Color Palettes

May birth flowers: Lily of the valley & Hawthorn

The May birth flowers are the lily of the valley and the hawthorn. Here is what each one means, the colors that go with them, and gift and tattoo ideas.

May birth flowerLily of the valleySweetness · Humility · Return of happiness
May birth flowerHawthornHope · Protection
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Lily of the valley meaning

Tiny, fragrant white bells hang from the arching stems of the lily of the valley. It stands for sweetness, humility and the return of happiness, and is a favorite in wedding bouquets.

Symbolism: Sweetness, humility, return of happiness.

Hawthorn meaning

In late spring the hawthorn tree is covered in small white or pink blossoms. It has long been a symbol of hope and protection.

Symbolism: Hope, protection.

Gift and tattoo ideas

May babies have lily of the valley and hawthorn as their birth flowers. For a birthday, a bouquet with both flowers, or a card in their colors, makes a thoughtful gift. Birth flower tattoos often pair the two blooms on one stem, sometimes with the names or birth months of children or partners. You can also combine the birth flowers of the whole family in one bouquet with the free bouquet maker below.

May birth flower color palettes

Lily of the valley colors
Hawthorn colors
May bouquet

Birth flowers by month

JanuaryCarnation & SnowdropFebruaryViolet & PrimroseMarchDaffodil & JonquilAprilDaisy & Sweet peaMayLily of the valley & HawthornJuneRose & HoneysuckleJulyLarkspur & Water lilyAugustGladiolus & PoppySeptemberAster & Morning gloryOctoberMarigold & CosmosNovemberChrysanthemumDecemberNarcissus & Holly
Color palettes: Lily of the valley & Hawthorn
Color palettes: Lily of the valley & Hawthorn

Frequently asked questions

What is the May birth flower?

May has two birth flowers: the lily of the valley and the hawthorn. The lily of the valley stands for sweetness, humility, return of happiness. The hawthorn stands for hope, protection.

What colors go with the May birth flowers?

Use the petal colors (#FFFFFF, #F7DCE2) with the leaf green #4F7A3A and a soft white. The palettes on this page are ready to copy for cards, invitations, nails and home decor.

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