Will there really be lily of the valley for everyone on May 1st? This detail is essential but often forgotten.
May 1st is Labor Day, but according to tradition, it's also the day to buy lily of the valley. Its scent is particularly pleasant, and its sprigs are believed to bring good luck, as they herald the arrival of warmer weather. Florists, as well as other retail outlets located throughout the country, make it easy to get their hands on. Some are even lucky enough to have some growing in their gardens.
If this isn't your case, there are a few recommendations for choosing the right lily of the valley. First, check to see if it has a good supply of bells and that they are white. The stem should also be fairly rigid and straight, as well as the leaves green and undamaged. The scent should spread easily.
Another criterion comes into play for quality lily of the valley, more difficult to control, yet essential. It's the weather. Like all plants, flowering depends on the weather conditions that prevail before and during the bloom. Lily of the valley needs cool soil and moderate natural watering. This is why 80% of French production comes from Loire-Atlantique, where the mild and humid oceanic climate is most favorable for its cultivation.
However, in April, rain and sunshine alternated in sequences. Temperatures were around seasonal norms, without too many late frosts. These elements allowed for timely flowering in most regions, according to La Chaine Météo . "Spring 2025 was marked by alternating mild days and rainy spells, creating a fairly favorable context for the flowering of lily of the valley," summarizes the specialized site.
Some branches even arrived early, but were able to be well preserved, according to some producers. They were placed in cold storage and will be taken out two days before May 1st to give the plants time to wake up. This early arrival is explained by the mild weather of March in the north of the country.
The harvest is therefore better than in 2024, when the weather conditions complicated it, combining abundant rain and high temperatures. There will therefore be lily of the valley for everyone! For Nicolas Bigot, the general manager of Bigot Fleurs, a lily of the valley producer in Sarthe, 2025 is, indeed, a very good year: "We have returned to a normal, ideal configuration: good temperatures, but not too much rain. The quality of the lily of the valley is good, the flowers are not wilted like when it rains too much," he told francebleu .
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