Lily of the Valley
- Angela Sanford
- May 28
- 3 min read
by Raegan Densmore
There are a lot of great things about being born in May; the weather gets warmer, the flowers start to bloom, and beginning this year, it marks the start of my summer break. But I also really love the birth flower of May, which is the lily of the valley. The flower consists of many tiny little bell-shaped blooms, typically in the shade of white. Lily of the valley symbolizes purity, luck, happiness, and fresh starts. Ultimately, it is a beautiful flower with much historical significance.
Lily of the valley is native to the cooler regions of Asia and Europe. There is also a certain variety that is native to North America. The flower has much cultural significance, for example, in the 1500s, in France, King Charles IX was gifted lily of the valley for good luck on May Day, he continued the tradition of gifting these flowers, and the act of gifting Lily of the valley continues to this day as a gesture of good fortune and happiness, with the tradition being known as La Fête du Muguet. While the Asian and European variants are highly toxic, in Indigenous culture, the wild lily-of-the-valley was used as a source of nourishment. The red berries that would grow on these plants were commonly foraged and consumed by hunters and children. It was eaten widely as a treat by the Haida nation located in the west coast of British Columbia. There is a myth told by the Haida nation where a feast was made up of the berries from lilies of the valley, highbush cranberries, lupine roots, and other things, prepared for supernatural beings. With this, the lily-of-the-valley has both cultural and spiritual significance, playing an important role in keeping traditions alive through the younger generations.
This flower also has deep meaning in the Christian religion. “Our Lady’s Tears” or “Mary’s Tears” are other names for the flower that come from the religion. This comes from the legend of Mary weeping due to the crucifixion of Jesus. In the Bible, lily of the valley symbolizes humility and purity, signifying Christ’s second coming to power, hence the flower’s large association with Easter, and envisioning a new world.
Lily of the valley also has importance in Greek mythology. The flower is linked to the god, Apollo, the god of the sun, music, and prophecy. According to Greek legend, Apollo grew lilies of the valley in the woods to protect the feet of his muses. It is also largely associated with the goddess Maia, the goddess of spring and fertility. The name, “lily of the valley” is derived from the Latin word “maialis”, which means, “pertaining to Maia”. The flower is associated with good luck, protection, and prosperity.
Not only is the lily of the valley a gorgeous flower, it also has much historical, cultural, and spiritual meaning. Its beauty alone is what drew me to it, but learning about its significance has deeply intrigued me. Having it as my birth flower was what really inspired me to look into its background, and I am glad that I did. Overall, the lily of the valley is more than just a pretty sight, it is a flower that has many stories to tell, whether that be about its significance, its use, and the symbolization it holds.
References
Comments