The Lily of the Valley is May's Birth Flower

Everyone knows that they have a specific birthstone that is placed in jewelry and trinkets to signify the month they were born in. However, many people don't know that just like the stones, each month has a flower or two as well, which symbolizes birth. Here is the history and meaning behind your birth flower.

May: Lily of the Valley
Alternate: Hawthorn

The May flower, Lily of the Valley has the botanical name of Convallaria magalis and originated in Europe. Today it is distributed widely throughout North America and North Asia, but in England it is still found as commonly as wild flowers. It is a small, bell shaped flower that gives off a large scent that attracts not only people, but bee's who like to collect the pollen that the flower produces.

The flowers are normally white, although occasionally you can find some with a pink hue to them. The flower first grows in the spring and creates six little stamens. By September the flower is producing sweet berries in place of the petals that are about 5-7mm in diameter.

The Lily of the Valley has some medicinal qualities to it. For many years the leaves and petals have been used in medicine because they contain cardiac glycosides.

Fun and interesting fact: The Lily of the Valley is also knows as Our Lady's tears because according to the legend the tears that that Mary shed at the cross turned in to Lily of the Valley flowers. Another legend claims that the flower also sprang up from the blood of St. Leonard during his battle with the dragon.