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Birthstones and birth flowers

Birthstones and birth flowers by month

Birthstones on the UK list are garnet for January, amethyst for February, aquamarine for March, diamond for April, emerald for May, pearl for June, ruby for July, peridot for August, sapphire for September, opal for October, topaz for November, tanzanite for December. Birth flowers vary more between lists: carnation or snowdrop for January, violet or iris for February, daffodil for March, and so on. Pick a month for its stones, flowers and gift ideas.

Last updated · Sources listed at the bottom

All twelve months at a glance

Stones follow the National Association of Goldsmiths’ British list (first stone, then its alternative). Flowers combine two UK lists.

Birthstones and birth flowers by month
MonthBirthstoneBirth flower
JanuaryGarnetCarnation or Snowdrop
FebruaryAmethystViolet or Iris
MarchAquamarine or BloodstoneDaffodil
AprilDiamond or Rock crystalDaisy or Sweet pea
MayEmerald or ChrysopraseLily of the valley or Hawthorn
JunePearl or MoonstoneRose or Honeysuckle
JulyRuby or CornelianLarkspur or Water lily
AugustPeridot or SardonyxGladiolus or Poppy
SeptemberSapphire or Lapis lazuliAster or Morning glory
OctoberOpalMarigold or Cosmos
NovemberTopaz or CitrineChrysanthemum
DecemberTanzanite or TurquoiseNarcissus or Holly

Month by month

Meanings are traditional associations, not facts. Gift angles are our own suggestions.

January: Garnet and carnation or snowdrop

Birthstone
Garnet
Colour
Dark red
Flowers
Carnation, Snowdrop

Stone meaning. By tradition: faith, eternity and truth (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Carnation: devotion (Ideal Home) or fascination (eFlorist). Snowdrop: hope, as one of the first signs of spring (Ideal Home).

Where lists differ: eFlorist UK lists carnation only.

Gift angles

  • A garnet stud or pendant for a January birthday
  • A pot of snowdrop bulbs to plant together
  • A carnation bouquet in their favourite colour

February: Amethyst and violet or iris

Birthstone
Amethyst
Colour
Purple
Flowers
Violet, Iris

Stone meaning. By tradition: luck, wittiness and health (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Faithfulness and wisdom (Ideal Home); faith, courage and wisdom for the iris (eFlorist).

Where lists differ: eFlorist UK lists iris only.

Gift angles

  • An amethyst ring or cufflinks
  • A bunch of irises with a handwritten card
  • Violet-scented soap or a violet-print scarf

March: Aquamarine or Bloodstone and daffodil

Birthstones
Aquamarine, alternative: Bloodstone
Colour
Pale blue
Flower
Daffodil

Stone meaning. By tradition: happiness and understanding (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: New beginnings and rebirth (Ideal Home); new beginnings and self-confidence (eFlorist).

Where lists differ: NAG lists aquamarine first, bloodstone as the alternative.

Gift angles

  • An aquamarine pendant for someone who loves the sea
  • A bucket of daffodils, never a single stem (eFlorist notes the bad-luck superstition)
  • Daffodil bulbs for next spring

April: Diamond or Rock crystal and daisy or sweet pea

Birthstones
Diamond, alternative: Rock crystal
Colour
White
Flowers
Daisy, Sweet pea

Stone meaning. By tradition: eternity, courage and health (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Innocence and blissful pleasure (Ideal Home); innocence, youth and purity (eFlorist).

Where lists differ: NAG lists rock crystal as the alternative to diamond. eFlorist UK lists daisy only.

Gift angles

  • A rock crystal pendant if diamond is beyond the budget
  • Sweet pea seeds and a pretty pot
  • A daisy-chain bracelet in silver

May: Emerald or Chrysoprase and lily of the valley or hawthorn

Birthstones
Emerald, alternative: Chrysoprase
Colour
Green
Flowers
Lily of the valley, Hawthorn

Stone meaning. By tradition: fidelity, goodness and love (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: A return to happiness (Ideal Home); happiness and good luck (eFlorist).

Where lists differ: NAG lists chrysoprase as the alternative to emerald. eFlorist UK lists lily of the valley only.

Gift angles

  • A chrysoprase bracelet, a gentler price than emerald
  • A lily of the valley scent or hand cream
  • An emerald-green silk scarf

June: Pearl or Moonstone and rose or honeysuckle

Birthstones
Pearl, alternative: Moonstone
Colour
Cream
Flowers
Rose, Honeysuckle

Stone meaning. By tradition: peace, nobility and beauty (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Love and passion (Ideal Home); sincerity, gratitude and love (eFlorist). Honeysuckle: happiness and good fortune (Ideal Home).

Where lists differ: US lists (GIA) add alexandrite for June; it is not on the NAG list. eFlorist UK lists rose only.

Gift angles

  • Pearl earrings or a single pearl pendant
  • A moonstone ring for someone who likes something less classic
  • A climbing rose or honeysuckle for the garden fence

July: Ruby or Cornelian and larkspur or water lily

Birthstones
Ruby, alternative: Cornelian
Colour
Red
Flowers
Larkspur, Water lily

Stone meaning. By tradition: love, enthusiasm and strength (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Larkspur: positivity and an open heart; water lily: purity, beauty and enlightenment (Ideal Home). eFlorist gives delphinium: truth and protection.

Where lists differ: NAG spells the alternative ‘cornelian’ (often written carnelian). Ideal Home lists larkspur and water lily; eFlorist UK lists delphinium.

Gift angles

  • A cornelian (carnelian) bead bracelet
  • A ruby-red leather notebook
  • Larkspur or delphinium plants for a summer border

August: Peridot or Sardonyx and gladiolus or poppy

Birthstones
Peridot, alternative: Sardonyx
Colour
Pale green
Flowers
Gladiolus, Poppy

Stone meaning. By tradition: success, peace and love (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Strength of character (Ideal Home and eFlorist).

Where lists differ: US lists (GIA) add spinel for August; it is not on the NAG list. eFlorist UK lists gladiolus only.

Gift angles

  • A peridot pendant in lime green
  • A tall bunch of gladioli
  • Poppy seed mix for a wildflower patch

September: Sapphire or Lapis lazuli and aster or morning glory

Birthstones
Sapphire, alternative: Lapis lazuli
Colour
Deep blue
Flowers
Aster, Morning glory

Stone meaning. By tradition: serenity and truth (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Love and affection (Ideal Home); autumn joy and happy old age (eFlorist).

Where lists differ: NAG lists lapis lazuli as the alternative to sapphire. eFlorist UK lists aster only.

Gift angles

  • A lapis lazuli pendant or cufflinks
  • A sapphire-blue cashmere jumper
  • A pot of asters for the patio

October: Opal and marigold or cosmos

Birthstone
Opal
Colour
Variegated
Flowers
Marigold, Cosmos

Stone meaning. By tradition: purity, hope and health (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Creativity and passion (Ideal Home); modesty, prosperity and creativity (eFlorist).

Where lists differ: NAG gives opal only; US lists (GIA) add tourmaline. eFlorist UK lists marigold (calendula) only.

Gift angles

  • An opal pendant for someone who likes colour that shifts
  • Calendula hand balm or marigold seeds
  • A cosmos and marigold bunch in autumn tones

November: Topaz or Citrine and chrysanthemum

Birthstones
Topaz, alternative: Citrine
Colour
Yellow
Flower
Chrysanthemum

Stone meaning. By tradition: wisdom, courage and sincerity (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Joy and longevity (Ideal Home); eternal youth (eFlorist).

Where lists differ: NAG lists citrine as the alternative to topaz.

Gift angles

  • A citrine ring, a warm and affordable yellow stone
  • A potted chrysanthemum for the doorstep
  • A topaz pendant for a milestone birthday

December: Tanzanite or Turquoise and narcissus or holly

Birthstones
Tanzanite, alternative: Turquoise
Colour
Sky blue
Flowers
Narcissus, Holly

Stone meaning. By tradition: love, happiness and luck (meanings as listed by the National Association of Goldsmiths).

Flower meaning. By tradition: Narcissus: faithfulness; holly: festive cheer (Ideal Home). eFlorist gives poinsettia.

Where lists differ: NAG lists tanzanite first and turquoise as the alternative. Tanzanite is a later addition to birthstone lists; the archived NAG page does not say when it was added. US lists (GIA) also include zircon. Ideal Home lists narcissus and holly; eFlorist UK lists poinsettia.

Gift angles

  • A turquoise bracelet for a December birthday
  • Paperwhite narcissus bulbs in a pretty pot
  • A tanzanite pendant for a big birthday

Birth-month gift ideas from our list

Questions people ask

Who decides the UK birthstones?

The UK list was standardised by the National Association of Goldsmiths in 1937 and updated since. American jewellers use a slightly different list, which is why you’ll see extra stones such as alexandrite for June.

What is the birthstone for December?

Tanzanite or Turquoise. The National Association of Goldsmiths lists tanzanite first and turquoise as the alternative.

What is the birth flower for January?

Carnation or Snowdrop. There’s no official UK list of birth flowers, so florists and magazines differ; we note where they disagree.

Do birthstones really have meanings?

Only by tradition. The meanings are folklore passed down by jewellers and writers, so treat them as a nice story to put in the card, not as fact.

Sources

Last updated .