Which California native wildflower are you, based on your zodiac sign?

By Jainita Patel
San Francisco Park Stewardship Intern

Spring brings so much life and joy into our parks. With the arrival of our various wildflower friends into the park, I’ve been thinking of a fun way to connect the colors of spring to the wonderful personalities and people around us and what better way than to connect it with your zodiac sign? Scroll down to your sign to find out which flower is your special match!

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18): Seaside daisy

California seaside daisy found in the Golden Gate National Parks. Will Elder / National Park Service

Right around the time of your birthday, you’ll see seaside daisies start to bloom. The daisy’s scientific name, Erigeron glaucus, means “old man in the spring” and just like the name implies, you are full of wisdom and thoughtfulness. You tend to think deeply on matters and can judge without bias. Like the daisy’s bright purple petals, you can be full of life and energy. Sometimes overlooked for more vibrant flowers, when people stop to consider you, they’ll find that you are someone they want to spend more time around. Just as this flower provides nectar for butterflies, you provide a source of quiet joy for those in your life.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20): Douglas iris

Iris douglasiana (Douglas Iris) Will Elder/Parks Conservancy

This flower begins its blooming season right around your birthday. Just as you thrive around water, the Douglas iris has a deeper purple color along the coast and lightens the further inland you go. Because of your friendly personality, you often have many different types of friends. This flower behaves similarly, with its range extending from Santa Barbara to Oregon. Just like the iris, you are beautiful and helpful, which lends all kinds of people to trust and value you.
 

Aries (March 21 – April 19): California poppy

California poppies seen in the Golden Gate national parks. Will Elder / National Park Service

By your birthday, the California poppy will be in full bloom. Bright and dynamic, you and this flower have a lot in common. Just like the poppy has enriched celebrations for centuries, you too bring an unstoppable force of energy and joy to those around you. Highly competitive and driven, you tend to infuse crowds of people with your infectious positive spirit, just as this poppy can fill entire fields. Both you and the California poppy, the state flower of California, are natural-born leaders.
 

Taurus (April 20 – May 20): Blue blossom

A blue blossom wildflower found in the Golden Gate National Parks. Parks Conservancy

If you take a walk in the parks around your birthday, you’ll be sure to see this brilliant blue flower. Just like you’re grounded and level-headed by nature, this plant is a large shrub that grows close to the earth. You are a practical and reliable friend who’s always there when people need you, just like the blue blossom is there for those who need a touch of beauty in their lives. It takes a lot to shake you and just as this plant is drought tolerant and hardy, you are unflappable in the face of adversity.
 

Gemini (May 21 – June 20): Sea thrift

Sea thrift found along the Crissy Field Promenade in the Golden Gate National Parks. Eric Poetzle / Parks Conservancy

This beautiful pink flower blooms right around the time of your birthday. People often find that you are more than meets the eye and, just like you, the sea thrift is more than just a pretty flower. It’s also used as an antibiotic to treat obesity, nervous disorders, and internal infections. Though it may appear delicate, this plant can tolerate saline and drought-like conditions which most other plants cannot grow in. Just like you, it’s both resilient and adaptable. Hummingbirds and bees are fascinated with this flower, the people around you are often fascinated by your creativity and quick wit.
 

Cancer (June 21 – July 22): paintbrush flower

The paintbrush wildflower found along McCollough Road in the Marin Headlands. Eric Poetzle / Parks Conservancy

This flower generally blooms in early summer so if you take a walk in the parks around the time of your birthday, you’re sure to spot it. You are an artistic and creative person by nature so it’s natural the flower of your sign looks like a paintbrush dipped in vibrant red paint. Very few people know the real you, but those that take the time to try are sure to find you incredibly unique and talented. Similarly, one of the only pollinators of this plant is the hummingbird, which can use its long beak to reach inside the flower to get its nectar.
 

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22): California aster

A California aster wildflower, often found in the Golden Gate National Parks. Eric Poetzle / Parks Conservancy

This flower blooms around the time of your birthday! “Aster” is derived from the Greek word for “star” and just like this flower, you are the star of any space you inhabit. As soon as you enter, all eyes are on you. Just as this plant stabilizes the soil around it, your roots reach deep, providing an air of confidence that stabilizes the emotions of those around you. This plant is rhizomatous which means it has its “stem” underground and many aboveground plants of this species are connected via that stem. A natural-born leader, you can easily connect with those around you. Just like the flowers of this family come in all kinds of impressive colors and sizes, you are a creative type with a flair for the dramatic.  
 

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22): Pearly everlasting

Anaphalis margaritacea (Pearly Everlasting) Eric Poelzl/Parks Conservancy

Though you are a bit of a late bloomer, once you blossom people find you’re a rare pearl, just like this delicate white flower. It’s easy to overlook this flower, but those who pay attention will find it one of the most beautiful. Those special people who get to know you will find you attentive, detail-oriented, and organized. Anaphalis, the genus of this species, is Greek for “upwards” and “shining.” Though shy by nature, once you know what you want, you too rocket upwards towards your goal, outshining those around you.
 

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22): Coast buckwheat  

Coast buckwheat wildflower found in the Golden Gate National Parks. Will Elder / National Park Service

You might be able to catch the last blooms of this flower on your birthday, but its pink and fluffy flower clusters are always a treat to see. Just like these plants are found close together, you like being surrounded by people. Hardy and resilient, these plants can be found in harshest of coastal environments. Just as you’re willing to help achieve balance and justice for those less fortunate than you, this plant is often used in restoration work to help establish the area before introducing more delicate species.
 

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21): Gumplant

Hairy Gumplant (Grindelia hirsutula) along Conzelman Road in the Marin Headlands. Eric Poetzle / Parks Conservancy

Though not as well-known as other asters, gumplants stand apart from their cousins just as you stand out from those around you. These flowers are friends to butterflies, providing them with sweet nectar just as you are fiercely loyal to your friends. Scorpios are often misunderstood, but once people discover their true nature, they will find a passion and a resourcefulness not found in the other signs. Just as this plant is a rare but endemic to California, you are a rare, but truly beautiful find.
 

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21): Sticky monkeyflower

Mimulus aurantiacus (Sticky Monkeyflower) Will Elder/Parks Conservancy

You are an active spirit, just as this flower is. Once pollinated, this flower will visibly close until it is ready to be pollinated again. One of the more active plants, it’s also known for its trumpet-shaped flowers. Like a trumpet, you call out to the world around you, eager to explore and absorb as much knowledge as you can. Like the vibrant color of this plant, you are a natural extrovert and find it easy to make friends and just like its silly name those friends find that you have an unmatched sense of humor. You are generous by nature and this plant is too.
 

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19): Coastal sand verbena

Yellow Sand Verbena (Abronia latifolia), at Crissy Field's sand dunes. It adheres sand to its foliage and stem for sun protection, and tends to grow more upright than the Pink Sand Verbena. Eric Poetzle / Parks Conservancy

You are an extremely responsible and aware person, just like this plant is aware of the environment around it. If it feels like the conditions are unfavorable, it will die back to the root and resprout when it knows it can thrive. Not only are you an independent and professional leader, but you are a survivor that carries those around you. Just as this plant can stabilize entire dune systems, you are able to manage tasks that seem insurmountable to everyone else. Though you are often seen as an example, you are also often described as down-to-earth, just like this plant hugs the earth.

Come see your flower at one of our wildflower walks this spring. All of these flowers and so many more can be found throughout the Presidio Coastal Bluffs, Lands End, and Fort Funston this season, so get out there and see how many you can spot. We look forward to seeing you in the parks this colorful season!