5 Idyllic Symbols of September

The transition of summer into fall is one of the year’s most memorable. The month of September offers a reset that feels quieter than the traditional new year, and the equinox that marks the official first day of fall reminds us to slow down and appreciate our surroundings.

You might have some specific visual and sensory memories associated with September yourself, from rainy elementary school mornings to the cloudless sky on 9/11. There’s something about this time of year that makes everyone a little extra sentimental, even melancholic. 

Even if you’re disappointed that summer is ending, there are many bright and beautiful things to look forward to on this side of the calendar. These symbols represent some of the very best things about September, casting the ninth month in a bright and optimistic light.

Aster

Named for the Greek word for star, these late-season flowers appear every year at the end of summer, blooming like tiny constellations. They’re usually an unmistakable purple color, but you might also see them in white, pink, red, blue, and yellow clusters. 

The official birth flower for September holds a rich symbolic history originating from ancient Greece, where they were used medicinally and beloved for their association with the goddess Astraea. Later, Christians adopted the aster as a symbol of the Virgin Mary and began using the flower as a symbol for faith and endurance.

Goldenrod

An autumn wildflower that frequently grows alongside the aster, the goldenrod’s bright yellow color attracts honeybees and migrating monarchs at a crucial time in the year. 

Botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer famously wrote in her book Braiding Sweetgrass about the symbiotic relationship between the aster and the goldenrod, which evolved to attract more pollinators due to its unique color contrast. The autumnal palette—purple against yellow—is visually stunning, but it serves a real ecological purpose. 

Morning Glory

The second official birth flower for September babies, the morning glory is a smallish flower with a distinctive blue color. Shaped like a trumpet, the blossoms are only open for a few hours of the day, from dawn until late afternoon. For this reason, the morning glory has become a symbol across many cultures that represents transience and the fleeting nature of time. 

This pretty flower might look sweet and harmless, but the morning glory has a dark side: the vines and flowers are both toxic, and the seeds contain mildly hallucinogenic properties similar to LSD. Ironically, the varieties most likely to give you a bad trip are those with the most innocent-sounding names: “Heavenly Blue” and “Pearly Gates.”

Sapphire

Since the earliest days of human civilization, the color blue has been associated with royalty and the divine. In ancient Greece and Rome, kings and queens wore sapphires to provide them with spiritual protection; in the early Christian church, clergy wore them as a symbol of heaven. 

In 1912, sapphire became designated as the official September birthstone, thanks to scholarship sourced from a Tiffany’s handbook. The author later disagreed with the choice and stated that the sapphire was better suited as an April alternative to the diamond. In spite of this, the association stuck and now virtually everyone thinks of September when they see a sapphire.  

Hawk

Folkloric tradition has made a lot of different species of birds, and though there is no standardized “birth month bird” list like there is for gemstones, they make a lot of sense. Certain birds are associated with certain months of the year due to their traits, habits, and season legends. 

In September, it’s easy to spot hawks in the eastern United States. They swoop, soar, and dive to catch small prey animals before ultimately migrating south. These birds are majestic and resilient, and probably larger than you’re imagining. The wingspan of the red-tailed and broad-winged hawk is seriously impressive.