The November birth flower is the chrysanthemum, or mum. It is a bushy fall plant of the daisy family with flowers that range from small buttons to large, shaggy globes, in yellow, white, pink, red, purple and bronze. November is the only month with a single birth flower. In the United States the chrysanthemum stands for friendship, loyalty and cheerfulness.
What is the birth flower for November?
The chrysanthemum, and only the chrysanthemum. Most months collected two flowers because older lists disagreed. For November they agreed: an American table of the months printed in 1913, in George Frederick Kunz's The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, already gave November the chrysanthemum, and today's charts say the same. There is still no official list. Our guide to birth flowers by month shows the other eleven months.
Enter a birth date below to see its flower, its birthstone, its zodiac sign and the day of the week.
Loading the tool…
Chrysanthemum: what it looks like and when it blooms
The garden and florist's mum is Chrysanthemum × morifolium. According to NC State Extension, it is a complex hybrid of five Chinese species, with hundreds of named varieties.
- Size. Usually 1 to 3 feet tall (30 to 90 cm) and nearly as wide.
- Flower. Each bloom is a head of many small flowers, like a daisy. Forms run from small buttons and pompoms to large globes; the National Chrysanthemum Society sorts them into 13 classes.
- Colors. Yellow, gold, white, pink, red, purple, orange and bronze.
- Leaves. Lobed and aromatic. The name morifolium means "mulberry-leaved."
- Season. Fall. The plant grows through spring and summer and does not flower until autumn.
The word comes from the Greek chrysos, "gold," and anthemon, "flower." The first cultivated mums were golden.
Growers sort mums into two broad types. Garden mums are hardy and can stay in the ground. Florist or exhibition mums are raised under glass for cut flowers and pots.
What does the chrysanthemum mean?
The meanings come from the Victorian language of flowers and from much older traditions in Asia. They do not agree, and with this flower the differences matter. The table sets Kate Greenaway's Language of Flowers (London, 1884) beside the readings The Old Farmer's Almanac gives today.
| Flower | In Greenaway, 1884 | Common reading today |
|---|---|---|
| Chrysanthemum, Chinese | "Cheerfulness under adversity" | Friendship, loyalty, joy |
| Chrysanthemum, red | "I love" | Love |
| Chrysanthemum, white | "Truth" | Innocence and honesty |
| Chrysanthemum, yellow | "Slighted love" | Neglected love, a wounded heart |
The color code has barely moved in 140 years. Red and white are safe. Yellow carries a sad message in the old books, though most people today see a yellow mum simply as a cheerful fall flower.
What chrysanthemums mean in different countries
- China. The chrysanthemum has been grown there since about the 15th century B.C., according to the Almanac. It is one of the "Four Gentlemen" of Chinese painting, with the plum blossom, the orchid and bamboo, and it stands for autumn. It is offered to older people as a wish for long life.
- Japan. It is the national flower and appears on the emperor's seal and crest. A festival each September 9 celebrates it.
- Parts of Europe. The chrysanthemum is a flower of mourning, used for graves and funerals. Check local custom before sending mums abroad.
- Australia. It is the traditional flower for Mother's Day.
- United States. A flower of friendship and fall, and the official flower of the city of Chicago.
The Almanac also names the chrysanthemum as the flower for a 13th wedding anniversary.
Treat all of it as tradition. The flower says something warm about a November birthday. It does not describe the person.
Are chrysanthemums toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists chrysanthemums as toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The plants contain pyrethrins and other irritants. Signs are vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, loss of coordination and skin irritation.
NC State Extension adds that eating the plant can upset a person's stomach, and that contact with the leaves gives some people a mild rash.
- Keep pots and vases where pets cannot chew them.
- Wear gloves when dividing or trimming plants if your skin is sensitive.
- Do not use the flowers on food.
- If a pet eats part of the plant, call a veterinarian.
Chrysanthemums have a long history in traditional remedies in Asia. That is history, not advice.
How to give November's birth flower
- A potted mum. The simplest fall gift. Pots are sold in bud and in full flower, in every fall color.
- A bouquet. Mums are sturdy cut flowers. A single color looks modern; mixed bronze, gold and red looks like the season.
- By color. Red for love, white for honesty, pink or bronze when you want no hidden message.
- A drawing, print or tattoo design. The chrysanthemum is drawn as a dense round head of many layered, pointed petals curving toward the center. It is a long-standing emblem in Japan, where it appears on the imperial crest.
- With the stone. November's birthstones are topaz and citrine, and golden mums match both. See our November birthstone page.
How to keep mums fresh and growing
In a vase. University of Illinois Extension advises cutting about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the stems with a clean, sharp blade, removing leaves below the water line and using a clean container with flower food. Change the water every two to three days and keep the vase at 65 to 72°F (18 to 22°C), away from heat.
In the garden. Plant garden mums in full sun and well-drained soil. In hot regions give them shade in the afternoon. Cut the stems back a few times in spring and summer, stopping by mid-August, to get a compact plant covered in buds. Divide the clumps in spring every few years.
Next in the calendar: December's narcissus and holly. Before it: October's marigold and cosmos.