Lily Of The Valley

Convalarria majalis

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 3a-8a Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Perennial

Height at Maturity: 6-8″ foliage – 8-10″ in flower

Width at Maturity: 12-18″+, spreading

Spacing: 12-18″ apart

Growth Habit / Form: Spreading Upright Clump

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: White

Flower Type: Single, Bell-Shaped

Flower Size: Small

Flowering Period: Spring

Fragrant Flowers: Yes

Foliage Color: Rich Emerald Green

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: N/A

Sun Needs: Morning Sun with Afternoon Shade, All Day Dappled Shade, Shade

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (amend heavy clay to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sandy, Silt

Soil Drainage: Moist But Well-Drained

Soil pH: 5.0 – 7.0

Maintenance / Care: Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Cold (-50F), Deer, Rabbit, Disease, Insect, Shade

Description

A wonderful, spreading, lily-like plant that prefers life on the shady and cool side, Convallaria majalis, commonly known as Lily-of-the-Valley, is sure to add charm to the woodland or shade garden. In mid to late spring abundant racemes of sweetly scented, bell-shaped dainty white flowers on 8 to 10 inch stems rise just above the lush, spreading clump of upright emerald green leaves. Attractive, orange-red round berries follow the flowers. Most nurseries list the width of this plant at around a foot wide, though it will spread indefinitely to form a small colony over time, making it a fine choice as a groundcover or for underplanting shade trees. Also excellent in pots that can even be kept indoors as a houseplant. A no-maintenance and long-lived perennial that the deer and rabbits tend to avoid. All that’s needed is a well-drained soil and cool shade or well-filtered sunlight.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 8 to 10 inches tall and gradually spreading by underground roots to form an 18 inch or more wide colony, Lily Of The Valley is ideal for use as an accent in small garden spaces or in groupings or as a naturalizing groundcover under trees or in woodland settings. Also very nice as a centerpiece or accent in container gardens surrounded by low and spreading perennial or annual plants, and can even be grown indoors as a year round houseplant. A fine addition to fragrance gardens, woodland gardens, white theme gardens, Zen gardens, Asian gardens, cutting gardens and cottage gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 12 to 18 inches apart for groundcover

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Growing Preferences

Lily of the Valley is very easy to grow in a wide range of soil conditions including clay soils. That said, it prefers and will spread more vigorously in a consistently moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and rich in organic matter. Will grow in full sun in cooler climates however we think this one retains its darkest foliage color and performs best in shade or with some filtered sun or shade during the hot afternoon hours.

Plant Long & Prosper!

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