May Birth Flower: The Lily of the Valley — Meaning, Varieties, and How to Gift It

May's birth flower is the lily of the valley — perhaps the most quietly elegant flower in the entire calendar year, carried by royal brides (including Kate Middleton at the 2011 royal wedding), gifted across France on May 1st as a token of luck and love, and beloved by perfumers, royals, and luxury florists alike for centuries. For anyone born in May, the lily of the valley offers a birth flower of unmatched grace, an extraordinary scent, and a meaning that captures something rare: the return of happiness.

May's two birth flowers

• Primary: Lily of the Valley — The dominant May birth flower across Western traditions, particularly in France and the British royal tradition. Symbolizes the return of happiness, sweetness, and humility.
• Secondary: Hawthorn — The graceful secondary birth flower for May, particularly in older British and Celtic traditions. Represents hope, supreme happiness, and the protection of new beginnings.

A May bouquet that honors both can pair lily of the valley with the small white flowers of hawthorn for a quietly perfect early-May composition.

The lily of the valley's meaning across cultures

The lily of the valley has held an extraordinary place in European traditions for over a thousand years. In Christian symbolism, the flower is associated with the Virgin Mary's tears and is sometimes called "Mary's tears" or "Our Lady's tears." Across Northern Europe, the flower has long been linked to the return of spring after winter and, more poetically, to the return of any happiness lost and regained.

In France, May 1st is celebrated as La Fête du Muguet — lily of the valley day — a tradition dating to King Charles IX in 1561. On May 1st each year, French people give small bouquets of lily of the valley (muguet) to loved ones as tokens of luck, springtime, and the return of happiness. The tradition persists today; on May 1st, almost every Parisian flower shop sells almost nothing else.

The lily of the valley has also become the floral signature of royal weddings. Kate Middleton's bridal bouquet in 2011 was centered on lily of the valley. Princess Grace of Monaco carried lily of the valley at her wedding. Audrey Hepburn loved them. Christian Dior named his iconic perfume Diorissimo in their honor. The flower's quiet sophistication has made it the chosen bloom of royals and the design-aware for generations.

The color of lily of the valley:

• Pure white lily of the valley — The classic and almost exclusively encountered form. Symbolizes purity, the return of happiness, and humility.
• Pink lily of the valley — A rare and beautiful variety. Symbolizes gentleness and the soft side of joy.
• Striped (white with green veining) varieties — Specialty cultivar, rare in the luxury floral market.

The contemporary lily of the valley

Lily of the valley has never gone out of style, but it has become significantly more rare and expensive as commercial cut flower growing has shifted toward higher-yield varieties. Today's lily of the valley is one of the most expensive cut flowers in the luxury floral market — a small bouquet might cost three to five times what a comparable bouquet of roses would.

The reasons are practical: lily of the valley has a brief peak season (late April through May), is delicate to handle, has very short stems requiring careful arrangement, and the flowers themselves are extraordinarily small. Sourcing genuine luxury lily of the valley requires planning. For a May birthday, ordering 5-7 days in advance is essential.

An important practical note: Lily of the valley is poisonous if ingested. It should be kept away from pets and small children. Discard the bouquet water carefully; do not allow it to be tasted by animals.

How to gift a May birth flower bouquet

Keep it small. Lily of the valley is not a large-bouquet flower. A small posy or single bunch in a delicate vessel reads as more elegant than a large mixed bouquet.

Pair with garden roses. The combination of soft pink garden roses and lily of the valley is the most classical luxury wedding palette — and works beautifully for May birthdays as well.

Honor the scent. Lily of the valley has one of the most beloved fragrances in the floral world. Place the bouquet where the recipient can smell it — entryway, bedside, dining table.

Plan ahead. Lily of the valley is best ordered 5-7 days in advance, particularly for May birthdays when demand peaks.

Flower Icon arrangements for May birthdays

For a May birthday in San Francisco or the Bay Area, our birthday flower collection includes arrangements built around lily of the valley and other May peak-season blooms. A few specific options:

• Pure lily of the valley posy — a small, intentional bouquet of lily of the valley in a delicate vessel. The most classical May birth flower gift.
• Lily of the valley + peony bouquet — paired with peonies (also May's peak), this is the most luxurious spring bouquet a florist can compose.
• Lily of the valley + garden rose bouquet — the timeless luxury combination.

For more on lily of the valley specifically, see our dedicated lily of the valley flower hub page.

Care tips for a lily of the valley bouquet

• Re-cut stems every 2 days at a 45-degree angle underwater.
• Change water daily for the first three days. Lily of the valley releases compounds into the water that should be cleared frequently.
• Cool location. Lily of the valley lasts significantly longer in cool rooms (60-65°F).
• Indirect light. Direct sunlight fades the flowers quickly.
• Expect 5-7 days of beauty. Lily of the valley is a brief bouquet. Their fleeting nature is part of their meaning.
• Safety: the entire plant is poisonous. Keep away from pets and small children. Discard water responsibly.

A note for May birthdays

May is the month when spring becomes itself — the season fully arrived, the days lengthening, the gardens at their most full and fragrant. The lily of the valley captures this perfectly — small, quietly luxurious, and impossibly beautiful for the brief window of its peak season. For anyone born in May, the lily of the valley offers a birth flower of extraordinary refinement, deep historical resonance, and a single meaning that aligns precisely with the month: the return of happiness.

For more on how birth flowers work across the calendar year, see our complete birth flowers by month guide.