Are you wondering what are the October birth flowers? Well, you do not have to wonder anymore. We will be answering that question today and so much more!
We will be answering this question, letting you in on the floras’ meanings, and also discussing how you can care for the blooms in case you decide you want to grow some in your garden.
We have many things to talk about today. Without further delay then, let us go!
What Are the October Birth Flowers?
January has the beautiful carnation and snowdrop for its birth flowers. On the other hand, May has the stunning hawthorn and lily of the valley.
Of course, we cannot forget August and its charming birth flowers – the gladiolus and the poppy. All lovely flowers, indeed. However, these months are not the only ones with lovely floras. October has some birth flowers to boast about as well!
Marigold and cosmos are the October birth flowers. If we look at the warm colors of these blooms, one will likely not be surprised with the pair up of these floras with the tenth month of the year. After all, the warm hues of these blooms are a good match for the tones and shades of autumn.
However, that is not all there is to these blooms. There is so much more to these floras. Let us get to know each one in a little more detail.
Marigolds: Description, Meaning, and Care
First, let us talk about the marigold and see what this bloom is hiding underneath all its petals. It is one of the most popular floras out there, but as it turns out, there are still many things to know about this beauty.
What Do Marigolds Look Like?
Generally, marigolds are round and compact, showing off a myriad of petals. However, the different marigolds can come in different heights and sizes.
While the different species can come in distinct hues, the different varieties almost always come in warm colors. Commonly, these blooms come in reds, yellows, and oranges. The African and French marigolds are two varieties that make for a great example of how different and similar marigolds could be.
The different varieties each hold their own charm. However, generally, these blooms make for ideal cut flowers or borders. In other words, they can look good in a bouquet or your garden!
What Do Marigolds Mean?
Blooms are a delight to look at, but that is not the only thing going for them. It is also fun decoding these beauties. Every flora seems to hold a meaning or two, after all. When words fail, you can let flowers do the talking for you!
Here, let us look at what the first October birth flower means.
The meaning of these blooms depends on who you give them to, when you give them, and where you give them. This bloom seems to have as many meanings as it has petals. For one, it could stand for optimism and success. For another, it could also mean devotion, commitment, and winning someone’s love. It could not be hard to imagine why these blooms were associated with such good things. However, it does not stop there.
On the other hand, these blooms also have negative things connected to them, like cruelty and jealousy. Ultimately, it is also associated with death. In some cultures and on particular occasions, it is the flower of choice to adorn graves.
As you can see, you might have to be careful when giving these blooms!
How to Care for Marigolds?
With all of that, you might now be thinking of growing some marigolds in your garden. Well, allow us to lend you a hand then!
These blooms are generally easy to care for and are not fussy floras. They like their sun and are not really fans of the shade. However, they are not that picky with their beds. They can do with almost any type of soil as long as there is good drainage. They will not say no to somewhat fertile soil, but fertilization during growth is not ideal.
One of the most common problems you might have to deal with these blooms is mildew. One way to avoid this issue is to avoid watering above the heads. Water by the base instead.
Deadheading is not a requirement with these blooms. However, it is good encouragement. Do this, and your marigolds will likely reward you handsomely by flowering profusely!
Cosmos: Description, Meaning, and Care
Next, let us talk about the cosmos. Unlike the marigold, it does not have that many petals from which it can hide its secrets. However, as you will see in a bit, this bloom also hides gems in its few dainty petals.
What Do Cosmos Look Like?
Generally, cosmos resemble a daisy. Its petals are somewhat serrulate and, unlike the marigold, do not stack on top of each other. However, for what it lacks in number, it made up with symmetry. One thing to note about this bloom is how even its petals and leaves form.
Additionally, unlike the marigold, its hues do not stay on one side. You can see cosmos in many different colors and shades. Aside from warm shades, there is a purple cosmos, for one. Like marigolds and many other blooms, though, it does come in different heights and sizes.
These blooms make for lovely cut flowers or fillers in your garden.
What Do Cosmos Mean?
Here, let us look at what the second October birth flower means. Like the marigold, the cosmos mean many things. However, unlike it, its meanings are a little more cohesive.
For one, cosmos means order and balance, which seems to have stemmed from the symmetry this bloom displays. Still in line with that, this bloom also means harmony and peace. Finally, it also means love, innocence, and modesty.
Unlike the first bloom we discussed, you do not have to worry much about sending off the wrong message with this flora!
How to Care for Cosmos?
Like with marigolds, you might want to try your hands at growing this bloom. Again, allow us to lend you a hand with that.
This bloom is also easy to care for and might just be one of the least fussy floras. Once it blooms, it can take almost everything you throw at it. It can handle droughts and poor soil.
There is only one thing you might need to help your bloom out with a lot – pests. Being, well, a plant, it cannot fend for itself, and pests like to feed on it, so you might want to invest in some insecticidal soap. However, with all that said, giving it lots of sunshine and good drainage will help give you good results.
Again, you do not need to deadhead this bloom, but doing so will prolong flowering, so you might want to keep that in mind.
Other October Flowers
Before we let you go, let us show you some other autumn blooms you might want to pair up with the two floras we discussed. After all, can one really have one too many flowers?
Get to Know the Bidens
This bloom, like marigold and cosmos, is an annual flower. It grows as tall as these flowers as well, as it grows around 6 inches to 3 feet. Additionally, bidens come in warm shades, making them a fine addition to a fall bouquet or garden!
Get to Know the Black-Eyed Susan
The black-eyed susan is a perennial flora. It looks a lot like a sunflower. A smaller version, at least. However, unlike the sunflower, it only reaches around 3 feet. It may not have the height, but we still think this flora makes a lovely addition to a fall posy.
Get to Know the Strawflower
If your fall bouquet or garden still seems to be missing something, you might want to add the strawflower to the mix! This bloom can be a perennial or annual flora, depending on where you are. It can also reach around 3 feet and comes in a range of warm colors.
Summary
Are you still wondering what are the October birth flowers? Well, we hope not! Today, we talked about marigolds and cosmos – the October birth flowers! We talked about their appearance, and we saw how the two are similar and different.
After that, we discussed their meanings, where we learned they both have many meanings. However, we saw that while the different meanings of the cosmos are cohesive, those of the marigold are not.
We also talked about caring for these blooms. Here, we learned that the two flowers are easy to care for and are two of the least finicky floras out there.
Finally, we also showed you some October blooms that you can mix up with the two October birth flowers. Here, we got to know a little bit about the bidens, black-eyed susans, and strawflowers.
We hope we got to help you today! If you want to know more about birth flowers, then feel free to give our other discussion a visit!