July Birth Flower | What is my Birth Flower?
How are you enjoying these summertime flowers? They are absolutely stunning and we can’t get enough! Head up to the mountains as the snow is melting and we bet you will catch some awesome mountain flower blooms! If you came here to learn about the July birth flower, you are in the right place!
Larkspur: A Short History of the July Birth Flower
With a genus of about 300 different perennial flowing plants it hard to say what one is exactly the birth flower, so we just went with our gut and decided on the common “rocket larkspur” (Consolida ajacis) as this is the one most commonly seen in gardens around the United States.
The Larkspur was first classified around the 1500s in England brought up from the Mediterranean and then it made its way to the United States around the 1700s. The Larkspur gets its name from the bird called the Lark, the shape of its claws, or spurs, as it resembles part of the flower.
Water Lily: A Short History of the July Birth Flower
This water flower belongs to the family Nymphaeaceae along with 70 other flowering plants. The roots of the Water Lily are bedded into the soil of bodies of water with the leaves and flower heads resting on the surface of the water. Studies have been conducted on this flower stating that it is genetically different than most flowering plants we see today!
This flower is mostly found in warm tropical areas of the world, each with its own unique flower head. The Water Lily found in South America is known for its giant leaves where the ones in North America have beautiful flowers. Water Lilys are considered an invasive species along the gulf coast as they love to live in slow-moving bodies of water and are very hard to eradicate.
The Water Lily is also the national flower of Bangladesh, Andhra Pradesh Sri Lanka
Spiritual Meanings
Larkspur – Positivity, grace, open heart
The symbology of the larkspur has different meanings based on the color of the flower. Blue symbolizes dignity, white symbolizes happy nature, and purple symbolizes first love. According to Greek mythology when Ajax was killed in the battle of Tryo this flower blossomed where his blood touched the ground.
Water Lily – Delight, new life, happiness
The most famous is Water Lily is the Lotus flower which is used in the Buddhist religion as a sign of absolute truth and purity. Egyptian paintings depict naked women holding blue water lily flowers which is a sign of fertility and creation. Most ancient cultures have associated white lilies with gods and spirituality.
Medicinal uses of Larkspur – Delphinium
Almost ALL THE PARTS OF THE LARKSPUR ARE POISONOUS. Read that again! However, the leaves have been known to help treat wounds as it acts as a parasiticide. The plant should never be used internally and never used to treat wounds or used medicinal without proper guidance from a professional herbalist.
Medicinal uses of Water Lily – Nymphaeaceae
The Yellow Water Lily’s roots can be used as a sedative or aid in the treatment of sexual irritability. Making a poultice out of the root can be applied to swelling and inflamed areas. Yellow Water Lily seeds can be turned into a flower and the pedals can make a nice tea.
A whole-plant extract made with the White Water Lily can be used to help people who suffer from IBS. White Water Lily flowers can be used as an anaphrodisiac or sedative for the nervous system. Harvesting the rhizome and letting it dry for a year makes it a useful starch.
*All content on theheadedwest.com is not intended as medical advice, herbal healing, diagnosis, or treatment. We simply share information and history. Do not try herbal remedies at home without talking to a trained professional! Always seek a professional doctor for help.*
Photos credit of Wikicommons public domain
