July Birth Flowers: Larkspur and Water Lily — Their Contrasting Meanings and Best Gift Occasions
Discover the July birth flowers: larkspur and water lily. Explore their symbolism, mythology, colour meanings, growing tips, and gifting guide.
July has two birth flowers: larkspur and the water lily. These two blooms could hardly be more different in form — one reaches skyward in tall, airy spikes; the other rests serenely on the surface of still water — yet together they capture the essence of midsummer perfectly. Larkspur brings levity, an open heart, and the bright optimism of long July days. Water lily carries purity, enlightenment, and the peaceful beauty of a world at rest.
If you were born in July, both flowers speak to your character. This guide covers their symbolism, mythology, colour meanings, and how to use them in gifting — plus growing tips so you can bring both into your own garden.
What Is the July Birth Flower?
July has two official birth flowers: larkspur (Consolida or Delphinium) and the water lily (Nymphaea). Larkspur is the primary birth flower and the one most commonly associated with July in traditional floral calendars. Water lily is the secondary birth flower, equally rich in meaning and history. Both are in full bloom in July across much of North America, making them authentic symbols of the month rather than arbitrary assignments.
You can explore all twelve months in the birth flowers overview or jump to any month’s guide below.
Larkspur: The Primary July Birth Flower
Larkspur vs Delphinium: What’s the Difference?
One of the most common questions about the July birth flower is whether larkspur and delphinium are the same plant. The answer is: botanically, no — but culturally, both count as the July birth flower.
Larkspur (genus Consolida) is a cool-season annual. It completes its entire life cycle in one growing season, self-seeds prolifically, and typically grows 1–4 feet tall. The name “larkspur” comes from the distinctive nectar spur at the back of each flower, which resembles the claw of a lark.
Delphinium (genus Delphinium) is a perennial that returns year after year. It grows taller — up to 6 feet — and produces more dramatic flower spikes. The genus name comes from the Greek delphis, meaning dolphin, because the flower buds were thought to resemble a dolphin’s nose.
For the purposes of birth flower symbolism, larkspur and delphinium share the same meanings and are used interchangeably. Both belong to the family Ranunculaceae and both produce the same towering spikes of summer colour that define the July birth flower.
Larkspur Symbolism and Meaning
The primary meaning of larkspur is levity — a lightness of spirit, an open and joyful heart. In the Victorian language of flowers, larkspur was given to express “an open heart” and “strong bonds of love.” It was associated with positivity, grace, and the easy warmth of someone who makes others feel welcome.
Some Victorian sources also associated larkspur with fickleness, particularly pink larkspur — but this was never the dominant meaning. The overriding symbolism is one of openness, light, and genuine affection. A gift of larkspur says: “You bring lightness into my life.”
Larkspur also appears in the Victorian lexicon as a symbol of strong bonds of love — not the passionate, consuming love of red roses, but the deep, enduring love of friendship and family. This makes it particularly fitting for July birthdays, which fall in a month associated with warmth, togetherness, and long outdoor evenings.
See more flowers connected to these themes in our guide to flowers that symbolise healing and strength.
Larkspur in Greek Mythology: Ajax and the Letters AI
The most vivid piece of larkspur mythology comes from ancient Greece. According to the myth, the hero Ajax took his own life after losing a contest with Odysseus for the armour of the fallen Achilles. Where his blood fell on the ground, larkspur sprang up — and on its petals, the gods inscribed the letters AI, the Greek cry of mourning (aiai, meaning “alas” or “woe”).
Some varieties of larkspur do show markings on the inner petals that can be interpreted as letters — a detail that made this myth feel entirely plausible to ancient observers. The story connects larkspur to themes of honour, grief, and transformation: beauty rising from loss. This mythological background gave larkspur a more layered symbolism than its cheerful appearance might suggest, making it a flower that could speak to both joy and remembrance.
Ovid retells the story in the Metamorphoses, and the myth was well known throughout the ancient Mediterranean world.
Larkspur Colour Meanings
Like most flowers, larkspur carries different meanings depending on its colour. The table below covers the most common larkspur colours and their traditional symbolism.
| Colour | Meaning | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Purple | First love, new romance | Early relationships, romantic gestures |
| Blue | Dignity, grace, nobility | Respect, professional milestones |
| Pink | Fickleness, changeability | Playful gifting; mix with purple to balance |
| White | Happiness, purity | Weddings, new beginnings |
| Red | Passionate desire | Romantic love, anniversaries |
Blue larkspur — the most common wild form — is the classic choice for July birthdays. It pairs beautifully with white cosmos, yellow achillea, and silver artemisia in a summer cutting garden arrangement.
Larkspur Toxicity Warning
A crucial practical note: all parts of larkspur and delphinium are toxic to humans and animals. The plants contain diterpenoid alkaloids (primarily delphinine and ajacine) that cause neuromuscular paralysis if ingested. Larkspur poisoning is a significant cause of livestock mortality in the western United States, particularly cattle on rangeland where wild larkspur grows.
For home gardeners, larkspur is safe to grow and handle — but keep it away from children and pets, wash hands after handling, and never consume any part of the plant. The Missouri Botanical Garden’s plant finder lists larkspur as toxic and provides full details on safe handling.
Water Lily: The Secondary July Birth Flower
The water lily (Nymphaea) is one of the most recognised and universally loved flowers on earth. Its image appears in Egyptian tomb paintings, Buddhist temple carvings, Hindu sacred texts, and 250 of Claude Monet’s most celebrated paintings. For a flower that grows from mud and blooms on the surface of still water, the water lily has accumulated an extraordinary weight of spiritual and cultural meaning.
Water Lily vs Lotus: What’s the Difference?
The water lily (Nymphaea) and the lotus (Nelumbo) are frequently confused — and they share deeply overlapping symbolism — but they belong to entirely different plant families.
- Water lily (Nymphaea): leaves and flowers float on or just above the water surface; flowers close at night (most species); grows in shallow water across temperate and tropical zones.
- Lotus (Nelumbo): leaves and flowers rise high above the water on long stems; flowers open in the morning; seed pods are distinctive and widely used in art and decoration; associated primarily with South and Southeast Asia.
In Egyptian iconography, what is often called the “lotus” is botanically a blue water lily (Nymphaea caerulea). In Buddhist and Hindu contexts, the sacred “lotus” is Nelumbo nucifera. Both flowers share the same core symbolic arc: a plant rooted in mud that rises to bloom in perfect beauty — a metaphor for spiritual transcendence and enlightenment.
Water Lily Symbolism
The water lily’s core meanings are purity, enlightenment, rebirth, and serene beauty. These meanings derive directly from the plant’s biology: the water lily grows in muddy, often stagnant water, yet its flowers and leaves emerge spotlessly clean. The leaves are superhydrophobic — their waxy, microstructured surface causes water to bead and roll off, carrying dirt with it. This “lotus effect” (shared by water lily leaves) is so striking that ancient cultures universally interpreted it as spiritual purity.
The symbolism of rebirth comes from the water lily’s daily cycle: many species close their flowers at night and reopen them each morning, a behaviour that ancient Egyptians directly linked to the daily rebirth of the sun.
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→ View My Garden CalendarEgyptian Mythology and the Water Lily
In ancient Egypt, the blue water lily (Nymphaea caerulea) was sacred to Ra, the sun god, and to Nefertem, god of healing and beauty. The creation myth held that in the beginning, the world was covered in dark water (the primordial ocean called Nun), and the first dawn occurred when a blue water lily rose from the depths and opened to reveal Ra himself — or, in some versions, a young child who became the sun.
Water lily motifs appear on tomb walls, temple columns, and royal headdresses throughout pharaonic Egypt. The blue water lily was also used in religious ceremonies and may have had mild psychoactive properties — research published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology has suggested the flowers contain apomorphine, a dopamine agonist. The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew has documented the plant’s sacred status in Egyptian culture extensively.
Monet’s Water Lilies
No discussion of the water lily is complete without Claude Monet. Between 1895 and 1926, Monet painted approximately 250 works featuring the water lily pond he had designed at his garden in Giverny, Normandy. The series — known in French as Les Nymphéas — became one of the most celebrated bodies of work in Western art history.
Monet was obsessed with capturing light — specifically the way light and reflection dissolve the boundary between water, sky, and flower. The water lily pond was his laboratory. He painted it at different times of day and in different seasons, watching how the same scene transformed under changing light. The result was a meditation on impermanence and perception that resonated deeply with the Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware (the pathos of transience) — fitting, since Monet was an avid collector of Japanese woodblock prints.
The largest panels of the Nymphéas series are displayed in two oval rooms at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, installed according to Monet’s own design as a “refuge of peaceful meditation.”
Buddhist and Hindu Symbolism
In Buddhist iconography, the water lily and lotus represent the path to enlightenment: just as the flower rises from the mud of the pond floor to bloom in open air, the practitioner rises from the mud of ignorance and suffering toward wisdom and liberation. The Buddha is most commonly depicted seated on a lotus or water lily throne, symbolising his transcendence of the suffering world.
In Hinduism, the water lily is associated with Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, fortune, and beauty, who is often shown standing or seated on a pink lotus/water lily. The flower’s symbolism of beauty untainted by its environment connects directly to Lakshmi’s domain of pure, generous prosperity.
Cancer and Leo: The July Zodiac Connection
July spans two zodiac signs: Cancer (June 21 – July 22) and Leo (July 23 – August 22). Both birth flowers align beautifully with the qualities associated with these signs.
Cancer is ruled by the moon and associated with emotion, intuition, nurturing, and home. The water lily — a flower that closes at night and responds to the moon’s influence on water — is a natural Cancer flower. Its symbolism of purity, deep feeling, and the capacity to bloom in difficult conditions reflects the Cancerian character.
You might also find calla lily meaning: purity, elegance helpful here.
Leo is ruled by the sun and associated with warmth, generosity, confidence, and vitality. Larkspur’s towering, sun-reaching spikes of bright colour speak directly to Leo’s bold, open-hearted energy. The meaning of “an open heart” is quintessentially Leo.
July Birth Flower Gifting Guide
Whether you’re choosing flowers for a July birthday or looking for a meaningful gift, here’s how to use both birth flowers effectively:
| Occasion | Flower Choice | Message |
|---|---|---|
| July birthday (close friend) | Blue larkspur bouquet | “You bring lightness and joy to everyone around you” |
| July birthday (romantic partner) | Purple larkspur + red larkspur mixed | “You light up my life; my love for you is deep” |
| New beginning, fresh start | White larkspur + white water lily | “Wishing you purity, happiness and a new chapter” |
| Spiritual or thoughtful person | Potted dwarf water lily | “You have the capacity to rise above anything” |
| Wedding, midsummer ceremony | Larkspur in any colour + white blooms | Grace, love, open heart |
| Get well / recovery | Water lily (image or potted) | “You are pure, strong and will bloom again” |
Potted dwarf water lily (such as ‘Pygmaea Alba’ or ‘Helvola’) is a genuinely unique birthday gift — available from specialist aquatic nurseries and even some garden centres. It requires nothing more than a large bowl, water, and a sunny windowsill or outdoor spot, and it will bloom for years.
Growing Tips for July Birth Flowers
How to Grow Larkspur
Larkspur is a cool-season annual that performs best when sown directly in the ground — it dislikes root disturbance and transplants poorly. The key to success is timing: sow when the soil is still cool.
- When to sow: Autumn (October–November) in Zones 7–10, or early spring (as soon as the soil can be worked, ideally with some frost still possible) in Zones 3–6. Larkspur seeds require a cold period to germinate well — an autumn sowing allows natural cold stratification over winter.
- Where to sow: Full sun to part shade; well-drained soil. Larkspur hates waterlogged roots.
- Depth: Surface-sow or cover lightly with 1/8 inch of soil. Seeds need some light to germinate.
- Germination: 14–21 days at 55–65°F soil temperature. Germination slows significantly above 65°F.
- Thinning: Thin to 6–12 inches apart once seedlings are 2 inches tall.
- Water: Regular moisture during active growth; reduce once established.
- Self-seeding: Allow some seed heads to mature and drop — larkspur self-seeds reliably in most climates, giving you a virtually self-sustaining colony.
For more detail on growing conditions and USDA hardiness zones, the RHS larkspur page provides comprehensive cultivation advice.
How to Grow Water Lily
Hardy water lilies (Nymphaea cultivars rated Zone 3–10) are surprisingly easy to grow. Tropical water lilies are stunning but require water temperatures above 70°F and must be overwintered indoors in most of North America.
- Container: A half-barrel, large ceramic pot, or purpose-built water garden container works well. Minimum 15 gallons for dwarf varieties; 30+ gallons for standard.
- Planting depth: Plant the rhizome in an aquatic planting basket filled with heavy loam (not potting mix — it floats). Position the basket so the crown is 6–18 inches below the water surface.
- Sunlight: Water lilies need full sun — minimum 6 hours per day. Fewer hours means fewer blooms.
- Fertiliser: Use slow-release aquatic plant tablets pushed into the soil monthly during the growing season (May–August).
- Maintenance: Remove yellowing leaves and spent blooms regularly to keep water clean and encourage reblooming.
- Winter: Hardy varieties can overwinter in the pond as long as the roots don’t freeze solid. In Zone 3–5, move the basket to the deepest part of the pond or overwinter indoors in a bucket of water in a cool, dark location.
Birth Flowers by Month
Each month has its own birth flower with unique symbolism. Explore the full collection:
- January birth flower: Snowdrop & Carnation
- February birth flower: Violet & Primrose
- March birth flower: Daffodil & Jonquil
- April birth flower: Daisy & Sweet Pea
- May birth flower: Lily of the Valley & Hawthorn
- June birth flower: Rose & Honeysuckle
- July birth flower: Larkspur & Water Lily (this article)
- August birth flower: Gladiolus & Poppy
- September birth flower: Aster & Morning Glory
- October birth flower: Marigold & Cosmos
- November birth flower: Chrysanthemum
- December birth flower: Narcissus & Holly
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the July birth flower?
July has two birth flowers: larkspur (Consolida or Delphinium species) as the primary birth flower, and the water lily (Nymphaea) as the secondary birth flower. Larkspur symbolises levity, an open heart, and strong bonds of love. Water lily symbolises purity, enlightenment, and rebirth.
Is larkspur the same as delphinium?
Botanically, no. Larkspur (Consolida) is a cool-season annual; delphinium (Delphinium) is a perennial. They belong to different genera within the same family (Ranunculaceae). However, for the purposes of birth flower symbolism they are treated as interchangeable — both are commonly called “larkspur” in the floral context and share identical meanings.
Are water lilies and lotus the same?
No — they are different plants from different families. Water lily (Nymphaea) has floating flowers and leaves; lotus (Nelumbo) holds its flowers and leaves above the water on tall stems. They share overlapping symbolism (purity, enlightenment, rebirth) but are botanically distinct. The confusion is ancient: what the Egyptians called their sacred “lotus” was actually a blue water lily (Nymphaea caerulea).
Is larkspur poisonous?
Yes — all parts of larkspur and delphinium are toxic to humans and animals. The plants contain diterpenoid alkaloids that cause neuromuscular effects if ingested. Larkspur is safe to grow and handle in the garden, but should be kept away from children and pets, and never eaten. Always wash hands after handling the plant.
What do you give someone with July as their birth month?
A bouquet of blue or purple larkspur is the classic choice — elegant, meaningful, and in peak availability in July. For a more unusual gift, a potted dwarf water lily in a decorative container makes an unforgettable July birthday present that will bloom for years. Both say the same thing: you bring lightness and beauty into the world.
