Watch the Full Flower Moon Bloom!
The full Flower Moon reaches its peak on Monday, May 12. Did you watch Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon? Find out the meaning of the Flower Moon, the Full Moon of May.
When to See the Full Moon in May 2025
May’s full Flower Moon reaches peak illumination at 12:56 P.M. (EDT) on Monday, May 12.
Find a location with unobstructed views of the horizon, if possible. See what time the moon will be visible in your area with our Moonrise and Moonset Calculator.
Why Is It Called the Flower Moon?
The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac come from many places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the full Moon.
The Flower Moon
May’s Flower Moon name should be no surprise; flowers spring forth across North America in abundance this month!
- “Flower Moon” has been attributed to Algonquin peoples, as confirmed by Christina Ruddy of The Algonquin Way Cultural Centre in Pikwakanagan, Ontario.
- May’s Moon was also called the “Month of Flowers” by Jonathan Carver in his 1798 publication, Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America: 1766, 1767, 1768 (pp. 250-252), as a likely Dakota name. Carver stayed with the Naudowessie (Dakota) over a period of time; his expedition covered the Great Lakes region, including the Wisconsin and Minnesota areas.
- Henry David Thoreau sparked the Native American Moon names as well, referencing the Flower Moon and Carver when he wrote about Native Americans.
Alternative May Moon Names
May’s Moon names tend to speak to the arrival of spring and all that it entails!
The Cree names Budding Moon and Leaf Budding Moon celebrate the awakening of local flora, which really begins to leaf out now in many areas. Similarly, Planting Moon (Dakota, Lakota) marks the time when seeds should be started for the farming season ahead.
The activities of animals marked spring’s arrival, too, which is highlighted by the Cree names Egg Laying Moon and Frog Moon, as well as the Oglala term Moon of the Shedding Ponies. All three names indicate that warmer weather is on the way!
→ See all 12 months of full Moon names and meanings.
Moon Phases for May 2025
All dates and times are EDT. See our Moon Phase Calendar for times in your location.
.png){kind=small} | First Quarter: May 4, 9:52 A.M. EDT |
.png){kind=small} | Full Moon: May 12, 12:56 P.M. EDT |
.png){kind=small} | Last Quarter: May 20, 7:59 A.M. EDT |
.png){kind=small} | New Moon: May 26, 11:02 P.M. EDT |
→ When is the next full Moon? Find out in our Full Moon Dates chart.
Full Flower Moon Video
Each month, we will explain the traditional names of the full Moon along with some Moon facts. Click below to watch the video and learn about May’s Full Flower Moon.
Best Days in May 2025
Below are the best days for activities, based on the Moon’s sign and phase in May.
For Gardening:
- Planting aboveground crops: 1, 2, 29, 30
- Planting belowground crops: 20, 21
For Setting Eggs:
- 8, 9, 17, 18
For Fishing:
- 1-12, 26-31
→ See the Best Days for more activities.
Full Moon Folklore
- Clothes washed for the first time in the Full Moon will not last long.
- The Full Moon is an ideal time to accept a proposal of marriage.
Share your thoughts about the May Moon below!
Comments
Nice, but you're wrong about the proverbs quote. Proverbs never knew a fly fisherman.
Is the pic of the Flower Moon that is on the Farmers Almanac for sale?
Last year about this time was the first time I saw my first SUPERMOON and I am a lifetime stargazer .. what we witnessed was the clouds came in fast and dark and u. Could barely see her then poof the dark clouds vanished and she was glowing enough to put glare in camera ....I am a moon child..actually I would say sky child too my favorite ..watching white puffy clouds form shapes as a child .my brother and I still do after 55 years now when can name from characters in fantasy stories.. our first supermoon was the universes way of communicating with me that we are on a lil piece of heaven and our total world our trees that frame the sky look like a heart ..I have moon phase apps.on my phone lol. LUNA LOVER
Last year about this time was the first time I saw my first SUPERMOON and I am a lifetime stargazer .. what we witnessed was the clouds came in fast and dark and u. Could barely see her then poof the dark clouds vanished and she was glowing enough to put glare in camera ....I am a moon child..actually I would say sky child too my favorite ..watching white puffy clouds form shapes as a child .my brother and I still do after 55 years now when can name from characters in fantasy stories.. our first supermoon was the universes way of communicating with me that we are on a lil piece of heaven and our total world our trees that frame the sky look like a heart ..I have moon phase apps.on my phone lol. LUNA LOVER
I have a question. Do you believe your readers are idiots, or are you just an idiot. 12:56 p.m. on Monday the 12th does not have a full flower moon. You meant 1256 a.m. on Tuesday the 13th. Are all of you idiots or is it just you? Did you even spell your own name right?