May Birth Flowers
May is the most colorful month of the year: rose, carnation, lily of the valley, peony, wisteria, iris, poppy, and petunia. Roses reach their first peak in May, and peonies open large blooms.
Our birth flowers are an original editorial system based on flowering seasons and hanakotoba. Other sources may assign different flowers to the same date, but this page follows one consistent mapping.
Find the flower for the day you were born.
What is the birth flower of May?
May's birth flowers include rose, carnation, lily of the valley, and peony. Every day of May has its own flower in our calendar.
Note: a month-based tradition also assigns one flower to the whole month — for May, the Carnation. Our calendar assigns one flower to each day, which is a separate original system.See the note on the May birthday colors page →
May birth flowers (31 days)
All 31 days of May, with birth flowers, hanakotoba, and peak seasons. Meanings are examples.
| Date | Birth flower | Hanakotoba (example) | Peak season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1 |  Nigella | love in a dream, deep affection | 5月・6月 |
| 5/2 |  Japanese iris | sincere, believing heart | 5月・6月 |
| 5/3 |  Lupine | motherly love, always happy | 5月・6月 |
| 5/4 |  Ajuga | strong bond, sincere | 4月・5月 |
| 5/5 |  Marguerite | secret love, trust | 3月・4月・5月 |
| 5/6 |  Lily of the valley | return of happiness, purity | 4月・5月 |
| 5/7 |  Wisteria | drunk with love, gentleness | 4月・5月 |
| 5/8 |  Tulip | confession of love, philanthropy | 4月・5月 |
| 5/9 |  Cornflower | elegant, delicate | 5月・6月 |
| 5/10 |  Spiraea | grace, dignity | 4月・5月 |
| 5/11 |  Clematis | spiritual beauty, traveler's joy | 5月・6月 |
| 5/12 |  Kerria | elegance, nobility | 4月・5月 |
| 5/13 | Spiraea | grace, dignity | 4月・5月 |
| 5/14 |  Iris | hope, believing heart | 5月・6月 |
| 5/15 | Kerria | elegance, nobility | 4月・5月 |
| 5/16 |  Sweet flag | believing heart, gentleness | 5月・6月 |
| 5/17 |  Poppy | consolation, gratitude | 4月・5月 |
| 5/18 | Lupine | motherly love, always happy | 5月・6月 |
| 5/19 |  Aubrieta | beautiful spirit, sincere | 4月・5月 |
| 5/20 |  Foamflower | cuteness, pure | 4月・5月 |
| 5/21 |  Nemesia | honest, tolerance | 4月・5月 |
| 5/22 | Tulip | confession of love, philanthropy | 4月・5月 |
| 5/23 |  Rose | love, beauty | 5月・6月・10月 |
| 5/24 |  Streptocarpus | small happiness, sincere | 5月・6月・7月 |
| 5/25 |  Bleeding heart | love's sorrow, delicate | 4月・5月 |
| 5/26 |  Dogwood | returning a favor, durability | 4月・5月 |
| 5/27 | Kerria | elegance, nobility | 4月・5月 |
| 5/28 |  Geranium | respect, trust | 5月・6月・7月 |
| 5/29 | Sweet flag | believing heart, gentleness | 5月・6月 |
| 5/30 |  Daisy | purity, hope | 4月・5月 |
| 5/31 |  Lampranthus | idleness, easygoing | 5月・6月 |
Flowers of May
May is the most colorful month of the year: rose, carnation, lily of the valley, peony, wisteria, iris, poppy, and petunia. Roses reach their first peak in May, and peonies open large blooms.
Carnation has become the standard Mother's Day gift. Lily of the valley carries the meaning 'return of happiness' and bears small bell-shaped flowers. May brings Golden Week, Children's Day, and Mother's Day — a month for family.
For a gift, carnation for gratitude, rose for love, and lily of the valley for happiness are easy choices.
How to Choose a May Birth Flower
- By meaning: carnation for gratitude, rose for love, lily of the valley for happiness.
- By season: rose, carnation, lily of the valley, and peony peak in May.
- By color: pair with the May birthday color for a vivid palette.
- By occasion: carnation for Mother's Day, a rose bouquet for anniversaries.
FAQ
- What is May's birth flower?
- May's birth flowers include rose, carnation, lily of the valley, and peony. Every day of May has its own flower in our calendar.
- Is Rose the birth flower for May?
- Rose is one of May's representative flowers. In our calendar, however, the birth flower changes day by day, so the flower depends on the exact date.
- What is the birth flower for someone born in May?
- It depends on the day. Choose the date from the list above.
- What flowers are famous in May?
- rose, carnation, lily of the valley, peony, and wisteria.
- How do you decide the birth flowers?
- We compile them independently from flowering seasons and hanakotoba. Other sources may assign different flowers.
Our birth flowers are an original editorial system based on flowering seasons and hanakotoba. Meanings are examples and vary by source.Editorial policy