has practical use as it is currently being used and researched as an anti-biotic for fungal infections.
June Birthday Flowers
June 1st – Marjoram: Comes in a range of species, and is most commonly used as spice although some can have a more distinct sweet acidic flavour. Highly resistant to even sub-zero temperatures.
June 6th – Thorn Apple: The Datura is an interesting plant. 
It can evolve so rapidly in different areas and climates that a new species is often prematurely named and classed. Eating the fruit may induce hallucinations and delirium, but also may poison you bad enough for a visit to the hospital.
July Birthday Flowers
July 4th – Water Willow: The Justicia is Native to humid, wet climates as the name implies. Also known as a ’shrimp-plant’ due to the shape of it’s leaves.
July 23rd – Indian Plum – ‘Osoberry‘. Actually not native to India, but more-so America. Blooms in early spring and can also be eaten to stimulate sexual desire and dull pain.
August Birthday Flowers
August 2nd – Damask Rose: One of the most common rose species. Emits a beautiful scent, luscious (often pink) heads and taste. Yes, taste – the Rosa damascena is frequently used for cooking and to flavour as a spice.
August 4th – Morning Glory: Refers to hundreds of different flower species under the Convolvulaceae family umbrella. Can be a very intrusive species to native wildlife as it grows and expands very fast. It is called ‘morning glory’ as it often blooms for only a single morning and will wilter away by the end of the same day.
September Birthday Flowers
September 6th – Iris: Symbolic of wisdom and valuable friendship. A stunning flower most commonly seen in violet but also grows in blue, green, white and yellow as pictured. 
The multitude of colors is most likely why the plant was named Iris by the ancient Greeks, which means ‘Rainbow’.
September 19th – Cabbage: Just what everyone wanted for their birthday – cabbage! Not exactly something you’d place in a bouquet, but can be an interesting addition to somebodies garden or pot plant.
October Birthday Flowers
October 8th – Tamarix: Native to harsh landscapes and deserts. Highly salt and weather resistant. Very uninspiring as plain stem and leaves, but stunning in bloom (as pictured).
October 18th – Rhododendron: Can be confused with roses to the untrained eye. Come in clusters and a variety of colors. Pollen and oil secreted from the head may be poisonous to some animals and even humans.
November Birthday Flowers
November 7th – Marvel of Peru: What’s so marvelous about the Mirabilis jalapa? For starters, different colors can be present on the same head and stem of one single plant. Not only is it visually stimulating, but it has a variety of practical uses, from food dye, cosmetics, aphrodisiacs and flavour.
November 9th – Lotus Flower: Traditionally an oriental Asian and Indian flower, the lotus is arguably one of the most stunning flowers on earth. With pristine heads of pink and white hues, they give a strong vibe of perfection. They can be used in cooking and ceremonial traditions, and are higher in vitamins and minerals.
December Birthday Flowers
December 22nd – Petunia: A popular flower for sending and gifting. While it is related to the tobacco species of flowers Solanaceae, this particular branch smells very pleasant with vibrant dark pink and deep blue heads.
December 25th – Christmas Rose: The hellebore, while highly resemblant of a rose (as pictured), does not actual belong to any family of Roses. It is ironic that a flower assigned for Christmas day is also associated with witchcraft and demonic rituals in ages past.
Birthday Gifts and Accessories from Online Florists
Florists who take orders online will often try and throw in extras on top of your flower order. This isn’t necessarily junk offers trying to make a quick buck – you can add on gourmet chocolate, personalised teddy bears, high-quality champagne and edible flowers.
You may also want to consider getting a plant for someones birthday – they don’t wilter and die as quickly, and provide a fun novelty to take care of.