May Flowers
2 min read
By Hailey Mergen
There is a popular saying that goes, “April showers bring May flowers.” This saying holds true in that May brings a lot of flowers. The two most common are the Lily of the Valley and the Hawthorn. These are so popular during this month that they are considered the birth flowers for people born in May. When interviewed, a parent of a student, Melinda Brown stated, “A lot of my family is born in May, so I love the flowers that come out in May.” The Lily of the Valley is a pretty, white, bell-like flower with a very sweet scent. Many people describe this smell as spring-like or floral. The scientific name for this plant is Convallaria Majalis. They are Native throughout the Northern Hemisphere, specifically Asia and Europe. These flowers are commonly known as a symbol for love, motherhood, and purity. They are also commonly associated with royalty. While they are beautiful, they are also very dangerous. They can be used in small portions in medicine, but ingesting this plant could lead to cardiac arrest or even death. The Hawthorn’s scientific name is Crataegus. It is a flowering shrub that grows edible berries. The berries are known to have a tart taste with a hint of sweetness. The flowers are small. They have a strong, controversial aroma that some people love and some people hate. The reason many people do not like this smell is that it releases a chemical called trimethylamine, which is often associated with death. This plant is rich in many vitamins and minerals including vitamin c and pectin. For this reason, it is used in many foods such as jellies and ketchup. The berries are also a great source of food for animals in the winter. When interviewed, Alexis Mazanek (LEIT) stated, “I see those everywhere in the spring.” The Hawthorn is very undemanding and can grow almost anywhere, but it is most commonly found in Europe, North America, and Asia. It is most commonly seen as a symbol for fertility, but some view it as a symbol for death. A common superstition is that it can not be brought into the house. It is believed that bringing it inside will lead to illness or even death.
