May Birth Flower: Lily of the Valley and Hawthorn
The May birth flowers are lily of the valley and hawthorn — symbols of sweetness, humility and the return of happiness. Their meanings, colours and how to give them.
Everyone born in May has two birth flowers: lily of the valley and hawthorn. Together they speak of sweetness, humility and the return of happiness — gentle, fragrant flowers for the height of spring. Here is what each one means, the colours to choose, and how to give them.
Lily of the valley — May's main birth flower
Lily of the valley is the primary May birth flower: tiny, nodding white bells on an arching stem, with one of the most beautiful fragrances in the flower world. It symbolises sweetness, humility and, above all, the return of happiness — the quiet joy of spring fully arrived. It is a flower of weddings and of May Day celebrations. Its season is short and its stems are delicate, so for a birthday bouquet it is often used fresh in its brief window or echoed with other small, sweet white flowers when it is out of season.
Hawthorn — May's secondary flower
Hawthorn is May's second birth flower, a blossoming branch so tied to the month that it is also called "may." Its clouds of small white or pink blossom mean hope and supreme happiness, and traditionally signalled the real start of summer. As branching blossom rather than a single bloom, hawthorn brings a natural, orchard-like beauty to spring arrangements and pairs the delicacy of lily of the valley with a softer, blossoming form.
What May's birth flowers mean
May's pairing is all about sweetness and happiness returning: lily of the valley's humble sweetness and hawthorn's hope and joy. It is one of the gentlest, most fragrant birth-flower combinations of the year. For the wider tradition, see our language of flowers guide.
How to give May birth flowers
For a May birthday, a fragrant, white-and-green bouquet captures the month perfectly — lily of the valley in its short season, or small white blooms and blossoming branches to echo it. Keep it soft, delicate and scented rather than bold. Because lily of the valley has such a brief window, florists often build around white and pale-green spring flowers and let the meaning of "returning happiness" set the tone. A note on the card about the flower's sweetness makes the gift feel personal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the birth flower for May?
May has two birth flowers: lily of the valley (the primary) and hawthorn (the secondary). Lily of the valley means sweetness and the return of happiness; hawthorn means hope.
What does May's lily of the valley symbolise?
Sweetness, humility and the return of happiness. Its delicate white bells and famous fragrance make it a flower of weddings and of spring celebration.
Is lily of the valley available all year?
No — it has a short natural season around spring, and its stems are delicate, so it can be hard to source as a cut flower outside its window. Florists often substitute other small, sweet white flowers.
May birthdays, always in stock
The soft white-and-green spring palette that carries May's spirit runs through our range year-round, with the seasonal highlights planned ahead. At Vibra we select across Colombia and Ecuador. See the complete birth flowers by month guide, or tell us what your birthday range needs and we will keep it stocked.
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