Birth flower for August 1
Dahlia
Meaning: Elegance, gratitude
The dahlia is Mexico's national flower, and the Aztecs grew it long before Europeans arrived — they even ate the tubers. When it reached Europe in the 1700s it was named after Swedish botanist Anders Dahl and first trialled as a food crop. People ended up loving the blooms instead, and today there are thousands of varieties, from button-sized pompons to dinner-plate giants.