March Birth Flowers

The traditional birth flower for the month of March is the Narcissus (a.k.a. the Daffodil) and symbolizes unequalled love, rebirth, new beginnings and prosperity. Giving daffodils as a gift express a deep love that cannot be equaled. A bouquet or basket of happy yellow daffodils are popular in the home and garden, representing new beginnings and rebirth after the cold winter months. It is also the national flower of Wales and often associated with Spring festivals.

Daffodils come mostly in shades and mixes of yellow and/or white and have a trumpet-shaped cup surrounded by 6 petal-like tepals, almost like a cup and saucer. It is said they originated in Northern Europe and named by the Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus. The etymology of the botanical name Narcissus comes from the Greek word ‘narkissos” meaning ‘feeling of numbness’ accredited to the toxic alkaloids in the entire plant. The Narcissus Jonquil (origin: Spain) is cultivated in France for perfume oils and only one of the 50+ varieties of the amaryllis family; Amaryllidaceae. In Greek mythology, the most common story behind Narcissus is the one of Narkissos, a handsome hunter so obsessed with his reflection in the water that he fell in and drowned, where later the first daffodils grew and bloomed, and so named after him. This is also where the term narcissism originates.

Freesia’s are the second birth flower for March and symbolize friendship, trust and thoughtfulness, often given between friends and lovers. Freesia’s are funnel-shaped flowers and come in a variety of colours. They originate from Kenya and South Africa and often used in wedding bouquets.