May 2025 Full Flower Moon
Our next full Moon, the Flower Moon, occurs at 12:56PM EDT on May 12, 2025. This exact moment when the Moon is officially full occurs after the Moon has set for us. Remember being able to see a full Moon at the exact moment it’s 100% illuminated depends on your location. The full Moon alignment happens at one specific moment in time, regardless of the observer’s time of day or location on Earth. The Flower Moon will still appear full and round to our eye when it rises at 9:02PM on the evening of May 12. In fact, weather permitting, the Moon will look full on May 11 and May 13 as well.
The Algonquin people have been given credit for the Flower Moon name honoring all the beautiful and colorful wildflowers. While Flower Moon is the most common name for May’s full Moon there are other nature-inspired spring names – as this Moon is not only the harbinger of all the beautiful wildflowers to come, but also of trees and bushes leafing out, migrating birds returning, butterflies and moths appearing, and baby animals of all kinds being born. The Creek and Choctaw call this Moon the Mulberry Moon. The red mulberry tree was important to these people – the fruit was a food source, the fruit, leaves and twigs could be used to make dyes and the plant’s branches could be used to make bows. Other names honored the return of leaves and green trees. The Apache call May’s Moon the Season When leaves are Green Moon, and the Lakota call it the Moon of Green Leaves. In some regions the threat of frost has passed by this time and farmers could plant seeds. The Abenaki call this Moon the Field Maker Moon, and the Winnebago call it the Corn Moon. Let’s not forget the animals. If you’ve been at the Wilderness Center, you’ve heard the beautiful call of the spring peepers. The Cree heard the frogs too and called this the Frog Moon. And one of my favorite names is from the Oglala who call it the Moon of the Shedding Ponies. Perhaps, if the weather is good, take a night hike and enjoy nature under the full Flower Moon.