Cosmos, a Birthday Flower of September 27th

Cosmos is one of the most beloved Autumn flowers in Japan. It is the birthday flower of September 27th annually. In addition, the colors of cosmos represent other birth dates. They come in shades of white, yellow, orange, pink and red. Yellow cosmos flowers are the birthday flower of October 5th, red of October 6th, white of October 14th and pink of October 22nd.

The flowers for a birthday aren't always in bloom on the birth date they represent, but cosmos flowers are in bloom now. They can bloom from anytime between June and November. In the prefecture I live in, Saitama, they most commonly flower from the end of September to about the end of October. Just today, I saw orange (sulphur) cosmos in full bloom in a garden. Their long flowering period makes them a favorite for autumn flower displays throughout the country.

In the Japanese language of flowers, hanakotoba, cosmos carry many beautiful meanings. The general flower language is "maiden's sincerity", "harmony" and "humility". Each color has its own meaninng too. For example, pink represents purity, red, love and harmony, and white, elegance and grace. 

Have you seen any cosmos yet this year?