The September birth flowers are the aster and the morning glory. The aster symbolizes powerful love and blooms from late summer into fall. The morning glory symbolizes affection and opens its flowers each morning.
The September birth flower has two options: the aster, the primary flower, and the morning glory, the second. The aster is in bloom during its own month, because most species flower from late summer into late fall, and it has a September holiday in its name: in Britain, asters are called Michaelmas daisies after the Feast of St. Michael on September 29.
This page covers each flower’s meaning, name, species, bloom time, and pet safety, and compares the two.
Table of Contents
What is the September birth flower?
The September birth flower is the aster, with the morning glory as the second September flower. The table compares the two.
| Attribute | Aster | Morning glory |
|---|---|---|
| Rank for September | Primary birth flower | Second birth flower |
| Meaning | Powerful love | Affection |
| Genus | Symphyotrichum (North American asters) and Aster (European and Asian asters) | Ipomoea |
| Plant family | Asteraceae (daisy family) | Convolvulaceae (bindweed family) |
| Plant type | Mostly herbaceous perennials | Climbing vine, usually grown as an annual |
| Bloom time | Summer into late fall | Summer until frost |
| Flower opens | All day | Early morning, closes late in the day |
| Common colors | Purple, blue, pink, white | Blue, purple, pink, white |
| Toxic to pets (ASPCA) | China aster: non-toxic | Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses |
The meanings in the table come from The Old Farmer’s Almanac, which describes asters as “mainly symbols of powerful love” and morning glories as “simple symbols of affection.”
The aster: primary September birth flower
The aster is the main September birth flower and the first flower listed for September by The Old Farmer’s Almanac and the UK florists Flying Flowers and Appleyard London.
Asters produce daisy-like flower heads with a ring of petal-like ray florets around a yellow center, which gives the flower its star shape.
What does the aster symbolize?
The aster symbolizes powerful love, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. The same source records a folk belief that asters were once burned to ward off serpents. In gift-giving, asters are used for September birthdays, anniversaries, and as a late-season flower when many summer blooms have finished.
Where the name “aster” comes from
The name “aster” comes from the ancient Greek and Latin words for star. The Old Farmer’s Almanac links the name to the star-shaped arrangement of the flower’s rays around its center. The same word root appears in “astronomy” and “asterisk.”
Why most American asters are no longer in the genus Aster
Most asters native to North America now belong to the genus Symphyotrichum, not Aster. According to the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, these species “were originally grouped under the Aster genus, but have since been separated into their own genus.”
Symphyotrichum contains over 100 species, and most are native to North America. The genus name Aster now applies mainly to European and Asian species.
The common name has not changed. Gardeners, florists, and birth flower lists still call all of these plants asters, so the September birth flower includes both genera.
The Michaelmas daisy and September 29
In Britain, asters are called Michaelmas daisies because they bloom around Michaelmas, the Feast of St. Michael, on September 29.
North Carolina Extension notes that the name refers to this feast “when many of these species are in bloom.” Michaelmas falls on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, and Wednesday, September 29, 2027.
Common aster species
Three plants sold as asters differ in height, color, and genus. The table compares the most common ones.
| Species | Genus | Height | Flower color | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England aster | Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | 3 to 6 feet | Purple, many small flowers | Late bloomer, well branched |
| New York aster | Symphyotrichum novi-belgii | 2 to 3 feet | Violet-blue | Also sold as Michaelmas daisy |
| China aster | Callistephus chinensis | Varies by cultivar | Many colors | Annual cut flower in a separate genus |
Heights and colors for the New England and New York asters come from The Old Farmer’s Almanac. The China aster, also sold as the annual aster, is related to true asters but belongs to its own genus, Callistephus.
Asters and fall pollinators
Asters are an important late-season nectar source for pollinators. The Old Farmer’s Almanac notes that asters “provide nectar for butterflies tanking up before heading south for the winter,” including migrating monarch butterflies.
North Carolina Extension recommends asters for fall pollinator gardens because they attract bees and butterflies after most summer flowers have faded.
The almanac also records that Europeans were importing North American wild asters for their gardens as early as 1680.
The morning glory: second September birth flower
The morning glory is the second September birth flower, a climbing vine known for flowers that open in the morning and close later in the day.
It symbolizes affection, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Morning glories belong to the genus Ipomoea, which also includes the sweet potato.
Why morning glories close in the afternoon
Morning glory flowers open in the early morning, and generally curl closed late in the day. The Old Farmer’s Almanac describes this daily pattern and suggests that early risers can watch the blooms unfold. A healthy vine keeps producing new flowers from summer until the first frost.
Morning glories and pets
Morning glories are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, according to the ASPCA. The ASPCA lists the toxic principles as indole alkaloids, including lysergic acid and lysergamide.
Clinical signs include vomiting, and eating large amounts of seeds may cause hallucinations. The seeds carry the highest risk, so vines that have set seed in late summer and fall need extra care around pets.
Aster vs. morning glory: which September flower to choose
Choose the aster for a September bouquet or garden, and the morning glory for a climbing vine or a tattoo design.
The two flowers suit different uses.
| Use | Better choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Birthday bouquet | Aster | Asters work as cut flowers and are in season in September |
| Home with pets | Aster (China aster) | The ASPCA lists China aster as non-toxic; morning glory is toxic |
| Pollinator garden | Aster | Late-season nectar for bees and migrating monarchs |
| Fence or trellis | Morning glory | Fast-climbing vine |
| Tattoo or artwork | Either | Aster for a star shape, morning glory for a trumpet shape and vine |
| Early-morning garden | Morning glory | Flowers are open in the morning |
Morning glories make a poor cut flower because each bloom closes the same day. Asters are the practical choice for anyone buying flowers for a September birthday.
Other September birthday symbols
People born in September have the sapphire as their birthstone. Jewelers of America lists sapphire as the only September birthstone on the modern list, which was standardized in 1912.
A September birthday gift can pair an aster design with a sapphire, since both come in shades of blue and purple.
September also contains the start of astronomical fall. The September equinox falls on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, in US time zones and on Thursday, September 23, 2027, in the Eastern time zone.
| September symbol | Item |
|---|---|
| Primary birth flower | Aster |
| Second birth flower | Morning glory |
| Birthstone | Sapphire |
| Feast linked to the aster | Michaelmas, September 29 |
The months on either side have different flowers. The August birth flower is the gladiolus, with the poppy as the second flower, and the October birth flower is the marigold, with cosmos as the second.
What the September birth flower is not
The September birth flower is not the China aster in the strict botanical sense, because the China aster belongs to the genus Callistephus, although many florists sell it as an aster.
The morning glory is also not the same plant as field bindweed, a weedy relative in the same family, Convolvulaceae, but in a different genus, Convolvulus.
Finally, the September birth flower is not the same as the flower for the Virgo or Libra zodiac signs, which follow star sign dates that change in late September.
Frequently asked questions
What is the birth flower for September?
The birth flower for September is the aster, with the morning glory as the second September flower. Both appear in American and British birth flower lists. The aster symbolizes powerful love, and the morning glory symbolizes affection, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
What does the September birth flower mean?
The aster, September’s primary birth flower, means powerful love. Its name comes from the Greek and Latin words for star. The morning glory, the second September flower, means affection. Folklore recorded by The Old Farmer’s Almanac also says asters were once burned to ward off serpents.
Why is the aster called a Michaelmas daisy?
The aster is called a Michaelmas daisy in Britain because many species bloom around Michaelmas, the Feast of St. Michael, on September 29. Michaelmas falls on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, and Wednesday, September 29, 2027. The name makes the aster’s link to September especially strong.
Are September birth flowers toxic to pets?
Morning glories are toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, according to the ASPCA, and the seeds carry the most risk. The ASPCA lists the China aster as non-toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Check the ASPCA database for the exact plant before bringing flowers into a home with pets.
When do asters bloom?
Asters bloom from summer into late fall, with many species at their peak in September and October. New England asters are among the latest to flower. This long fall bloom is one reason asters provide nectar for bees and migrating monarch butterflies late in the season.
What is the September birthstone?
The September birthstone is the sapphire, according to Jewelers of America. The modern birthstone list was standardized in 1912 by the American National Retail Jewelers Association. Sapphire’s blue color pairs with the blue and purple shades of asters and morning glories.
Sources:
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac – Birth Month Flowers
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac – September Birth Flowers
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac – Asters: Stars of the Fall Garden
- NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox – Symphyotrichum
- ASPCA – Morning Glory
- ASPCA – China Aster
- Jewelers of America – Birthstones
