# July Birth Flower: Larkspur and Water Lily, and What They Mean > July has two birth flowers, larkspur and the water lily. What each means, larkspur colour meanings, and what to send for a July birthday instead of water lilies. Canonical: https://flowersondemand.ca/blog/july-birth-flower Last updated: 2026-10-27 July's birth flowers are the larkspur and the water lily. One is a tall spike of blue, purple, pink or white florets that florists work with all year; the other floats on ponds and lakes and has never really made it into a vase. Between them they cover the two sides of a Canadian July: gardens at their peak and long days at the cottage. This guide covers what each flower means, how larkspur differs from delphinium, and what to send for a July birthday when one of the two birth flowers can't be delivered. To go straight to the flowers, our [larkspur guide](https://flowersondemand.ca/flowers/learn/larkspur) lists the arrangements we deliver that include it. ## What is the birth flower for July? The **larkspur** is the main July birth flower on most lists, and the one florists can actually use. The **water lily** is the second. A few lists name the delphinium, larkspur's taller perennial cousin, and since florists often use the two side by side, a July bouquet can include either. Larkspur gets its name from the spur at the back of each flower, which is said to look like the hind claw of a lark. It's an annual grown from seed, with soft, feathery leaves and spikes that can reach a metre tall. It also dries well, which is why it turns up in dried bouquets and wreaths. ## Larkspur flower meaning In general, larkspur stands for **an open heart, lightness and positivity**. In the Victorian language of flowers it was linked with levity and ardent attachment, an easy, warm kind of love rather than a solemn one. That makes it a cheerful birth flower for someone upbeat and easy to be around. Colour adds a layer. These are the readings you'll see most often: - **Blue:** dignity and grace. Blue is the classic larkspur colour, and one of the few true blues among cut flowers. - **Purple:** first love. A sweet choice for a partner's July birthday. - **Pink:** fickleness in the old floral dictionaries, though almost no one reads it that way today. Most people simply see a soft, pretty pink. - **White:** a happy, carefree spirit, which suits a summer birthday. ## Larkspur or delphinium? The two are close relatives in the buttercup family, and florists sometimes use the names loosely. **Larkspur** is the annual, with slimmer spikes of smaller florets and fine, ferny leaves. **Delphinium** is the perennial, with fuller spikes and broader leaves; the name comes from the Greek word for dolphin, after the shape of the unopened buds. Our [delphinium guide](https://flowersondemand.ca/flowers/learn/delphinium) covers the arrangements that feature it. For a July birthday, either one works. Both come in the same blues and purples, both give a bouquet height, and both carry much the same meaning. If you'd like one in particular, mention it in the delivery note, since local florists sometimes use one in place of the other when stock is short. ## Water lily meaning The water lily stands for **purity, peace and rebirth**. Many water lilies open in the morning and close again by late afternoon, rising clean and bright out of muddy water, which is how they came to symbolise renewal and calm. Claude Monet's paintings of the lily pond in his garden at Giverny made them one of the best-known flowers in art. Canada has its own: the fragrant white water lily (*Nymphaea odorata*) grows wild in lakes and ponds across much of eastern and central Canada, so a July baby who spends summers at the lake may know it well. Water lilies are often confused with the lotus, which holds its flowers on stems well above the water and carries meanings of its own; our [lotus flower meaning](https://flowersondemand.ca/blog/lotus-flower-meaning) guide covers it. ## Why florists don't send water lilies Water lilies aren't a florist flower. Once cut, the blooms close up and wilt within hours, and the stems are built to sit in a pond, not a vase. No delivery service can get one to a doorstep looking the way it does on the water. You can still nod to it: - **White and pale pink flowers.** White lisianthus, calla lilies and soft pink roses carry the water lily's colours and calm. Our [lisianthus guide](https://flowersondemand.ca/flowers/learn/lisianthus) shows them in arrangements. - **Blue larkspur with white accents.** Lean on the birth flower you can send, and let the white blooms stand in for the second. - **A floating bowl, later.** When the bouquet starts to fade, a few of the freshest rose or gerbera heads floated in a shallow glass bowl make a pretty water lily look for a few more days. ## Choosing a July birthday bouquet Larkspur's height suits tall vase arrangements, and its blue goes with almost any summer colour. A few to start with: - **A tall garden mix.** [Stylish Garden](https://flowersondemand.ca/products/stylish-garden-faa-100) combines larkspur and blue delphinium with hydrangea, Asiatic lilies, snapdragons and hot pink spray roses, so both July spikes share one vase. - **Soft blue and lavender.** [Pastel Harmony](https://flowersondemand.ca/products/pastel-harmony-faa-104) pairs blue delphinium with lavender roses and spider mums, for someone who likes a quieter palette. - **Pink larkspur.** [Pretty Passion](https://flowersondemand.ca/products/pretty-passion-faa-115) sets pink larkspur with white roses, purple mums and alstroemeria, a romantic choice for a partner. ## Caring for larkspur, and a note on pets Larkspur usually lasts about a week in a vase. Recut the stems when they arrive, keep the water topped up (tall spikes drink a lot in July heat), and keep the vase out of direct sun and away from ripening fruit, which makes the florets drop sooner. As the lowest florets fade, the ones higher up keep opening. Our [vase life guide](https://flowersondemand.ca/blog/how-long-do-flowers-last) has more. One caution: larkspur and delphinium are poisonous if eaten, and the ASPCA lists them as toxic to cats and dogs. If the birthday person has a curious cat, choose from our list of [flowers safe for cats](https://flowersondemand.ca/blog/flowers-safe-for-cats) instead. ## What to write on the card A line about the birth flower's meaning turns a July birthday bouquet into something more personal. A few to borrow, and more in our [birthday wishes with flowers](https://flowersondemand.ca/blog/happy-birthday-wishes-with-flowers) guide: - *"Happy birthday! Larkspur is your birth flower, and it stands for an open heart. Sounds about right."* - *"Blue for July, and for the most graceful person I know."* - *"For long days, warm nights and another year of you. Happy birthday!"* - *"Water lilies mean peace and new beginnings. Here's to a calm, bright year ahead."* ## Sending a July birthday bouquet anywhere in Canada Flowers on Demand delivers across every province and territory through a network of local florists, who arrange and hand-deliver each order. Delivery is a flat $19.99. For same-day delivery, order before 1:00 PM in the recipient's time zone, Monday to Saturday; there's no Sunday delivery. Start with our [birthday flowers](https://flowersondemand.ca/flowers/birthday), or find the town you're sending to on our [delivery cities](https://flowersondemand.ca/cities) page. Local florists occasionally swap a stem for one of similar style and value when a flower is short, so if one flower matters most, say so in the card or delivery note. ## Other birth month flowers Before July comes the [June birth flower](https://flowersondemand.ca/blog/june-birth-flower), the rose, with honeysuckle. After it comes the [August birth flower](https://flowersondemand.ca/blog/august-birth-flower): gladiolus and poppy. All twelve are in our [birth month flowers](https://flowersondemand.ca/blog/birth-month-flowers) guide. ## Questions ### What is the July birth flower? The larkspur, with the water lily as a second July birth flower. Some lists name the delphinium, larkspur's close relative, in its place. ### What does larkspur symbolize? An open heart, lightness and positivity. By colour, blue is often read as dignity and grace, purple as first love, white as a carefree spirit and pink, in old floral dictionaries, as fickleness. ### What does the water lily mean? Purity, peace and rebirth. Many water lilies open each morning and close by late afternoon, which ties them to renewal and calm. ### Can you send water lilies for a July birthday? Not as cut flowers. Water lilies close and wilt within hours of being cut, so florists don't sell them. White lisianthus, calla lilies or soft pink roses with blue larkspur make a good stand-in. ### Is larkspur poisonous to cats and dogs? Yes. The ASPCA lists larkspur and delphinium as toxic to cats and dogs, and the whole plant is poisonous if eaten, so keep the vase well out of reach of pets. ## Arrangements to send - [The Blooming Visions Bouquet](https://flowersondemand.ca/products/the-blooming-visions-bouquet-b23-5148): $89.95 CAD - [Stylish Garden](https://flowersondemand.ca/products/stylish-garden-faa-100): $144.95 CAD - [Pretty Passion](https://flowersondemand.ca/products/pretty-passion-faa-115): $149.95 CAD - [Bedazzled](https://flowersondemand.ca/products/bedazzled-faa-130): $99.95 CAD - [Calming Breeze](https://flowersondemand.ca/products/calming-breeze-faa-107): $89.95 CAD - [Pastel Harmony](https://flowersondemand.ca/products/pastel-harmony-faa-104): $99.95 CAD ## Related - [Flower Meanings](https://flowersondemand.ca/blog/category/flower-meanings)