Chris is a gardening writer and nature enthusiast. He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2022 with an MA in Psychology. Chris works with the Leeds Green Action Society, helping their food cooperative by growing various fruit and vegetables on their two allotments in Hyde Park, Leeds.
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
IN THIS GUIDE
Providing it’s introduced in the right way, pretty Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) can make an attractive and fragrant addition to your garden.
Sometimes called the ‘flower of fairies’, Lily of the valley is a woodland flowering plant, characterised by its bell-shaped, white pendant blooms of 5–10mm in diameter, which appear in springtime – as well as its bright green, lance-shaped leaves.
It also bears fruit – orangey-red berries which grow to approximately 5mm in diameter.
Lily of the valley is a beautiful and sweet-smelling flower (the heady, floral scent is a popular choice for perfumes) and shouldn’t cause any problems if handled correctly.
Overview
| Botanical Name | Convallaria majalis |
| Common Name(s) | Lily of the Valley, Muguet, May Bells, May Lily, Mary’s Tears |
| Plant Type | Perennial Flower |
| Native Area | Europe and Asia |
| Hardiness Rating | H7 |
| Foliage | Elliptic to narrowly ovate leaves |
| Flowers | Fragrant bell-shaped flowers |
| When To Sow | July, August, September |
| Flowering Months | June, July |
Sunlight
Preferred
Full Shade / Partial Shade
Exposure
Sheltered
Size
Height
0.1 – 0.5M
Spread
0.1 – 0.5M
Bloom Time
June – July
Soil
Preferred
Clay, Loam
Moisture
Moist but well drained or poorly drained
pH
Any
There are 3 species of Lily of the valley – majalis, keiskei and montana – originating from Eurasia, Japan and China, and the United States respectively (although the native status of this last one is questionable).1Convallaria majalis (European lily-of-the-valley). (n.d.). Native Plant Trust: Go Botany. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/convallaria/majalis/
Despite the name, Lily of the valley is actually a member of the Asparagaceae family – otherwise known as asparagus.2Convallaria majalis. (n.d.). North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/convallaria-majalis/
Lily of the valley consists of two basal leaves with a flowering stalk in the middle, which produces hanging strands of up to 15 flowers each.
The flowers are usually white but can also rarely be pink. Lily of the valley grows to a maximum of around 20cm tall.
In its natural habitat, Lily of the valley will flower in early spring for 3–4 weeks – although this may begin later during a particularly cold year or climate.
The plant is perennial, meaning it lives more than two years, and in cooler climates, the leaves will stay year-round (in hot weather they tend to die off).
Other names you may know Lily of the valley as include Muguet, May bells, May lily, Mary’s tears and Our Lady’s tears.
Fast Spreading
Note that a single Lily of the valley plant will spread quickly if allowed to do so (to the point of invasiveness) by forming underground networks of rhizomes.3lily of the valley: Convallaria majalis (Liliales: Liliaceae). (n.d.). Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=5375
The individual pips then break the surface and grow into leafy shoots in spring, whilst remaining connected to the surrounding shoots underground – creating a colony of duplicate plants.
Cloned Lily of the valley plants are sterile and won’t grow berries – multiple unique plants are required to pollinate the plants and produce the seed-filled berries.
Habitat & Growing Conditions
Lily of the valley is native to the Northern Hemisphere, in particular, Europe and Asia.4Convallaria majalis. (n.d.-b). Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c250
Sunlight
It favours a cooler, temperate climate, and environments such as forests and woodland, where the close-knit trees provide it with plenty of shade, whilst still allowing a little sunlight through.
This perennial plant will not thrive in year-round hot climates, or in areas with inadequate shade.
It will, however, cope fine in the summer of a temperate climate, when its leaves naturally wilt and die off after the spring flowering period.
Preferred Soil
The soil preference of Lily of the valley is a moist, sandy soil with a slightly alkaline pH.
It also likes a lot of space, with room to expand outwards whilst growing.
This is a very fast-spreading plant; the underground network of rhizomes will keep expanding and shooting new roots until it meets with some kind of barrier.
For this reason, you often see large blankets of Lily of the valley covering forest floors and surrounding the bases of trees in woodland.
As they need moist soil with good drainage, the best position for Lily of the valley is halfway down a slope or hillside, where they will benefit from lots of water run-off, whilst not sitting in boggy ground or stagnant water.
How To Grow Lily Of The Valley
These are the steps I followed to successfully grow Lily of the valley in my garden:
- Choose a shady spot in your garden, ideally under some trees, with good drainage.
- Mark out the area you want the plant to grow in and cordon it off with garden edging to prevent it from spreading out of control. Make sure to choose a place with plenty of room for the plant to grow into.
- You can also grow in containers should you wish to grow this plant without allowing it to spread.
- Prepare the soil with a layer of rich, well-fertilised soil.
- Plant the pips in late autumn, around November, ready for the winter dormancy period which will precede a spring flowering.
Make sure to use gloves to prevent irritation.
If successful you should see the first shoots of your plant begin to emerge in early spring.
Plant Care
Aspect
Lily of the valley thrives best in areas with temperate climates and cool winters.
Being a perennial plant, it’s hardy and adaptable, which makes it easy to care for – and given that the UK is one of its native habitats, it’s well-suited to life outside in your garden.
To help it grow even more successfully, try to choose a shady spot to plant it, such as by a fence or under some trees, to replicate its natural environment.
Ideally, it should get a few hours of natural light in the early morning, before spending the rest of the day in the shade.
If you plant it in a place with too much sun, it probably won’t flower.
During summer, when the temperature gets too hot, your Lily of the valley will start to wilt and the leaves will go crispy.
This is a normal part of your plant’s lifecycle – when this happens, prune the crispy leaves, leaving the healthy green ones.
Watering & Feeding
Make sure to monitor the moisture levels in the soil and keep it well-watered in the event of a dry spell (avoiding the leaves to prevent fungus).
You will probably need to water the soil well during sunny periods and summer.
In terms of feeding, it doesn’t require much – aim to add a 2-inch layer of organic compost annually.
Common Problems
Lily of the valley is naturally resistant to most pests, but there are some species which are able (and very willing) to eat the plant, including slugs, leaf beetles and some moth and butterfly larvae.
Keep an eye out for bugs such as these munching on your plant.
Fungus
Lily of the valley can be vulnerable to fungus, due to its preference for moist environments.
Look out for yellowing on the leaves, brown spots and discoloured veins.
To try to prevent this, make sure that when you water the soil, you don’t get any additional water on the leaves, and keep a decent fungicide handy, just in case.
Controlling Spreading
Make sure your Lily of the valley has enough space to grow – as much as you want it to.
As mentioned above, I do find that healthy Lily of the valley can spread very quickly, and you will need to set boundaries if you want to restrict its growing area.
“The characteristic spread of Lily of the Valley makes it ideal if you want it to colonise an area, but problematic if you either don’t want it to spread into adjacent areas or you want it to stay in one area,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly.
“This makes containing it with a barrier or constant division and removal a must.
“I tend to plant it in borders that are naturally contained by hard barriers where it tends to migrate the edges.
“Every year I just divide and replant to redistribute it back to its starting place.”
You can do this with garden edging or root barriers, available from garden centres. I have had a lot of success using root barriers for rhizomatous plants like bamboo and Convallaria majalis.
If you prefer, you can also grow Lily of the valley in a large container or shallow pot, filled with a good quality potting mix and organic fertiliser, and placed on feet to ensure sufficient drainage.
Growing it in this way will allow you to easily control the spread of the plant, as well as the amount of water in the soil.
You should still place the pot outside, to allow the plant to benefit from the cool air and seasonal changes of its natural habitat.
