When October rolls around, you may be thinking of crimson leaves, spooky Jack-o-lanterns, or warm mugs of mulled cider. But what is October’s birth flower? Fortunately, those born in the tenth month can claim two beautiful flowers as their own: the marigold and cosmos.
Both of these flowers make great gifts for October babies, especially when you learn a bit more about their qualities. We’re going to cover the meaning and symbolism of these October birth flowers as well as a few fun facts about these blooms.
Primary October Birth Flower: Marigold
The first of the October birth month flowers is the marigold. These flowers are known for their warm hues as well as lacey foliage and ruffled blooms that fill garden beds and bouquets with cheerfulness. While marigolds shine during summer, the orange and yellow flowers can continue blooming into October.
Marigold Meaning & Symbolism
Bright oranges and yellows evoke feelings of warmth, so it’s no surprise these flowers symbolize warm affection and love. This symbolism means that marigolds can be a great way to let friends and family know how much you love and appreciate them, regardless of what month they were born.
Marigolds are also linked to the fragility of life since they appear in the spring and die back when the first frost arrives. However, rather than imparting sadness, marigolds are a reminder to enjoy all that life has to offer. These flowers are also seen as a link between life and death, which is why they’re often used in Día de los Muertos celebrations.
However, marigolds were used in important celebrations prior to Día de los Muertos. Aztecs associated the bright flowers with the goddess Mictecacihuatl, who helped the spirits of the deceased make their way back to their living loved ones. Therefore, Aztecs often used the fragrant marigolds in rituals in order to guide their loved ones to Earth.
In India, people often view marigolds as symbols of good luck. They’re used extensively during the festival of Diwali, both due to their good fortune as well as a reminder that brightness can help us overcome darkness.
Marigold Varieties
Horticulturists and gardeners typically classify marigolds into three categories: French marigolds, African marigolds, and signet marigolds. And within these three categories, you can find hundreds of different varieties.
French marigolds belong to the genus Tagetes patula and bloom for multiple months. They often remain less than a foot tall, but a few varieties can grow a bit taller.
African marigolds, Tagetes erecta, have large flowers and grow taller than French marigolds. Despite their name, they’re native to Central America rather than Africa.
Signet marigolds, Tagetes tenuifolia, are known for their citrusy scent, single flowers, and edible nature. Their foliage is also a bit later than their French and African counterparts.
- Cottage Red: a French marigold with red petals and a yellow flower center
- Giant Orange: plants grow three feet tall and produce large orange, globe-shaped flowers
- Lemon Star: yellow signet marigolds with maroon lines
- Tangerine Gem: a signet marigold with golden petals surrounding a light orange middle
- Queen Sophia: this French marigold has multiple layers of red flowers with gold edges
Marigold Fun Facts
Not only are marigold flowers cheerful and bright, but they can also be used to dye yarns and fabrics in shades of gold, orange, and green. Untreated marigold flowers and leaves produce a soothing yellow, and treating the dye with copper or iron can lead to pleasing olive green shades.
If you speak to gardeners, you’ve probably heard that marigolds can repel everything from deer to aphids. And while they won’t keep every pest away from your vegetables and flowers, marigolds do have the ability to repel some pesky critters. That’s because they release compounds that keep insects like whiteflies away. And they can help attract predatory insects that feed on insect pests.
People have used marigolds for years in order to reduce inflammation and help treat conditions ranging from sunburns to bruises to insect stings. Research suggests that some marigold compounds can help scavenge free radicals and stimulate protective enzymes, meaning they can act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. The flowers also have some antibacterial properties.
Secondary October Birth Flower: Cosmos
The second of the October birth flowers is the cosmos. These delicate flowers grow atop long, wispy stems and come in a wide array of colors.
Cosmos Meaning & Symbolism
The word cosmos may conjure an image of an orderly universe rather than garden flowers blowing in the wind. However, both definitions of cosmos come from the Greek word kosmos which refers to something that’s in harmonious order and arrangement. And when you look a the cosmos flower’s perfectly arranged petals, it’s easy to see how this flower got its name.
Therefore, it’s no surprise this October birth month flower is a symbol of order and harmony. People also think the flowers symbolize peace, joy, and beauty.
Cosmos Varieties
The term cosmos refers to about 25 different species of plants in the Cosmos genus. All of these plants have round flowers that sport thin, wispy petals arranged around a distinct center.
Along with the different species, you can also find loads of individual cosmos varieties in colors including white, pink, orange, and red. These cultivars also display variation in the number of petals—some varieties have a single layer of petals, while others have two or three layers stacked on top of each other.
If you don’t know where to get started with cosmos, check out these popular varieties.
- Apricotta: beautiful single layers of petals begin light orange and turn pink as they age
- Bright Lights: bright orange flowers with double or semi-double petals
- Choca Mocha: also known as chocolate cosmos due to the dark red petals that almost appear brown
- Cupcake White: tightly clustered petals with ruffled edges combine to form flowers that look like white cupcake wrappers
- Double Click Snow Puff: layers and layers of white petals combine to form flowers that almost look like small pom-poms
- Rubenza: single blooms that range in color from light rose to deep maroon
Cosmos Fun Facts
Not only are these October birth flowers beautiful, but they come with quite a few fun facts!
If you plant cosmos in your garden, get ready for an explosion of flowers. That’s because cosmos continue to produce new flowers for months on end. However, you’ll need to remove dead flowers, aka deadhead, if you want the plants to produce new blooms. Cosmos also readily self-seed in you don’t remove dead flowers, which means you can have an almost endless supply of flowers if you want to!
Cosmos are native to Mexico, but people began spreading them throughout the world in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Today, you can find cosmos sprouting up in gardens across the globe.
Learn More About Birth Flowers
Now that you’ve learned about the birth flowers of October, it’s time to move on to other months! Fortunately, we’ve laid out all birth month flowers to help you pick out the perfect birthday flower delivery for everyone in your life. And whether you’re looking for September birth flowers for Mom’s birthday or a colorful bouquet to brighten up a friend’s day, The Bouqs Co. has you covered with farm-fresh flowers.
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