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Full Flower Moon & Blue Micromoon – May 2026 Full Moon Guide

the full flower moon, the may full moon, the old farmers almanac
Image Credit:
Colleen Quinnell/The Old Farmer's Almanac
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

There will be not one, but two, Full Moons in May! The first Moon, the Full Flower Moon, reaches its peak on Friday, May 1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, while the second Moon, the Blue Moon (which is also a Micromoon), peaks on Sunday, May 31.  Find out the meaning of the Flower Moon, the Full Moon of May. 

When to See the Full Moons in May 2026

May 1: The Flower Moon

May’s first Full Moon, the Flower Moon, reaches peak illumination at 1:23 P.M. (EDT) on Friday, May 1. How fitting to have the Flower Moon arrive on May Day!

May 31: The Blue Moon

In May, a second Full Moon, a Blue Moon, will make an appearance. The term Blue Moon is most commonly used when we have two Full Moons in a single month. On Sunday, May 31, the Full Moon will peak at  4:45 A.M. EDT.

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. 

The Blue Micromoon

This month also brings a Micromoon. Curious about how it compares to a Supermoon? The Full Moon on May 31, 2026, occurs just before reaching apogee on June 1.

Apogee refers to the point when the Moon is farthest from Earth. When the Full Moon occurs near this point, it’s classified as a “Micromoon”—the opposite of a Supermoon, so it will appear slightly smaller and dimmer than usual.

Why does the Moon’s distance vary? The Moon orbits Earth in an elliptical path, with one side closer and the other farther. While this affects its size and brightness, the difference is too subtle to notice with the naked eye. What often makes the Moon appear larger is the “Moon illusion”—an optical effect that occurs when it’s near the horizon. Since this Micromoon will be high in the sky, it likely won’t appear as large or imposing as a Full Moon closer to the horizon.

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.

Full Flower Moon, May Full Moon

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 2026

May 2026 Moon Phases including the Full Flower Moon and the Blue Moon

All dates and times are EDT. See our Moon Phase Calendar for times in your location.

May Moon Phase Dates and Times
Full Moon: May 1, 1:23 P.M. EDT
Last Quarter: May 9, 5:10 P.M. EDT
New Moon: May 16, 4:01 P.M. EDT
First Quarter: May 23, 7:11 A.M. EDT
Full Moon: May 31, 4:45 A.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 2026

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!

Full Moon Names

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Spiritdove</span> Mon, 05/21/2012 - 22:46
i love almanac but have you planted when its not ok to see any difference?
<span>Kathryn Hewitt</span> Fri, 04/27/2012 - 17:00
I've always planted by the almanac and it really does work.
<span>Dee Read</span> Sat, 05/02/2015 - 21:52
Does it make much difference if you plant above ground, the day BEFORE the new moon?
<span>Moon Watcher</span> Thu, 05/12/2011 - 14:04
The May full moon, which is in the sign of Scorpio, is the best time to harvest any medicinal herbs/plants because they are at their fullest potency. I usually go out to the woods to harvest my nettles for the year, then (wearing gloves & long sleeves) I strip the leaves and set them in baskets to dry.
<span>Whiskey</span> Thu, 05/05/2016 - 21:40
That is awesome.
<span>S. Horn</span> Sat, 05/25/2013 - 18:53
I thought scorpio was in November?
<span>S. Horn</span> Sat, 05/25/2013 - 18:55
Oh I get it, scorpio is just showing in the sky tonight, right? Whoops.
<span>Lucy Star</span> Sat, 04/25/2015 - 04:20
The SUN is in Scorpio in November. Therefore, the new moon in November is in Scorpio, and the FULL Scorpio moon is at the opposite end of the calendar, in May. The constellation Scorpio is visible now because when the sun in it (in November) it will of course be invisible.
<span>Tre Gibbs</span> Tue, 05/29/2018 - 12:01
The sun hasn't been in Scorpius the Scorpion for thousands of years. In November, the Sun is in Libra the Scales, due to Earth's wobble - although in ancient times when astrology was born, the sun was in Scorpius in November, hence today's astrology being off by one month.