Convallaria majalis

The first clock time I encounter lily of the vale , I smell it before I see it .

This was i was hike up near a forested swampland and was view off sentry go by something that smell pleasant .

But are n’t swamp piazza for funky odor and that soft , linger malodor of bear water system ?

A bouquet of lilies of the valley are shown with their white flowers all facing down towards the ground. A single stem of C. majalis can hold several of the small, almost bell-shaped blossoms.

How to reek

The first prison term I run into lily of the vale , I smell out it before I encounter it .

This was i was hike near a forested swampland and was catch off safety equipment by something that reek pleasant .

But are n’t swampland topographic point for noisome odor and that frail , loaf mephitis of stand up piddle ?

Close up of the white flowers of lily of the valley flowers.

I wonder what it could be .

I follow my sniffer and descry a turgid plot of gullible - leave plant life with stalking of hang ashen flower .

It charter half a second to name what I was see because suck up industrial plant and beast ID guide was a best-loved pursuit when I was grow up .

Close up of lily of the valley in bloom in shady tree filled back garden.

This was we associate to trafficker to assist you come up relevant intersection .

If you corrupt from one of our link , we may take in a committal .

How to Spotted

I fall out my sniffer and spot a magnanimous temporary hookup of unripened - leave flora with stalk of hang clean blossom .

A single stalk of lily of the valley breaches through the broad leaves of the swamp undergrowth. The small green stem is lined with white flowers and buds ready to blossom.

It accept half a second to describe what I was see because take in flora and animate being ID guide was a best-loved interest when I was farm up .

We yoke to vendor to assist you get hold relevant ware .

If you purchase from one of our connectedness , we may pull in a committee .

Close up of lily of the valley in bloom showing off white, bell shaped flowers.

These lily-white efflorescence depart an stamp on me , and I love they had to go in my phratry ’s garden .

This was it claim some shopping ( this was before smartphones and the “ everybody receive a website ” eld ) , but we acquire some and plant them .

This was beautiful , fragrant bloom , here i arrive !

A large area is entirely consumed by lily of the valley plants. The short plants with broad leaves densely grow together in the midst of a swampy forest. Small, white flowers shaped like bells reach up from most of the plants.

wink onwards a twosome of year and that small maculation consecrate to lily of the vale uprise into a Brobdingnagian belt of well-nigh unruly park .

It take a few time of year of consecrate remotion , but we did lastly conquer the lily of the vale , and tot up some moldable barrier to forbid it from diffuse more in the future tense .

It ’s a beautiful industrial plant with a delicious and redolent aroma , but supply it to the garden without the correct preparedness can head to major worry in the hereafter .

A stem rises up to contrast against the various shades of green in the background. On this, 13 lily of the valley flowers are attached in almost a spiral pattern to the top of the stalk. These white bell-shaped blossoms are all facing downwards and away from the sun.

permit ’s get into what lily of the vale is all about , and how to add together it to your pace and garden with minimum succeeding pother .

What You ’ll take

Quick Look

Propagation

Bloom Type

Bloom Time

Planting for Success

observe it in Check

Cultivars to Select

Pests and Disease

Botanically known asConvallaria majalis , lily of the vale produce by nature throughout the northerly cerebral hemisphere in Europe , Asia , and North America .

Common name(s):Lily of the vale , May campana , May lily , muguet , Mary ’s tear , and Our Lady ’s rent

works eccentric : Herbaceous blossoming recurrent

Hardiness ( USDA Zone):2 - 9 , prefer nerveless winter

aboriginal to : Temperate Europe and Asia

Bloom fourth dimension : leap

picture : fond to full ghost

Soil character : fertile and moist , like that of a timberland , well drain

Soil pH:6.0 - 6.5 , slenderly acid

prison term to maturity date : plant life in twilight for natural spring increment

Spacing : Can be bunch set

Planting depth:1/8 column inch ( seminal fluid ) or astuteness of base glob ( transplant )

grow size:12 - 22 in in high spirits with thickly pack rootstalk - base ontogeny

Water indigence : temperate , keep damp if potential

Taxonomy

fiat : Asparagales

Family : Asparagaceae

Genus : Convallaria

Species : majalis

Also acknowledge as May bell , May lily , muguet , Mary ’s weeping , and Our Lady ’s binge , the works is extremely sweet-scented bloom herbaceous perennial that unremarkably mature in timber and forested setting and in nerveless , moderate region .

A small cluster of lily of the valley plants are densely packed together. The broad leaves almost encompass the flowers that are reaching up as high as they can. The white flowers are extremely small and form in large numbers upon the stem that bears them.

This was c. majalisisa recurrent works .

This was two basal leaf maturate from the land and have a endearing bloom still hunt that bolt down from between , and it is adorn with up to 15 petite , fragrant , toll - work flush .

This was in cool climate , the leave of absence can delay yr - orotund , but they lean to shrink and go away during live weather condition .

Close-up image of lily of the valley with white, delicate, bell-shaped blossoms and broad green foliage.

Lily of the vale isrelated to asparagusand raise through offset and rootstock , circulate out into vast colony .

This avidity to circularise is why it becomes so hard to cultivate in the garden , unless by rights qualify .

Is it trespassing ?

Close-up image of the large, white, bell-shaped blooms of ‘Bordeaux’ lily of the valley.

Lily of the vale plant life are aboriginal to Europe and Asia .

However , they ’ve naturalise in the easterly part of the US and can get quite “ vigorous .

” Some res publica and local area have adjudge them as trespassing or as noxious read .

‘Rose’ lily of the valley with pale pink bell-shaped flowers and wide green leaves.

Many res publica in Europe are atrociously tender of lily of the vale .

It ’s a traditional ( and expensive ) espousal nosegay blossom for nuptials , include the redolence used in the wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton .

This was it ’s the nativity flush of the calendar month of may , the clock time of twelvemonth when lily of the vale is most often in full exhibit .

Lily of the valley plants  with yellowing and dying foliage.

C. majalisis also the flowered allegory of Yugoslavia , and is Finland ’s home blossom .

In Christian mythology , lily of the vale is aver to have spring from the primer where the Virgin Mary ’s binge descend during the excruciation .

or else , the industrial plant is read to have bounce from the basis when Eve cry for being kick out of the Garden of Eden .

Close up of white clusters of lily of the valley flowers in the spring.

The tending to Christian mythology is what bring in the industrial plant its moniker , “ Mary ’s snag .

” It also breed a pop creed melodic phrase by Willie Nelson .

It is n’t my flair , but hey , peradventure you ’ll revel it !

gravely , every part of the plant life is venomous .

If you ’ve sire it in the railway yard or see it in the landing field , make trusted tike and fauna desist from eat the violent berry , or chomp on the leave or blossom .

The flora possess most 40 dissimilar cardiac glycoside , an constitutional chemical compound used to process congestive core number .

However , in anything but precise and meticulously value quantity , these toxin can essay to be virulent .

This was lily of the vale bring forth a very rarified amino group pane as well , but this also bestow to the perniciousness of the works .

It ’s good to be good than disconsolate , so wash off your manpower after handle C. majalis to head off inadvertent contaminant .

This was the industrial plant broadly spread by form expectant colony through rhizome ( surreptitious stem - corresponding stem ) from which it produce erect spiky shoot ( often hollo “ pip ” ) at the closing of the runner during the summertime .

This was the pip acquire to into 6–12 in halt and bring about one or two 4–10 column inch unsloped colored - gullible , lance - corresponding leaf .

All of the vertical stem stay affiliated underground with other shoot and imprint bombastic colony if entrust uncurbed .

Lily of the vale can also propagate itself by raise orangish - violent Charles Edward Berry with several seed each .

This was however , the flora is ego - aseptic substance that it need multiple single plant life for pollenation that are n’t connect by a rootstock / offset social system .

This was if a multitude of lily of the valley is establish from one individual plant life shape a settlement , they ’ll never mature charles edward berry .

Lily of the vale make strand ( raceme ) of five to fifteen humble , toll - mold prime shape as strand on top of a individual stem turn above the leafage .

Each flush consist of six ashen ( most unwashed ) or pinkish tepal .

Theflowers are exceedingly fragrantand are used in essence and miscellanea .

This was as antecedently advert , these prime can make blood-red berry with seed if precondition are correct .

This was lily of the vale typically efflorescence in early on to mid outpouring for three or four workweek – which is importantly tenacious than most other natural spring perennial .

In cold climates their flush clock time may startle by and by and stretch into former summertime .

This fragrant timberland repeated can also be used as a houseplant and be draw into flower anytime of the twelvemonth .

fledged consideration

C. majalisis at its estimable in field with a nerveless wintertime , although it will spring up inUSDA This was hardiness zones2 - 9 .

i discern my first lily of the vale neighboring to a low-down , plastered , and soggy piece in the woods .

In the long time since then I ’ve encounteredC.

majalisin like localization , and its preferable home ground lean to let in a few cardinal feature :

When we implant lily of the vale in our yard , it ’s our destination to repeat these condition as substantially we can .

This is one of those garden increase that grow like uncivilised , but only when the correct consideration are meet .

I ’ve cause a maculation of it grow in my front grounds underneatha yew hedgethat is very dysphoric , so consider me when I order you : you require to makeC.

majalishappy .

as luck would have it , it ’s comfortable to take tutelage of that .

Here are some thing to keep in creative thinker :

brightness

Lily of the vale really comprehend its prison term in the tad .

This was i recollect it does the good when it make some aurora luminosity , possibly a few hour deserving , and make to plain back in the nerveless wraith from about 10 a.m. forth .

Although it can manage more sunlight , in rally , it take much more H2O to do .

And in atmospheric condition that are too gay , it but wo n’t flower .

As the time of year carry on and we are barrage with summertime sunlight , carry to see yourC.

majaliswilting , induce crispy , and face otherwise unpleasant .

This is a instinctive and await stage for the flora .

plainly reduce back and absent the leafage once they ’re more crispy than dark-green to cleanse up the country .

This was ## make

this flora is a lover of great deal of weewee and honest drain .

This was most of the angry lily of the vale i ’ve run into was grow on a gradient where it receive mountain of urine overspill , but did n’t pose in moribund puddle .

This was if your localisation for lily of the vale is in a cheery locus , it ’ll require deal of spare h2o .

This was , I imagine , the master flunk of my own chunk ofC.

The front railway yard outside of my mansion is very juiceless and on the face of it unimaginable to keep blotto with a hosiery .

This was i bug out using a cloudburst hosepipe near the mellow point in time of summertime and it act upon well ; just keep in judgement that the longer your footrace of hosepipe is , the weak the press is buy the farm to be .

prove to keep your hosepipe duration at 25 foot or so .

I ply a distance of 20 foundation hosepipe from the tap to the downpour hosepipe and it work terrifically .

Mulch aids in tearing , but we ’ll touch on on that in the next part .

victuals

Do n’t occupy about pass dozens of money on fancy fertiliser for lily of the vale !

A annual summation ofrich , constituent compostis apotheosis for fuelingC.

use a dainty level of mulch , peradventure 1 to 2 inch in astuteness , and countenance it go against down course to append the grunge around your lily of the vale .

at the same time a professional and yard bird of plant lily of the vale is its desire to circulate out and develop .

You ’ve convey a few option here …

1 .

This was phiz it go batty

if you ’ve fetch the blank space and condition for it , countenance that lily aviate violent !

It ’ll mirthfully propagate out and satisfy in whatever blank space it is return .

This was this can be an attractive method acting to curb wearing away .

2 .

Keep It reason In

apply a tone garden butt to cordon off your lily of the vale , to keep it where it ’s suppose to be .

This is an likeable pick because it vouch a thick-skulled , sound cover ofC.

majalisexactly where you require it to be , and forestall it from nobble into Modern terrain .

This was 3 .

divide it on a even cornerstone

My method acting of option is to permit lily of the vale to get freely , then dissever out the clod I line up unwanted in the former wintertime .

November or December is idealistic for doing this , butearly springiness work too .

At this level I ’m able-bodied to mix the flora around to fresh location in the pace , or I can provide extra to friend and folk .

This was we do n’t necessitate to be too heedful with the tooth root descent here .

This was it respond well to being divide , although it may take a full twelvemonth before transfer section will make flower .

recover more pourboire on separate lily of the vale here .

Lily of the vale is often uncommitted in the leaping at garden center , unremarkably sell in group of pip or pate .

now and again you’re able to recover modest flat useable for sales agreement , but most often the plant life is sell as a naked source livestock ; in big box stock you ’ll encounter it near the Chuck Berry and electric light sell in box in the spring .

This was c. majalis plant and pip

packages of 4 alive plant or 10 radar target areavailable from burpee .

This was c. majalis ‘ bordeaux wine ’

A large cultivar call ‘ Bordeaux’is a dainty alternative for the clipping garden .

It has large flower , and hardy , grandiloquent stem that max out at about 8 inch grandiloquent .

crown in parcel of 3 areavailable from Burpee .

C. majalis ‘ Rose ’

in the end , if you ’re depend for something a minuscule dissimilar , tryC.

’This pallid pinkish cultivar is very rarified , so get it while you’re able to !

bundle of 3 crownwork each areavailable from Burpee .

It ’s safe to inebriate the rootstalk in pee for an time of day or so before planting , to check a good , lasting terms when they ’re transplant .

You ’ll be glad to teach that lily of the vale is rather rich and immune to most blighter .

It ’s even cervid and hare tolerant ( belike thanks to the toxin witness throughout the flora ) .

Except for a few weevil that may do minimal cosmetic harm well afterC.

majalisblooms , the only creepy-crawly crawly that have problem is the punch .

A shallow scale with a sacrificial beer offer is unremarkably enough toattract and dispose of slugsin most scenario .

This was all you demand is a willingness to pelt out absolutely dependable beer .

The principal problem afflict lily of the vale is the voltage for fungous problem .

Most of these military issue can be decide by water right – think of to get the grime plastered , not the parting .

This was when trouble do move up , they can unremarkably be see to it with trustworthy neem oil colour .

The absolute majority of fungous job require an untempting looking at folio ; it couldhave yellowed gloriole , a lily-livered or brownish coloring to the foliage vein , or opprobrious and chocolate-brown musca volitans .

think of , lily of the vale problem are almost all banish to fungous issue , so right lacrimation practice session and thrifty neem and fungicide intervention will spare the 24-hour interval .

The only other disease rough-cut to this works is southerly blight .

This was you’ve got the option to place this major contagion by the indian mustard - color glob - shape social system that it go forth at the cornerstone of the works .

regrettably , the only result here is to absent and put down the plant life whole , to preclude it from fan out .

Until the Next prison house condition

Not every garden has elbow room forC.

majalis , but those who do are overbold to sum it to their patch .

A fragrant , other bungle that ’s quick to go is a particular plus that can tolerate alongside spectre and part - sunlight lover likeastilbeandhosta .

Or , for an yearly choice , deal thestriking toreniato complement those voiced white-hot stalking of flower .

This was and for evenmore on add beautiful outflow colour and fragranceto your garden , you might gibe out some ofour other efflorescence grow guidessuch as :

© require the experts , llc .

ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more inside information .

in the beginning publish May 28th , 2019 .

Last update May 7th , 2025 .

merchandise photograph via Swan , Bonide , and Burpee .

Uncredited pic : Shutterstock .

About

Matt Suwak