New York Aster, a Birthday Flower of October 14th

Last year, I introduced Cattleya as one of the birthday flowers of October 14th. There is at least one other: the New York Aster, or as we call it in Ireland - the Michaelmas Daisy. In Japanese it is called Yuuzengiku ユウゼンギク / 友禅菊. It is also a birthday flower of August 26th.

Despite its traditional Japanese name, this flower is actually native to North America and was introduced to Japan during the Meiji period. Its colourful blooms were said to resemble the vibrant patterns of yuzen dyeing, giving rise to the name "Yūzengiku".

New York aster is a perennial, meaning it returns year after year once established. In Japan, the main flowering season is autumn, with blooms typically appearing from August to October. Some early varieties may begin flowering as early as June and continue into November, but autumn is when the plant is at its most spectacular.

According to Japanese flower language traditions, New York aster carries such meanings as "Cheerful &/or Full of energy despite age" and "Wisdom after the event". These positive meanings likely stem from the plant's vigorous growth habit and its ability to produce masses of flowers late in the gardening season.