September Birth Flowers: Aster and Morning Glory — What They Symbolise and Why September Loves Stars

If you or someone you love was born in September, your birth flowers are the aster and the morning glory — two blooms that could hardly be more different, yet together they capture everything September stands for. The aster is a perennial star-shaped daisy that bridges the warmth of summer and the cool depth of autumn, while the morning glory is a fleeting annual vine whose trumpets open at sunrise and fade before lunch. One speaks of wisdom and faithfulness earned over years; the other of love’s beautiful, irreplaceable brevity. Together they make September one of the most symbolically rich birth months in the floral calendar.

This guide covers everything you need to know about September’s birth flowers: their mythology, symbolism, colour meanings, cultural history, and growing tips. Whether you’re choosing a birthday gift, planning a September wedding, or simply curious about the flowers assigned to your birth month, read on.

Not a September baby? Browse every month at our birth flowers overview, or jump to any month below.

The Two Birth Flowers of September

Most birth months carry a single official flower, but September has two: the aster (primary) and the morning glory (secondary). This pairing is recognised by the American Floral Endowment and reflected in most modern birth-flower lists. The aster is the dominant symbol — perennial, hardy, and unmistakably autumnal — while the morning glory adds a poetic counterpoint: delicate, ephemeral, and rooted in some of the world’s most romantic folklore.

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Aster: The Star Flower of September

The name aster comes directly from the Greek word for star (αστηρ), and one glance at the flower explains why: dozens of slender ray petals radiate from a golden central disc, exactly like a child’s drawing of a star. This simple observation shaped two thousand years of symbolism, from ancient Greek cosmology to Victorian floriography.

Greek Mythology: The Tears of Astraea

The most enduring myth behind the aster centres on Astraea, the Greek goddess of innocence and justice, the last of the immortals to leave the earth at the end of the Golden Age. Grieving that there were too few stars in the sky for humanity to navigate by, Astraea wept — and wherever her tears fell on the earth, asters sprang up. The myth elegantly explains both the flower’s star-like shape and its tendency to bloom in great drifts across open meadows, as if the sky had been scattered onto the ground.

In a related tradition, ancient Greeks burned aster leaves to ward off evil spirits, believing the flower carried the protective power of the stars. Asters were also placed on the altars of the gods, particularly during autumn festivals, reinforcing their link to the divine realm above.

Michaelmas Daisy Tradition

In Britain and across much of northern Europe, the aster is best known as the Michaelmas daisy, named for the Feast of St Michael the Archangel on September 29. Michaelmas is one of the ancient quarter days of the English calendar — a day when rents were paid, servants were hired, and the harvest was declared complete. Asters bloom almost exactly on cue, filling hedgerows and cottage gardens with purple and lavender just as the first autumn frosts threaten.

The timing is more than coincidence. Botanists note that many native North American asters — the species that were introduced to European gardens in the seventeenth century and became the “Michaelmas daisy” of English horticulture — evolved to bloom after the summer solstice in response to shortening daylength. By late September, the trigger has been building for weeks, and the plants flower reliably around the feast day. This quirk of phenology is what turned a botanical fact into a cultural institution.

Botanical Note: Aster vs Symphyotrichum

If you’ve ever looked up asters in a plant database and found them listed under an unfamiliar name, here’s why: in North America, most garden asters have been reclassified from the genus Aster to Symphyotrichum following genetic analysis that showed they were not closely related to the true European asters. The New England aster is now officially Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, and the New York aster is Symphyotrichum novi-belgii.

However, the common name “aster” persists in everyday use, in the nursery trade, and in all birth-flower traditions. The China aster (Callistephus chinensis) — the cut-flower staple widely sold in florists — belongs to a different genus entirely. The USDA PLANTS Database lists all three under separate genera, but gardeners, florists, and gift-givers continue to use “aster” for all of them, and that convention is followed throughout this article.

Aster Symbolism: What Does the Aster Mean?

The aster carries a rich and layered set of meanings that have accumulated over centuries:

• Love and devotion — In Victorian floriography, asters expressed devoted, patient love. The flower was sometimes called “Love’s Afterthought,” implying a love that grows stronger over time rather than burning bright and fast.
• Wisdom — The star shape connected asters to celestial wisdom and the knowledge of navigators who read the stars. They were thought to bestow clarity of mind.
• Patience — As one of the last flowers of the gardening year, the aster rewards those who wait. This made it a symbol of patience and endurance in the face of difficulty.
• Elegance in simplicity — Despite their star-burst impact en masse, individual asters are modest flowers. They symbolise the kind of quiet, lasting elegance that doesn’t need to shout.
• Talisman against evil — In ancient Greece, the fragrant smoke of burning aster leaves was believed to drive away serpents and malevolent spirits.

Aster Colour Meanings

New England Aster vs New York Aster vs China Aster

The three most common asters you’ll encounter each have distinct characteristics:

• New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae): The classic tall, purple-to-pink native wildflower of roadsides and meadows from Maine to Georgia. Grows 3–6 feet, blooms late August through October, excellent for pollinators. Thrives in Zones 4–8. Cultivars include ‘Purple Dome,’ ‘Alma Pötschke,’ and ‘Vibrant Dome.’
• New York aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii): Slightly shorter, with smoother leaves and a wider colour range including white, pink, red, and lavender. Often sold as ‘Michaelmas daisy’ in British nurseries. Tolerates wetter soil than New England aster.
• China aster (Callistephus chinensis): An annual grown from seed, producing large pompon or daisy-form blooms in a rainbow of colours. The florist’s aster — what you’ll find in birthday bouquets at the supermarket. Native to China and Mongolia.

Morning Glory: The Ephemeral Second Birth Flower

The morning glory (Ipomoea spp.) is September’s secondary birth flower, and it earns its place with one of the most romantic biological stories in the plant kingdom. Each flower opens at sunrise — fresh, vivid, and perfectly formed — and fades by mid-afternoon, never to reopen. A morning glory vine in full bloom at dawn can produce dozens of perfect trumpets; by evening, those same flowers have curled into spent cones and dropped. It is a bloom that exists entirely in the moment.

This daily cycle of opening and closing is the biological engine that drives virtually all of the morning glory’s cultural meanings. Across Japan, China, Mexico, and Victorian England, people looked at the same behaviour and arrived at similar conclusions: the morning glory means that love is precious because it is fleeting, that each day is a gift, and that the most beautiful things in life cannot be held indefinitely. For a September birthday, it is a flower that encourages presence and gratitude.

Japanese Asagao Culture

Nowhere has the morning glory been more deeply loved than in Japan, where it is called asagao (朝飼, “morning face”). Asagao cultivation stretches back at least 1,200 years — the plant arrived from China during the Nara period (710–794 CE) and was initially prized as a medicinal herb (the seeds were used as a laxative). By the Edo period (1603–1868), it had transformed into an obsessive horticultural pursuit.

During the Edo period, morning glory breeders produced extraordinary mutant forms with ruffled, striped, and fantastically distorted petals. Annual hana awase (flower comparison) competitions ranked blooms the way sumo tournaments ranked wrestlers, with crowds gathering at summer festivals to admire the entries. The tradition continues today — Japan’s National Asagao Exhibition still draws thousands of visitors each summer, and dedicated breeders maintain strain libraries of rare genetic forms that exist nowhere else in the world.

Chinese Qixi Festival Connection

In China, the morning glory is inseparable from the Qixi Festival (七妃, the Chinese Valentine’s Day, celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month). The Chinese name for the morning glory, Qiān niú huā (汖牛花), means “cowherd flower” — a direct reference to the Qixi legend of the Cowherd star (Altair) and the Weaver Girl star (Vega), who are separated by the Milky Way and permitted to meet only once a year on Qixi night. The morning glory, blooming and fading in a single day, became the emblem of this star-crossed love — beautiful, brief, and yearned for all year long.

Aztec Sacred Use

Long before European contact, the Aztecs cultivated Ipomoea species — particularly Ipomoea tricolor, known as tlitlitzin — for ceremonial and spiritual purposes. The seeds contain ergine (LSA), a psychoactive compound, and Aztec priests used morning glory seeds in divination rituals to communicate with the gods. The plant was considered sacred, associated with the rain deity Tlaloc and with transitions between states of consciousness. European colonisers who observed these rituals were alarmed enough to issue decrees against morning glory use — which, paradoxically, is one reason we have detailed historical records of the practice today.

You might also find trillium meaning: trinity, modesty helpful here.

Morning Glory Symbolism: What Does the Morning Glory Mean?

Drawing on its biology and its cultural history, the morning glory carries these key meanings:

• “I think of you” — The Victorian language of flowers assigned the morning glory the phrase “I think of you,” as the flower opens its face every morning, just as you might think of a loved one at the start of every day.
• Love in vain / unrequited love — Because the flower cannot last, it was also associated with love that cannot be fulfilled, love that fades before it is returned, and the ache of longing.
• Affection and tenderness — Despite the melancholy undertones, morning glory is primarily a flower of warmth and affection in most traditions.
• Mortality and the preciousness of life — The daily death and rebirth of each flower is a memento mori — a reminder to live fully in the present.
• Spiritual seeking — The flower’s use in Aztec ritual and its tendency to climb toward the light made it a symbol of spiritual aspiration and the soul’s upward journey in several traditions.

Morning Glory Colour Meanings

Are Morning Glories Invasive?

One practical note: the morning glory’s vigorous self-seeding means it is classified as invasive in some US states, including parts of the Southeast and Southwest. Ipomoea purpurea and Ipomoea hederacea in particular can outcompete native plants. Before planting, check with your local extension service or the USDA PLANTS Database to confirm the status in your county. In non-invasive areas, deadheading before seeds set keeps the vine well-behaved.

Zodiac Connections: Virgo and Libra

September birthdays fall under two zodiac signs, and the birth flowers align with both:

• Virgo (August 23 – September 22): Ruled by Mercury, associated with analysis, care, and service. The aster’s qualities of wisdom and patient devotion resonate strongly with Virgo traits. Purple asters — Virgo’s colour — are the classic choice.
• Libra (September 23 – October 22): Ruled by Venus, associated with balance, beauty, and relationship. The morning glory’s symbolism of affection, ephemeral beauty, and the daily renewal of love fits Libra’s romantic temperament perfectly. Blue morning glories, associated with harmony and truth, are an especially apt Libra gift.

Gifting Guide: Asters and Morning Glories for September Birthdays

Choosing between asters and morning glories — or combining them — depends on your relationship with the recipient and the message you want to send.

Growing September’s Birth Flowers

Growing Asters

Asters are among the most rewarding late-season perennials for US gardeners. Here’s what you need to know:

• Hardiness: Most garden asters are hardy in Zones 3–8 (New England aster) or Zones 4–8 (New York aster). China asters are tender annuals grown in all zones.
• Soil and position: Full sun (6+ hours); well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Avoid heavy clay or boggy conditions, which encourage powdery mildew.
• Watering: Established plants are moderately drought-tolerant. Water deeply but infrequently — about 1 inch per week — and water at the base to reduce mildew risk.
• Pinching: Pinch stems back by half in late May to early June (in Zones 5–7) to produce bushier plants with more blooms. Stop pinching by July 4 to avoid removing flower buds.
• Division: Divide clumps every 2–3 years in spring to maintain vigour. Discard the woody central portion and replant the healthy outer sections.
• Companion plants: Outstanding with ornamental grasses (Panicum virgatum, Calamagrostis), sedums, goldenrod, and echinacea for a classic late-summer meadow planting.
• Wildlife value: Native asters (Symphyotrichum) are critical food sources for migrating monarch butterflies and specialist native bees in autumn. Missouri Botanical Garden lists them among the most ecologically valuable autumn perennials in North American gardens.

Growing Morning Glories

• Type: Tender annual vine. Grow fresh from seed each year — they do not overwinter in most US climates.
• Sowing: Direct sow outdoors after your last frost date, when soil has warmed to at least 60°F (15°C). Morning glories resent root disturbance, so direct sowing is strongly preferred over transplanting.
• Seed preparation: Nick the hard seed coat with a nail file or soak overnight in warm water before sowing. This dramatically speeds germination, from 2–3 weeks to 5–7 days.
• Support: Provide a trellis, fence, or wigwam from the start. Vines can reach 8–15 feet in a single season and will twine around almost anything.
• Sun: Full sun is essential for reliable blooming. In shade, morning glories produce lush foliage but few flowers.
• Watering: Water regularly until established, then reduce. Overly fertile or overly watered soil encourages leaf growth at the expense of flowers.
• Self-seeding control: Deadhead spent blooms before seeds set to prevent excessive self-seeding. In regions where morning glory is invasive, this step is mandatory.

Birth Flowers by Month: The Complete Table

Every month of the year has its own birth flower (or two). Here’s the full list — click any month to read its dedicated guide:

FAQ

What is the September birth flower?

September has two birth flowers: the aster (primary) and the morning glory (secondary). The aster is a perennial star-shaped daisy associated with wisdom, patience, and love; the morning glory is an annual vine associated with affection, the ephemeral beauty of life, and the phrase “I think of you.”

What does aster mean in Greek?

Aster (αστηρ) is the ancient Greek word for star. It refers to the star-like shape of the flower’s radiating petals and gives the aster its central symbolic meaning: something luminous, guiding, and connected to the sky.

Are morning glories invasive in the US?

Some morning glory species — particularly Ipomoea purpurea and Ipomoea hederacea — are considered invasive in parts of the US Southeast and Southwest, where they can spread aggressively into native habitats. Check the USDA PLANTS Database or contact your local extension office before planting. In many states, morning glories are perfectly safe to grow; the key is to deadhead before seeds set if you are in a sensitive region.

What is the best aster for a September birthday bouquet?

For cut flowers, the China aster (Callistephus chinensis) is the best choice — it produces large, long-stemmed blooms in a wide range of colours and has a vase life of 7–10 days. For a garden gift plant, consider Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’, a compact 18-inch cultivar that flowers reliably in early September and is easy to grow in Zones 4–8.

Can I give morning glory as a birthday gift?

Yes — morning glory makes a meaningful and memorable September birthday gift in several forms: a packet of seeds (low-cost, highly personal), a small growing plant in a pot, or pressed morning glory flowers incorporated into a greeting card or framed botanical artwork. Fresh-cut morning glories are rarely available from florists because of their short vase life, but the symbolism translates beautifully to any living or artistic form.

Sources

• Missouri Botanical Garden — Symphyotrichum novae-angliae plant profile
• RHS — Aster / Symphyotrichum plant search and cultivation advice
• Kew Gardens — Aster genus overview and botanical classification
• USDA PLANTS Database — Aster and Symphyotrichum classification