Botanical name
Convallaria majalis
Other names
Lily of the valley, Conval lily, Word lily, Mayflower, Mugget, Liriconfancy, May bells, May lily, Our lady’s tears, Lady’s tears
Genus
Convallaria
Species
C. majalis – C. majalis is a vigorous, spreading, rhizomatous perennial with paired, elliptic to narrowly ovate, dark green leaves and, from late spring to early summer, upright, leafless stems bear erect to arching racemes of fragrant, bell-shaped, white flowers followed by red fruit.
Foliage
Deciduous
Fragrance
The flowers are scented
Habit
Clump-forming, Erect flower stem, Spreading
Toxicity
Highly toxic if eaten.
Awards
RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)
COLOUR
Flower
White in Spring
Foliage
Green in Spring
HOW TO CARE
Watch out for
Specific diseases
Leaf spot
General care
Pruning
If desired, remove faded or dead foliage in autumn.
Propagation
Sow seeds in containers in a cold frame when ripe. Remove flesh from seed before sowing. Generally, seeds are slow to germinate and seedlings are slow to grow. Best method of propagation is division.
Propagation methods
Division, Seed
WHERE TO GROW
Convallaria majalis (Lily of the valley) will reach a height of 0.25m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
Cottage/Informal, Ground Cover, Low Maintenance, Underplanting
Cultivation
Plant in fertile, humus-rich moist soil in full or part shade. Mulch with leaf mould in autumn.
Soil type
Loamy, Clay
Soil drainage
Moisture-retentive, Moist but well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade, Full Shade
Aspect
North, East, West
Exposure
Sheltered
