Our full moon this month goes by the name of the Full Flower Moon (according to the seasonal method) or the Full Pink Moon (according to the monthly method — see Full Moon Names: Rewilding your calendar for an explanation of the different methods.)
The Farmer’s Almanac has this to say about our moon this month:
Flower Moon – Seasonal Method
In most areas, flowers are abundant everywhere during this time. Thus, the name of this Moon. Other names include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.
Pink Moon – Monthly Method
This name came from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names for this month’s celestial body include the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes the Full Fish Moon, because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn.
Both names apply equally well here in Northwest Arkansas, as you can see the pink edible blooms of the Eastern redbuds livening the forests and red deadnettles still cover many lawns as well as the delicate pink veins that radiate in the white petals of the spring beauty.
This season marks a wonderful time for foraging. The wet weather and increased sun really favor the growth of lots of lawn herbs like dandelion and plantain. In some areas you can still find tender chickweed to eat. Stinging nettles have probably taken stride in most places by this time of year as well, pushing up their stinging leaves, chocked full of vitamins and nutrients. Make sure you cover your hands with something to protect yourself from the stinging hairs on the plant (which lose their sting with cooking or drying). Or you can try the learningherbs.com method of picking nettles with your bare hands.
In the New York City area you can go on Wildman Steve Brill’s tour to Crestwood to taste the delicate and exotic flavor of ostrich fern fiddleheads in their short season. Call at least 24 hours in advance if you want to go on the Wildman’s tour to Crestwood on Sunday April 20th (the day of the full moon itself — which indicates why I published this post before the full moon instead of the day-of like I usually do.)
Whether you call this full moon Pink or Flower, it definitely lives up to its name.
I find this moon name extremely funny seeing as I’m buried in snow up here. Oh well.
Which proves the importance of the bioregional factor in determining full moon names. Check out these resources to see if you can find something more local — or at least more appropriate to your situation.