The March birth flower is the daffodil. It is one of the earliest flowers to appear after winter, often growing while frost still lingers. March has a second birth flower too, the jonquil, which is itself a kind of daffodil rather than a bloom in its own right. If you were born in March, both are yours, and once you know what they stand for, that yellow flower starts to mean a little more.
Quick Answer: What Is the Birth Flower for March?
March has two birth flowers. The daffodil is the primary one, symbolising rebirth, hope, and new beginnings as one of the blooms that opens earliest in spring. The jonquil is the second. It belongs to the Narcissus family and carries a warmer meaning rooted in affection and friendship. Together they mark the moment winter loosens its grip.
A Flower That Announces Spring
The daffodil, known botanically as Narcissus, has been grown and admired for centuries. It grows wild across northern Europe and the Mediterranean, and now appears in gardens, parks, and roadsides throughout the UK. When the daffodils are out, spring has arrived. Few flowers signal the change of season so plainly.
The name carries a story. In Greek myth, Narcissus fell in love with his reflection, stared at it until he wasted away, and left a flower blooming where he died. You would expect that tale to give the daffodil a meaning of vanity.
Instead it became a flower of rebirth and renewal, because of when it blooms rather than where its name came from. There is something fitting in that, a flower born from a story of looking back that came to stand for looking forward.
What Does the Daffodil Symbolise?
At its heart, the daffodil stands for new beginnings. It is the flower of fresh starts, of hope returning, of the days getting longer again. That meaning comes straight from its timing, arriving as it does at the very end of winter.
It also carries a sense of good fortune. Wales takes the daffodil as its national emblem. Welsh tradition says that whoever spots the first daffodil of the year will come into wealth in the months ahead.
There is one superstition worth knowing. A single daffodil was long thought to bring misfortune, while a bunch of them brings happiness and luck. So if you are giving them, give plenty. Never give just the one.
March's Second Flower: The Jonquil
If you have seen the jonquil listed as March's flower in one place and the daffodil in another, neither is wrong. The jonquil is a daffodil. As the Old Farmer's Almanac puts it, all jonquils are daffodils, but not all daffodils are jonquils.
The jonquil, botanically Narcissus jonquilla, is the smaller cousin in the family. It grows in clusters of two to six blooms per stem, reaches around 20 to 40cm tall, and gives off a scent far stronger than a daffodil's. Its name comes from junquillo, the Spanish word for rush, a nod to the shape of its leaves.
Where the daffodil shouts, the jonquil whispers something gentler. Its symbolism leans toward affection, desire, and warmth, the kind of flower you give someone you hold close.
Why Is the Daffodil a March Flower?
Birth month flowers come from a mix of folklore, calendar tradition, and the simple matter of what actually blooms when. The custom grew most through Victorian flower-giving, when each bloom carried a message of its own.
March is the month spring begins. The daffodil fits it almost too neatly, because it flowers right around the spring equinox, usually in the second half of March, exactly as the days tip toward more light than dark.
For a month built on renewal and the turn from cold to warm, a flower that breaks through frost while it still grips the soil is tough to beat. The daffodil earned its place by showing up at the right moment, year after year.
The Daffodil, Hope, and Cancer Awareness
In the UK, the daffodil means more than spring. It is the symbol of Marie Curie's Great Daffodil Appeal, the charity's flagship fundraiser, held every March since 1986.
The idea is simple. You give a donation, you wear a daffodil pin, and the money funds care for people living with a terminal illness. The appeal has raised over £100 million across its history, which makes the daffodil one of the most recognised charity symbols in the country.
It is not the only cause to claim the flower. Cancer Research UK uses the daffodil too, and in the United States the American Cancer Society has run its Daffodil Days since 1974. The thread running through them does not change, a flower of hope held up for people in the hardest of times.
So when you wear a daffodil in March, you are wearing something with weight behind it. Renewal, resilience, and a nod to everyone the flower has come to support.
Is Cherry Blossom or Violet a March Birth Flower?
This one trips people up, so let us clear it up. The traditional birth flowers for March are the daffodil and the jonquil. That is it.
Cherry blossom is tied to spring and shows up around then, which is why people connect it to March, but it is not a recognised birth flower for the month. The violet belongs to February, paired there with the primrose.
If a source lists something other than the daffodil or jonquil for March, treat it with caution. Those two are the names that hold up across the records.
Wear Your Birth Month
At Rivaex, the March Daffodil design is printed on the Stanley/Stella Stella Muser, a women's t-shirt made from 100% organic cotton at 180gsm. It is printed only when you order it, so nothing sits in a warehouse and nothing goes to waste.
The design brings the daffodil to life in a way that feels wearable rather than decorative, something you reach for because it actually means something to you. If you were born in March, or you know someone who was, it is a way to carry that bit of spring with you all year.
Shop the March Daffodil T-Shirt | Explore the Full Birth Month Flower Collection
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the birth flower for March?
March has two birth flowers. The daffodil is the primary one, symbolising hope and renewal, and the jonquil is the second, a daffodil known for its scent and warmth.
What does the daffodil symbolise?
The daffodil symbolises rebirth, hope, and new beginnings. It blooms at the end of winter, which is where its link to fresh starts comes from.
Is the jonquil a March birth flower?
Yes. The jonquil is March's second birth flower. It is a type of daffodil with a stronger scent, carrying a meaning of affection and warmth.
Are cherry blossoms a March birth flower?
No. Cherry blossom is associated with spring but is not a recognised birth flower for March. The two traditional March birth flowers are the daffodil and the jonquil.
What does wearing a daffodil mean?
Wearing a daffodil signals hope and new beginnings. In the UK it also carries a link to Marie Curie's Great Daffodil Appeal, which uses the flower as a symbol of support for people with a terminal illness.
What colour is the March birth flower?
Daffodils are usually yellow. Some appear in white, and newer varieties show shades of orange and pink. Jonquils are nearly always yellow.