July Birth Flowers: Larkspur and Water Lily
Larkspur and water lily are the July birth flowers. Larkspur stands for positivity, love and dedication; the water lily for purity, innocence and rebirth.
Larkspur
| Scientific name | Consolida and Delphinium |
|---|---|
| Family | Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae) |
| Native to | The Mediterranean, Africa and Europe |
| Blooms | Early summer |
| Colors | Blue, purple, pink and white |
Larkspur color meanings
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Blue | Dignity and grace |
| Purple | First love |
| White | Happiness |
| Pink | Fickleness |
Ajax, a lark's claw and George Washington
- It is named for its likeness to a meadowlark's claw.
- A Greek myth says it grew from the blood of Ajax at Troy.
- It is one of the few flowers named in George Washington's letters.
Water Lily
| Scientific name | Nymphaeaceae (the water lily family) |
|---|---|
| Blooms | Summer |
| Colors | White, pink, red, blue and yellow |
Water Lily color meanings
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| White | Purity |
| Pink | Joy and friendship |
| Red | Passion |
| Blue | Calm and wisdom |
| Yellow | Energy and new beginnings |
Monet, Bangladesh and Buddhism
- Claude Monet painted the water lilies at his garden in Giverny more than 200 times.
- It is the national flower of Bangladesh.
- In Buddhism it stands for enlightenment: a clean flower rising from mud.
From dried bouquets to garden ponds
Larkspur is a cut flower that also dries well. Choose stems with only one or two florets open at the base. Keep it well away from the fruit bowl: the ethylene gas ripening fruit gives off makes larkspur petals drop. Cornell gives a vase life of 5 to 7 days at room temperature, and dried stems keep their color for everlasting bouquets.
Larkspur is easy from seed: sow it in fall in warm areas or in early spring in cold ones. Plants grow 1 to 3 feet tall.
Water lilies are sold as potted plants or as bare rhizomes and tubers for a pond or a water-filled container. Hardy types open in the morning and close by mid to late afternoon, and they need six to eight hours of direct sun. Set hardy lilies out in spring after any ice melts; tropical types wait until air and water reach 70°F. Let chlorinated tap water stand before adding the plant.
Water lilies need still, sun-warmed water.
Every part of the larkspur is poisonous to people and animals. Its alkaloids can cause drooling, tremors, weakness and paralysis in dogs, cats and horses, according to the ASPCA, and severe cases can be fatal.
A red water lily matches the red of ruby, July's only birthstone. For a summer party, a birthday countdown can run full screen on a TV while the guests gather, and the Birthday Paradox Calculator shows the odds that two of them share a birthday.
Birth flowers for other months
July Birth Flowers questions
Is the July birth flower the larkspur or the delphinium?
In the US it is the larkspur; in the UK, Interflora says, it is often the delphinium. Go back to 1907 and neither appears: a party book of that year gives July the poppy in one list and the water lily in another.
Published October 12, 2026. Last updated October 28, 2026.