Lily of the valley

Sun

Partial shade to full shade; tolerates some morning sun where summers are cool and the soil stays moist.

Water

Keep soil moderately moist, especially during establishment and spring growth. Established colonies tolerate short dry spells, but prolonged drought scorches foliage.

Soil

Humus-rich, well-drained soil that retains moisture; tolerates clay if it is not waterlogged. Adaptable to acidic, neutral or mildly alkaline soil.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m) initially; colonies spread indefinitely where conditions suit.

Flowers

Mid- to late spring; small, fragrant white bells hang along one side of arching stems.

Foliage

Broad, pointed green leaves emerge in spring, usually in pairs from each shoot, then yellow and die back in autumn; drought may cause earlier dormancy.

Growth

Moderate to fast once established, spreading by underground rhizomes.

Care needed

Medium

• Deer resistant
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Native to

the UK

Invasive in

the US and Canada

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Water new plants through their first growing season; water established patches during prolonged dry weather.
• Apply a thin layer of leaf mould or compost in spring, keeping emerging shoots uncovered.
• Avoid heavy feeding; reasonably fertile garden soil usually needs no additional fertiliser.
• Lift unwanted runners each year before they enter neighbouring planting.
• Divide crowded or poorly flowering patches in autumn, replanting shoots just below the soil surface.

Pruning. Remove spent flower stems before berries develop if you want to limit seed production or reduce access to the berries. Leave green leaves intact, then remove them once fully yellow or brown.

Early spring

Top-dress with leaf mould or compost as shoots begin to emerge.

Mid-spring

Water during dry spells while leaves and flower stems are developing.

Late spring

Remove faded flower stems if berries are not wanted.

Summer

Check the patch edges and dig out runners encroaching on other plants.

Autumn

Divide established patches or plant dormant rhizomes in moist, prepared soil.

Late autumn

Remove collapsed foliage and check that winter rain drains freely.

• Use as a contained groundcover beneath deciduous shrubs, where it receives spring light and summer shade.
• Plant in a bed enclosed by paving to enjoy the scent while making its spread easier to manage.
• Combine with robust ferns and hostas for contrasting leaf shapes in a shaded border.
• Use in a white-flowered woodland scheme with snowdrops and white hellebores, keeping space around less vigorous plants.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Cottage garden, Traditional, Romantic rose garden, Sensory garden and White garden.

Plant it with: Hostas, Male fern, Hellebores, Solomon's seal and Snowdrops.

Wildlife: Flowers may be visited by bees collecting pollen, but this is not a major nectar plant. Dense colonies can displace a more varied woodland ground layer.

• Aggressive spreading: dig out rhizomes beyond the intended patch, removing fragments and checking for regrowth; do not dump garden waste in woodland.
• Brown leaf edges or early dieback: improve moisture retention with leaf mould and water during drought; protect from hot afternoon sun.
• Few flowers: avoid nitrogen-rich fertilisers, divide congested patches and move plants from very deep shade into brighter, filtered light.
• Leaf spot or grey mould: remove affected and dead foliage, thin congested growth and water at soil level rather than over the leaves.

Highly toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses. All parts, including flowers, leaves, rhizomes and berries, contain cardiac glycosides; vase water may also be hazardous. Eating it can cause vomiting, dangerous heart-rhythm disturbances and potentially death. Seek urgent medical or veterinary advice after suspected ingestion.

Where it spreads. Spreads aggressively in suitable garden conditions. Introduced populations are invasive in parts of the northeastern and midwestern United States and southern Canada, including Ontario and Quebec. In the UK, where it is native in some areas, it can still overrun garden beds. Keep it away from natural woodland and check local guidance before planting.

• Wild garlic (Allium ursinum)

  Wild garlic has white, star-shaped flowers in rounded clusters and leaves that smell strongly of garlic when crushed. Lily of the valley has hanging bells along an arching stem.

• Solomon's seal (Polygonatum multiflorum)

  Solomon's seal carries many leaves alternately along taller, arching stems, with tubular flowers hanging beneath them. Lily of the valley has leaves arising near ground level and a separate, short flower stalk.

Convallaria comes from the Latin for valley, while majalis means 'of May', referring to its usual flowering season in much of Europe.

Propagation. Divide rhizomes in autumn or early spring, keeping roots attached to each pointed growing bud, often called a pip. Replant just below the surface and water well. Seed is slow and unreliable compared with division.

Accepted botanical name

Convallaria majalis

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland and France.

Measured

Soil pH 5.5 to 7.5. Average height 23 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.