Flower calendar · November
November flowers: remembrance, violets and blue flowers
November mixes the remembrance of All Saints’ Day and the Day of the Dead with two trends: purple flowers on the 9th and blue flowers for Men’s Day on the 19th.
- Dates
- November 1, 2, 9 and 19four in the calendar
- Flowers of remembrance
- Chrysanthemum and cempasúchilNovember 1 and 2
- Trends
- Purple and blueNovember 9 and 19
- In season in Spain
- Chrysanthemumanemone, hellebore, amaryllis
Dates for giving flowers in November
| Date | What is celebrated and why | Flower | Color | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| every year | All Saints’ Day Families clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones. The chrysanthemum is the flower of the day: bringing one is a way of saying they are remembered. | Chrysanthemums | White | Spain and much of Latin America |
| every year | Day of the Dead The color and scent of cempasúchil mark the path of the souls to the altar (ofrenda). Its orange petals are one of the visual symbols of the celebration. | Cempasúchil (Mexican marigold) | Orange | Mexico |
| every year | Purple flowers The song tells of someone who sent violets to a woman every November 9, with no card; in the end it was her own husband. On TikTok they are given to your “purple person”: someone who arrived recently and is already essential. | Violets or any purple flower | Purple | Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Spain |
| every year | International Men’s Day It has been celebrated since 1999. On social media the idea that men deserve flowers too became popular: blue roses, sunflowers or Hot Wheels bouquets to break the habit of only giving flowers to women. | Blue flowers, sunflowers or Hot Wheels | Blue | Latin America, especially on social media |
November begins with the calendar’s two remembrance dates. On November 1, All Saints’ Day, families clean and decorate graves with chrysanthemums. On November 2, in Mexico, cempasúchil marks the path of the souls to the altar. You’ll find the full story in the All Saints’ Day and Day of the Dead guide.
Then come two trends. On November 9, purple flowers for your “purple person”, because of the song “Un ramito de violetas”. And on November 19, International Men’s Day, blue flowers, sunflowers or Hot Wheels, because men deserve flowers too. Other dates:
- November 22: Teachers’ Day in Costa Rica.
- November 27: Teachers’ Day in Spain. Ideas in Teachers’ Day.
Flowers in season in November
| Month | Spain | Mexico and Central America | Argentina, Chile and Uruguay |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | chrysanthemum, anemone, amaryllis, hellebore, rose | cempasúchil, cockscomb (terciopelo), chrysanthemum, poinsettia, calla lily | peony, rose, lilium, jasmine, lavender |
In Colombia, Ecuador and the Andes, the high-altitude climate lets growers produce roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, alstroemerias and hydrangeas all year round: that is why they are two of the world’s largest flower exporters. This table is a guide: the season changes with the area and the year, and greenhouses extend almost all of them.
In Spain chrysanthemums are at their peak, and anemones, hellebores (Christmas roses) and potted amaryllis are starting. In Mexico it is the season of cempasúchil and terciopelo, and at the end of the month the first poinsettias arrive. In Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, late spring with Chilean peonies, roses, lilies, jasmine and lavender.
What to give in November
- For the cemetery: potted chrysanthemums, which last for weeks in the cold. White, yellow or purple.
- For the altar: cempasúchil, terciopelo and baby’s breath.
- November 9: a pot of violets or a bouquet of lisianthus, lavender and iris.
- November 19: blue hydrangeas or roses, or sunflowers.
- To support someone who is grieving: see the sympathy flowers guide.
Tips for the month
In the days before November 1, chrysanthemum prices go up and the florists near cemeteries get crowded. Buy a couple of days early and choose pots if you’re going to leave the flowers outdoors. In Spain, remember that chrysanthemums are associated with the dead: as a gift for someone’s home, choose another flower.
Violets bloom at the end of winter, so on November 9 there are hardly any cut violets around. Any purple flower will do: what matters is the gesture.
Remind me 3 days before
Download the reminder and open it with your phone’s calendar: it repeats every year and alerts you three days before, so you have time to order the bouquet.
Frequently asked questions
Which flowers are taken to graves on November 1?
Chrysanthemums, mostly white, in Spain and much of Europe and Latin America. Also roses, carnations and gladioli, or a potted plant that lasts longer at the cemetery.
Which flower is used for the Day of the Dead?
Cempasúchil (Mexican marigold), whose color and scent guide the souls to the altar. It goes together with terciopelo (cockscomb) and baby’s breath.
Which flowers are given on November 9?
Purple flowers, because of Cecilia’s song “Un ramito de violetas”: violets, lavender, lisianthus, irises or purple chrysanthemums.
Which flowers are given on November 19?
Blue flowers, sunflowers or Hot Wheels bouquets for International Men’s Day.
When is Teachers’ Day in Spain?
On November 27, the feast of Saint Joseph Calasanz.
