Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley, meaning, “you will find Happiness” is the only species in the genus Convallaria and is in the Ruscaceae family.  There are three types of Lily of the Valley.  The keiskei from China and Japan, which has red berries.  The majalis from Eurasia.  The third type is the Montana possibly native to the United States.  

The stems on Lilys of the Valley usually grow from six to twelve inches tall.  They have one or two wide leaves that grow between four and ten inches long.  Each stem generally has five to fifteen scented flowers, called tepals.  The flowers are usually white, however, some will have a green tint on the flowers and sometimes they are pink.

Lily of the Valley’s are grown from rhizomes and can be separated from each other.  Clones from one plant will not produce seeds.  When there is another clone, the Lily of the Valley will produce orange to reddish berries that house a few seeds each.  The seeds will be clear after they dry, and they should be one to three milimeters in diameter. 

Lilys of the Valley like cool temperate climates and are used as a garden plants.  They grow in zones three through nine depending on the species.  The Lily of the Valley is most often available early in the year, and the plants usually bloom in May.  They will grow in full shade or in partly sunny areas, and require moist well-drained soil.

These plants are very poisonous.  After handling the Lily of the Valley, it is highly recommended to wash hands, gloves, or any tools that come in contact with the plant.