The May birth flowers are the lily of the valley and the hawthorn. The lily of the valley symbolizes purity, humility, sweet love, and the return of happiness, and the hawthorn symbolizes supreme happiness, hope, and protection.
The May birth flower has two options: the lily of the valley, the primary flower, and the hawthorn, the second.
Both flowers are tied to the start of the month: in France, lily of the valley is given as a good-luck gift on May 1, a custom dated to 1561, and the hawthorn blooms in spring and was known as “Mary’s Flower of May.” The two flowers differ sharply in safety.
Every part of the lily of the valley is toxic, while the hawthorn produces berries that some species turn into jams and teas. This page covers each flower’s meaning, history, dates, and safety.
Table of Contents
What is the May birth flower?
The May birth flower is the lily of the valley, with the hawthorn as the second May flower. The table compares the two.
| Attribute | Lily of the valley | Hawthorn |
|---|---|---|
| Rank for May | Primary birth flower | Second birth flower |
| Meaning | Purity, humility, sweet love, return of happiness; also tears and mourning | Supreme happiness, hope, protection |
| Scientific name | Convallaria majalis | Crataegus species |
| Plant family | Asparagaceae | Rosaceae (rose family) |
| Native range | Eurasia | Many species across the Northern Hemisphere; more than 75 kinds in Missouri alone |
| Plant type | Perennial groundcover that spreads by rhizomes | Thorny shrub or small tree |
| Height | About 10 inches | Tree-sized, varies by species |
| Flowers | White, bell-shaped, very fragrant | Clusters of white flowers with 5 petals |
| Bloom time | Late spring to early summer, about 3 weeks | April to June |
| Fruit | Red berries, seldom formed | Small red haws, September to October |
| Toxic | Every part of the plant is toxic | Berries of some species are made into jams and teas |
Meanings come from the Farmers’ Almanac. Plant details come from the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox and the Missouri Department of Conservation.
The lily of the valley: primary May birth flower
The lily of the valley is the main May birth flower, a low, fragrant woodland plant with small white bells on arching stems. According to North Carolina Extension, it grows about 10 inches tall, is native to Eurasia, prefers partial to full shade, and flowers for about three weeks in late spring to early summer. Its species name, majalis, refers to May.
What does the lily of the valley symbolize?
The lily of the valley symbolizes purity, humility, sweet love, and the return of happiness, but it also carries meanings of tears and mourning. The Farmers’ Almanac notes that this mix of joy and sorrow has made the flower popular in both wedding bouquets and grief traditions. In Christian folklore, the flowers are said to have sprung from the Virgin Mary’s tears at the crucifixion, which gave the plant the names “Our Lady’s tears” and “Mary’s tears.”
Lily of the valley in France: the May 1 tradition
In France, people give sprigs of lily of the valley, called muguet, for good luck on May 1. According to FrenchEntrée, the custom was formalized on May 1, 1561, when King Charles IX, “having received a sprig himself, decided to return the gesture” and offered the flower to every lady at his court. The flower later became linked to the workers’ rights movement, when workers wore muguet on their lapels during May Day demonstrations.
The tradition has an economic side. FrenchEntrée reports that more than 60 million sprigs of muguet are sold in France each year, a market of about €24 million, and that charities and labor organizations may sell lily of the valley tax-free on the street on May 1, as long as they keep their distance from florists and do not mix in other flowers.
| May 1 date | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Fête du Muguet and Labor Day (France) | Saturday, May 1, 2027 | Monday, May 1, 2028 |
Lily of the valley as a national flower
The lily of the valley is the national flower of Finland. The Farmers’ Almanac notes that Finland designated it as its official national flower in 1967.
Growing lily of the valley
Lily of the valley spreads quickly by underground stems and can crowd out other plants. North Carolina Extension notes that “the plant’s dense rhizomes can spread and choke out other plants” in ideal conditions, that it naturalizes easily, and that it is reported as invasive in Wisconsin and Arkansas. It grows in USDA zones 3a to 7b. The plant produces bright red berries in summer, but North Carolina Extension notes that they form “seldom” without cross-pollination between genetically different plants.
The hawthorn: second May birth flower
The hawthorn is the second May birth flower, a thorny shrub or small tree covered in clusters of white flowers in spring. The Farmers’ Almanac gives its meaning as “supreme happiness, hope, and even protection,” with the protective meaning attributed to its thorns. The Old Farmer’s Almanac notes that the hawthorn was called “Mary’s Flower of May.”
Hawthorn facts
Hawthorns flower from April to June and produce small fruits called haws in fall. The Missouri Department of Conservation describes the flowers as clusters of five-petaled white blooms, the thorns as about 1.5 inches long, and the fruits as small, crabapple-like haws, usually under half an inch long, that ripen from September to October and often stay on the tree into winter. Birds, small mammals, and other wildlife eat the fruit, and deer browse the leaves and twigs.
The hawthorn genus is large. The Missouri Department of Conservation counts more than 75 kinds of hawthorns, including species, subspecies, and hybrids, in Missouri alone.
The hawthorn as Missouri’s state flower
The hawthorn blossom is the state flower of Missouri. According to the Missouri Secretary of State, Governor Arthur M. Hyde signed the bill on Friday, March 16, 1923, naming the downy or red hawthorn, Crataegus mollis, as the state’s floral emblem. The proposal began with an anonymous petition in February 1921 and passed the Missouri House 130 to 0 and the Senate 25 to 1, despite opposition from supporters of the daisy.
Can you eat hawthorn berries?
The fruits of some hawthorn species can be made into jams and tea. The Missouri Department of Conservation notes this use, and the Farmers’ Almanac lists hawthorn berries as suitable for “jams, jellies, wine, syrups, and flavorings.” Only use berries from a hawthorn identified with certainty, and follow a tested recipe.
Lily of the valley vs. hawthorn: which May flower to choose
Choose the lily of the valley for a fragrant bouquet or a wedding, and the hawthorn for a hedge, a wildlife garden, or a home with pets and young children. The table compares the two by use.
| Use | Better choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding bouquet | Lily of the valley | Traditional wedding flower with a sweet-love meaning |
| Fragrant gift | Lily of the valley | Very fragrant white bells |
| Home with pets or children | Hawthorn | Lily of the valley is toxic in every part |
| Shade garden groundcover | Lily of the valley | Thrives in partial to full shade |
| Wildlife garden or hedge | Hawthorn | Fruit feeds birds; thorns form a barrier |
| Edible harvest | Hawthorn | Berries of some species used in jams and tea |
Is lily of the valley poisonous?
Yes. Lily of the valley is toxic to people and pets, and every part of the plant is poisonous. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses because of cardenolides, including convallarin. Clinical signs include vomiting, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, disorientation, coma, and seizures.
Sources differ on how severe human poisoning is. The Farmers’ Almanac describes every part of the plant as “heavily toxic to people and animals” and names the roots as the most poisonous part, adding that handling the leaves can irritate skin. North Carolina Extension rates the plant’s human poison severity as low, with symptoms such as irregular heartbeat, abdominal pain, and diarrhea mainly when large quantities are eaten. The table compares the two sources.
| Severity for people | Key details |
|---|---|
| Heavily toxic | Roots most poisonous; leaves can irritate skin |
| Low severity | Cardiac glycosides and saponins; problems mainly after large quantities |
| Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses | Cardenolides; heart and nervous system signs |
Because pets and small children can eat plants in unpredictable amounts, the ASPCA’s warning is the one to follow at home. Keep lily of the valley bouquets out of reach, and wash hands after handling the plant.
Other May birthday symbols
People born in May have the emerald as their birthstone. Jewelers of America lists emerald as the only May birthstone on the modern list, which was standardized in 1912. The green of emerald matches the lily of the valley’s leaves and the hawthorn’s spring foliage.
| May symbol | Item |
|---|---|
| Primary birth flower | Lily of the valley |
| Second birth flower | Hawthorn |
| Birthstone | Emerald |
| Flower day | Fête du Muguet, May 1 (France) |
May also includes Mother’s Day, on Sunday, May 9, 2027, and Sunday, May 14, 2028, and Memorial Day, on Monday, May 31, 2027, and Monday, May 29, 2028. The April birth flower is the daisy, with the sweet pea as the second, and the June birth flower is the rose, with honeysuckle as the second.
What the May birth flower is not
The May birth flower is not a true lily. Despite its name, the lily of the valley is not in the lily genus, Lilium. The hawthorn is also not the blackthorn, a different thorny shrub in the genus Prunus that flowers earlier in spring. Finally, the May birth flower is not the flower for the Taurus or Gemini zodiac signs, which follow star sign dates that change around May 21.
Frequently asked questions
What is the birth flower for May?
The birth flower for May is the lily of the valley, with the hawthorn as the second May flower. Both appear in American and British birth flower lists. The lily of the valley symbolizes purity, humility, sweet love, and the return of happiness, and the hawthorn symbolizes supreme happiness, hope, and protection.
What does the May birth flower mean?
The lily of the valley means purity, humility, sweet love, and the return of happiness, but it also carries meanings of tears and mourning, according to the Farmers’ Almanac. Christian folklore calls it “Mary’s tears.” The hawthorn means supreme happiness, hope, and protection, with the protection linked to its thorns.
Why do the French give lily of the valley on May 1?
The French give lily of the valley, or muguet, on May 1 for good luck, a custom dated to May 1, 1561, when King Charles IX offered the flower to the ladies of his court. The flower later became linked to workers’ rights. More than 60 million sprigs are sold in France each year.
Is lily of the valley poisonous to cats and dogs?
Yes. The ASPCA lists lily of the valley as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses because of cardenolides such as convallarin. Signs include vomiting, irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, disorientation, coma, and seizures. Every part of the plant is toxic, so keep it well out of reach of pets.
What is Missouri’s state flower?
Missouri’s state flower is the hawthorn blossom, specifically the downy or red hawthorn, Crataegus mollis. Governor Arthur M. Hyde signed the law on March 16, 1923, according to the Missouri Secretary of State. The hawthorn is also May’s second birth flower, which links the state flower to May birthdays.
What is the May birthstone?
The May birthstone is the emerald, according to Jewelers of America. The modern birthstone list was standardized in 1912 by the American National Retail Jewelers Association. The emerald’s green color matches the spring leaves of the lily of the valley and the hawthorn, May’s two birth flowers.
Sources:
- Farmers’ Almanac – May Birth Flower lore
- NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox – Convallaria majalis
- Missouri Department of Conservation – Hawthorns
- Missouri Secretary of State – A History of Missouri’s Floral Emblem
- FrenchEntrée – Muguet, a May Day tradition dating back to 1561
- ASPCA – Lily of the Valley
- Jewelers of America – Birthstones
