August has two birth flowers: the gladiolus, named after a sword, and the poppy. One is about strength of character. The other means something particular in Australia.
August flowers come with a backbone. The gladiolus, this month's bloom, takes its name from a weapon, which tells you something about the kind of person it suits. The poppy sits behind it as the traditional alternative, and in Australia that second flower carries weight it does not carry anywhere else. Here is what both mean, and what is actually in season in an Australian August.
The birth flower for August is the gladiolus
August's birth flower is the gladiolus, with the poppy as its traditional alternative. The gladiolus is the showstopper: tall, architectural stems that open in a run of blooms from bottom to top over the better part of a week.
Why August has two
Most months do. The birth flower lists in use today were assembled from competing European flower calendars in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and where sources disagreed both names stuck. The gladiolus is the accepted primary; the poppy is the older alternative that survived beside it. Some Australian florists add a third, the banksia, on the grounds that it is the flower actually out here in August. That is a local convention rather than a tradition, but it is an honest one.
What the gladiolus means
The gladiolus stands for strength of character, integrity and remembrance: a flower for someone you genuinely admire. It is a fitting gift for the steady, principled people in your life, the ones who hold their ground gracefully.
The name comes from the Latin gladius, meaning sword, for its blade-like leaves. The Romans called it the sword lily and tied it to their gladiators, who were reportedly showered with the flowers after a victory. Two thousand years on, that sense of quiet strength still clings to it.
What the colours mean
- Red: love and passion, the boldest reading and the one most often sent between partners.
- Pink: compassion and maternal affection, which makes it a common Mother's Day stem in the northern hemisphere.
- White: innocence and remembrance. White gladioli are a traditional funeral flower for exactly this reason.
- Yellow: joy and friendship, the least formal of the range.
- Purple: grace and charm, and the closest the gladiolus gets to understatement.
A flower for someone who holds their ground gracefully.
The poppy, and what it means here
In the older flower language the poppy stood for consolation, sleep and remembrance, drawn from the opium poppy's association with rest. Its colours split the meaning further: red for remembrance, white for peace and consolation, yellow and orange for success, pink for imagination.
In Australia the red poppy has a specific and well-understood meaning. It is worn on Remembrance Day and laid on ANZAC Day, and almost everyone here reads it that way first. That does not make it a poor birthday flower, but it is worth knowing what you are saying. If you want the poppy for its own sake, an Iceland poppy in apricot or lemon carries none of that freight and is genuinely lovely.
August in Australia: what is actually flowering
August here is the last month of winter, which puts us out of step with every northern guide to this month. Gladioli are a summer flower in Australia, cropping roughly December to March, mostly in Queensland and northern New South Wales. The stems you can buy in August are glasshouse-grown or imported, so an August birthday can absolutely have gladioli, but they are not picked from a paddock down the road.
What is genuinely out in an Australian August is better than the substitute suggests. Iceland poppies are at their peak, which is a happy accident given the month. Wattle is at full gold. Banksia, hakea and grevillea are all in flower, and blossom is starting. Our note on winter flowers that bring warmth to a home covers what the growers are cutting, and the Australian natives range is at its strongest in these weeks.
Gladiolus, poppy or banksia
If you are choosing between the three, the practical differences matter more than the symbolism. The gladiolus gives height and drama and lasts eight to ten days. The Iceland poppy is delicate, in season now, and gives four or five days at best. The banksia is the most durable of the three by a wide margin, will hold for two or three weeks fresh and then dry in place, and carries meanings of resilience and endurance set out in our guide to Australian native flowers.
How to get the most from gladioli
Gladioli reward a little handling more than most flowers, because you are managing a stem that opens over days rather than a single bloom.
- Pinch out the very top bud when they arrive. The stem stops pushing energy upward and the lower florets open more evenly.
- Store and transport them upright. Gladiolus stems are strongly geotropic: lay one on its side for a few hours and the tip will curve permanently upward.
- Recut on an angle and use a tall, heavy vase. They are top-weighted once open and will tip a light one.
- Pick off each floret as it goes over. It keeps the stem looking deliberate rather than tired, and the buds above keep coming.
- Change the water every two days and keep them away from ripening fruit, whose ethylene will stall the unopened buds.
August birth flower tattoos
The gladiolus makes an unusual tattoo because of its shape. It is a vertical spike rather than a single round motif, so it works down a forearm, a calf or a spine, and it sits naturally alongside a second month's flower in a paired design. The poppy is the opposite case: a single open bloom that reads clearly at small sizes and is one of the most tattooed flowers there is. In Australia a red poppy tattoo will usually be read as remembrance, which may be exactly the intention.
Giving them, and to whom
August birthdays fall under Leo until the 22nd and Virgo from the 23rd, and the gladiolus suits the first of those almost too neatly. If the zodiac framing appeals, our star sign blooms guide takes it further.
For an August birthday in the last of the Australian winter, a bold, textural bouquet brings real presence to a room at the point in the year when a room needs it most. We deliver seven days across the east coast, so a birthday can be marked with flowers in Sydney or Melbourne on the day.
A bold, textural native bouquet with plenty of character.
The Broome Bouquet, from $127. Shop the Broome →
The part they will remember
A flower with a spine, for someone who has one. If you want the gesture itself to land, our note on birthday flowers that feel thoughtful is worth two minutes.
Head to the September birth flower, back to July, or see the full birth month flowers guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the birth flower for August?
The gladiolus, with the poppy as a traditional alternative. The gladiolus is the bolder, more sculptural cut flower and the one a florist is most likely to have.
What is the August birth flower in Australia?
The same, the gladiolus, but the season is inverted. Gladioli crop here in summer, roughly December to March, so August stems are glasshouse-grown or imported. What is genuinely in flower in an Australian August is wattle, banksia and the Iceland poppy, which is why some local florists name the banksia as a third August flower.
Why does August have two birth flowers?
Birth flower lists were compiled from competing European flower calendars in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and where the sources disagreed both names survived. No official body settles it, so most months carry a primary and an alternative.
What does the gladiolus symbolise?
Strength of character, integrity and remembrance: a flower for someone you admire. Red reads as love, pink as compassion, white as remembrance, yellow as friendship and purple as grace.
What does the poppy symbolise?
Consolation, rest and remembrance. In Australia the red poppy is strongly associated with Remembrance Day and ANZAC Day, so it is read that way before anything else. Iceland poppies in apricot or lemon carry none of that association.
Where does the name gladiolus come from?
From the Latin gladius, meaning sword, after its blade-like leaves. The Romans called it the sword lily and associated it with their gladiators.
How do I get a gladiolus to open well?
Pinch out the topmost bud so the lower florets open more evenly up the stem, keep the stems upright at all times so the tips do not curve, and change the water every two days.
How long do gladioli last?
Eight to ten days is normal, with florets opening progressively up the stem. Removing each spent floret keeps the stem looking well and encourages the buds above it.
