August's birth flowers are the gladiolus and the poppy, with the dahlia as a florists' alternate; the gladiolus means strength of character.
Gladiolus is the August flower every source agrees on, named by both almanacs and by the Society of American Florists. The almanacs pair it with the poppy. The florists' chart adds the dahlia instead, although its own meanings guide has no entry for dahlia. That leaves the flower with only one English reading on record and makes it the least documented birth flower of the month.
Strength runs through the gladiolus readings. The Society of American Florists and Farmers' Almanac both say strength of character, and the Old Farmer's Almanac adds victory and honor. Greenaway's 1884 book has no gladiolus entry at all. The poppy carries consolation in both Greenaway, for the red poppy, and the florists' guide, while Farmers' Almanac links it to remembrance. The dahlia's only English meaning comes from Greenaway, who read it as instability.
Gladiolus is both the common and the botanical name, and red is the color most charts show for August. The Society of American Florists and Farmers' Almanac use the phrase strength of character, with integrity added by the latter. The Old Farmer's Almanac speaks of strength, victory and honor. Kate Greenaway's 1884 dictionary skipped the gladiolus entirely, so its meanings come from modern American sources.
Poppy, genus Papaver, is shown here in red. Greenaway's 1884 book and the Society of American Florists both give the red poppy consolation, a gentle word for a birthday flower. Farmers' Almanac connects it to remembrance, and the Old Farmer's Almanac's August page links it to peace as well. Greenaway gave the white poppy a separate and much darker entry.
Dahlia appears for August only on the Society of American Florists' list, and that guide gives it no meaning. The single English reading on record comes from Greenaway's 1884 book: instability, a Victorian verdict that modern charts tend to set aside. Japanese flower language reads the dahlia in positive terms, and one Japanese garden site assigns it to September instead. Orange is the shade shown here.
Little has been written down in English. The Society of American Florists lists the dahlia for August but gives no meaning, and Greenaway's 1884 book reads it as instability. Japanese flower language is more positive.
Consolation is the shared reading of Greenaway's 1884 book and the Society of American Florists for the red poppy. Farmers' Almanac adds remembrance, so the poppy suits a thoughtful card more than a lighthearted one.
JanuaryCarnationSnowdrop
FebruaryVioletPrimrose
MarchDaffodilJonquil
AprilDaisySweet Pea
MayLily of the ValleyHawthorn
JuneRoseHoneysuckle
JulyLarkspurWater Lily
AugustGladiolusPoppy
SeptemberAsterMorning Glory
OctoberMarigoldCosmos
NovemberChrysanthemum
DecemberNarcissus (Paperwhite)HollyBirth flowers and flower meanings are cultural traditions. Month lists follow The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Farmers’ Almanac and the Society of American Florists; the daily calendar is from William Hone’s The Every-Day Book (1825).