September Birth Flower: Aster and Morning Glory Lore

The traditional September birth flower, the aster is a spritely bloom with a rich history and layers of lore that add extra meaning to its symbolism. Learn more about asters and you can carry deeper meaning into your flowerbeds, bouquets, and arrangements, not just in September but all year long. Below you will find the legends, the meanings by color and culture, the political history, the folk medicine, the art and poetry, and plain growing advice, plus a look at the morning glory, September’s alternate birth flower. Jump to aster flower meaning

About Aster Flowers

Asters are a favorite perennial autumn flower, typically seen wild in woodlands and meadows and found on every continent except Antarctica. First described in the mid-1700s, there are more than 32,000 species in the Asteraceae family, of which about 170 to 180 are asters. These lovely, widespread flowers are related to sunflowers, daisies, cosmos, dahlias, chrysanthemums, zinnias, and dandelions. True asters are native to Eurasia, but have been cultivated worldwide.

Depending on the variety, asters are found in a range of purple, pink, blue, and white shades, most often with sunny yellow centers. Their strong stems keep the blooms upright, and they range in size from 1 to 6 feet high, growing in a bushy habit from 1 to 4 feet wide.

Asters were named for their star-shaped blooms, from the Latin “aster” meaning star. These flowers are also occasionally known as the herb of Venus, starworts, frostflowers, and Michaelmas daisies, with each name showing the flower’s unique cultural connections and significance.

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Aster Legends

There are several similar origin myths for how asters came to be, but the most well-known comes from ancient Greek legend. The goddess Astraea, associated with justice, innocence, and purity, was so distraught at the destruction left after Zeus flooded the Earth to end a human war that she wept. Known also as the Star Goddess, her tears fell as stardust, and where they touched the ground, star-shaped asters bloomed. This legend is why asters often symbolize justice, innocence, and purity, the same traits Astraea is known to uphold.

The connection to stardust and Astraea is also how these flowers earned the name starworts.

Aster Flower Meaning Around The World

Beyond the Greek legend and its symbolism, aster flower meaning spans many cultures around the world.

In India, China, and parts of Persia, aster flowers are often carried in weddings because they represent purity and love, ideal qualities for that very special day. Chinese culture in particular ties asters to fidelity, devotion, and wisdom, all fitting traits for the foundation of a marriage. In ancient Roman culture, asters were linked to Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, and art, and were often called the herb of Venus. At times, Romans even mixed asters into love potions in hopes of drawing on the powers of Venus for romantic ends.

In Christian symbolism, asters are tied to the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, also known as Michaelmas, celebrated each year on September 29. Because these flowers are among the last still brilliant and at peak color at that time, it is natural they would come to be called Michaelmas daisies.

More general symbolism for asters includes elegance, faith, valor, daintiness, patience, wisdom, and even fertility. The color of an aster can shift its meaning too. White asters are most closely tied to purity and innocence, while purple asters speak to royalty, dignity, and wisdom. Pink asters mean devotion and kindness, and bold red shades are connected to undying love and vibrant passion.

Beyond their role as the September birth month flower, asters are also the official flower of the twentieth wedding anniversary. That connection represents resilience and patience, both qualities a couple must show in abundance for a union to last so many years.

Asters are also the official flower of the Zodiac sign Capricorn (December 22 through January 19), and more loosely associated with Virgo (August 23 through September 22). If you want to place your own birthday on the calendar, our guide to your zodiac sign sorts out the dates.

Aster Flower History

While the lore and legend around asters is fascinating, these flowers also have a place in political history. On October 31, 1918, Hungarians began a revolt against their government and its conduct in World War I, a revolt that led to the dissolution of Austria-Hungary and independence for Hungary.

Soldiers supporting the revolt wore aster flowers, and the uprising became known as the Aster Revolution. Because of it, asters have remained a powerful symbol of liberty and revolution in central Europe.

In the United States, asters have a much gentler connection to politics. Founding Father, statesman, author of the Declaration of Independence, and third US President Thomas Jefferson had a fondness for asters, among many other flowers, and grew a wide variety of them at his Virginia home, Monticello. Even today, a wide range of aster seeds is available for sale from Monticello.

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Aster Flower Healing Properties

With so many varieties so widespread, it is no surprise that asters have been adapted into folk medicine and herbal remedies. Asters have been used as teas, poultices, and other treatments for a range of ailments, including headaches, colds, fevers, epilepsy, asthma, general congestion, swollen lymph nodes, and hangovers. When added to a salve or ointment, asters were believed beneficial for treating dog bites or snake bites.

Different Native American tribes used aster root tea to treat diarrhea, earaches, toothaches, and fevers, while traditional Chinese medicine has used asters for hemorrhages and malaria, as well as for various respiratory ailments.

With their mildly balsamic, refreshing scent, asters are also often used in aromatherapy. Whether in lotions, candles, essential oils, perfumes, or incense, asters can help create a calming atmosphere meant to ease stress and anxiety.

It should be noted, however, that these homeopathic remedies have not been verified by modern medical testing, and asters are not part of advanced medical practice today.

Furthermore, asters are not considered edible and contain several compounds, including saponins, that could cause strong allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

The flowers are safe to handle and can be beautiful in gardens and cut arrangements, but anyone with a skin condition should consider wearing gloves when handling asters, as they could react.

Aster Flower In Art

The popularity and widespread appeal of asters has earned them a place in art, where they often appear in fields, meadows, and bouquets alongside similar blooms. Renowned impressionist Claude Monet gave asters their own notable work, a cut bouquet shown in a still-life vase, in 1880, while Vincent van Gogh also shows asters with their close relative, the sunflower, as well as with gladioli, in a number of his works.

Asters have also featured in notable poetry, such as Emily Dickinson’s “It will be Summer, Eventually (342),” which mentions the blooms. Robert Morgan’s “Purple Asters,” written in 1981, is a tribute to the flowers that names “the months of lavender, late summer and early fall” as their season. Jane Flanders describes the flowers’ motion and seasonal appearances in her “Wild Asters,” published in 1979.

Growing Asters

Where asters truly shine as living artwork is in the garden or landscape, and gardeners have deliberately cultivated them for 4,000 years. They are particularly lovely in rock gardens, along borders, or as part of a pollinator garden that welcomes bees and butterflies. These easy-to-grow blooms can thrive in all hardiness zones and will add a gorgeous pop of color wherever they are planted. Not sure which zone you garden in? See our guide to plant hardiness zones.

Asters prefer at least six hours of full sun to produce the most brilliant blooms, but they can also do quite well in partial or dappled shade. Soil must be well-draining and kept moist but not soggy. The University of Wisconsin-Madison horticulture extension offers a research-based guide to growing asters if you want to confirm the right conditions for your own beds.

Ideally, water with a soaker hose or drip system to keep moisture off the foliage and reduce the chance of rot. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer helps nourish asters, and deadheading keeps the plants compact while encouraging reblooming from late summer through fall, so these September birth flowers look their best right through their month.

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Morning Glory, The Alternate September Birth Month Flower

While the aster is the traditional birth flower for September, an alternative is the morning glory. More than 1,000 species of herbaceous vines are considered morning glories, producing prodigious bright, trumpet-shaped blooms in white, pink, blue, red, and purple. Though each flower lasts just one day, opening near dawn and closing later on, morning glories can be a lovely way to mark a special day such as a birthday, anniversary, or other occasion.

Morning glories carry symbolism well-suited to their fleeting nature. These flowers mean daintiness, and they often convey love in vain or unrequited love.

Like asters, morning glories have also been used in some traditional medicines. The flowers are occasionally used as an herbal laxative.

Morning glories are easy to grow in full sun and a great attractor for butterflies and hummingbirds. With their vining habit, they look lovely over a fence, pergola, arbor, or archway. Take care with placement, though, because morning glory seeds are poisonous and can be dangerous to children and pets.

Great care must also be taken to plant actual morning glories (Ipomoea species) and not the very similar, often mistaken field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), which can look strikingly like a morning glory but is in fact an invasive, hard-to-deter weed.

Whether you prefer asters or morning glories, either flower is a great choice for celebrating September birthdays and special occasions, and either will add lovely color to an autumn flowerbed, garden, or landscape.

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September Birth Flower: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the September birth flower?

The traditional September birth flower is the aster, named from the Latin word for star after its star-shaped bloom. The morning glory, a trumpet-shaped vine that opens for a single day, is the alternate September birth flower.

What does the aster flower mean?

Asters symbolize justice, innocence, and purity, drawn from the Greek goddess Astraea, along with elegance, faith, valor, patience, wisdom, and even fertility. Color matters too: white means purity, purple means royalty and wisdom, pink means devotion and kindness, and red means undying love.

Why are asters called Michaelmas daisies?

In Christian symbolism, asters are tied to the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, or Michaelmas, celebrated each year on September 29. Because asters are among the last flowers still at peak color at that time, they came to be called Michaelmas daisies.

Are asters or morning glories poisonous?

Asters are not considered edible and contain compounds such as saponins that can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people, though the flowers are safe to handle, ideally with gloves. Morning glory seeds are poisonous and can be dangerous to children and pets, so place the vines with care.

How do you grow asters?

Asters grow in all hardiness zones. Give them at least six hours of sun, well-draining soil kept moist but not soggy, and water at the base with a soaker hose or drip line. A slow-release fertilizer and regular deadheading keep them compact and reblooming from late summer through fall.

What does the September birth flower symbolize as an anniversary flower?

The aster is the official flower of the twentieth wedding anniversary, where it represents resilience and patience, two qualities a couple must show in abundance for a union to last that long.

Join The Discussion

Which September birth month flower do you prefer: aster, morning glory, or a different flower? 

Did anything surprise you about the aster flower meaning?

Share your thoughts, tips, and tricks in the comments below!