May birth flowers: lily of the valley and hawthorn
The traditional birth flowers for May, what they meant in the Victorian language of flowers, and how to grow them.
Lily of the valley
Convallaria majalis
Arching stems of small, highly fragrant, nodding white bells between two broad leaves, in spring, followed by red berries. (RHS)
In the language of flowers
“Return of happiness” (Greenaway, Dumont).
Growing it
Grow in part to full shade in fertile, moist soil rich in organic matter; it spreads by underground stems and can form large colonies. It flowers in April in Missouri and is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8 and in the severest European winters.
Take care: Toxic if eaten, for people and for pets: wear gloves when handling. (RHS)
Sources: RHS, Missouri Botanical Garden
Hawthorn (in the UK, also called may)
Crataegus monogyna
A thorny shrub or small tree with lobed leaves and clusters of creamy-white flowers in spring, followed by red berries. (RHS)
In the language of flowers
“Hope” (Greenaway, Dumont).
Growing it
Grow in any soil that isn’t waterlogged, in full sun or part shade. It’s hardy in the severest European winters and is widely planted in wildlife hedges.
Sources: RHS
About birth flowers
Birth flowers are a tradition, not a rule: lists vary a little, and no one body sets them. The meanings here come from two Victorian flower dictionaries, Kate Greenaway’s Language of Flowers (1884) and Henrietta Dumont’s The Language of Flowers (1851). Both are free to read on Project Gutenberg.
How each flower looks and grows comes from the Royal Horticultural Society and the Missouri Botanical Garden, linked under each flower. Where US and UK names differ, the US name comes first.