Convallaria majalis L.

Lily of the valley, European lily of the valley

About plant names...

Native to temperate regions in Asia and Europe, lily-of-the-valley may also be native to the eastern United States, though it may also have been introduced there. They are not true lilies, and are in a class by themselves. There is something almost magical in delicate appearance of the small, bell-shaped flowers. They spread into clonal colonies via their root systems. They prefer the partial shade of forest floors in temperate regions.

Plants: Up to 6-12" (15-30 cm) in height, consisting of one or two long, narrow leaves and a central stem with a raceme of flowers.

Leaves: Oblong or ovate-elliptic, about 4-10" (10-25 cm) in length, with smooth edges and parallel veins.

Flowers: 5-15 white, bell-shaped nodding flowers hang along the upper length of the flowering stalk. Each flower looks like a small bonnet. They are usually white, and sometimes pink. They appear in April.

Fruits: Orange-red, ⅛-¼" (5-7 mm) in diameter.

Edibility: Highly poisonous , due to high content of the cardiac glycosides, convallarin and convallamarin.

Medical: The same cardiac glycosides that make this plant potentially deadly led to its past use as an herbal remedy for treatment of cardiac conditions.

From Köhler, Franz Eugen, Medizinal-Pflantzen, Gera-Untermhaus, FE Köhler, 1887.

9/8/2017 · Bates Land and Blackman Land, Groton Conservation Trust, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 4½" (16 × 12 cm)

9/4/2021 · Bradbury Mountain, Pownal, Maine
≈ 4½ × 3½" (12 × 9.5 cm)

6/2/2008 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 10 × 7" (25 × 17 cm)

9/19/2013 · Harvard, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 21 cm)

It is pretty hard to confuse lily of the valley and Canada mayflower, also called false lily of the valley:

	You are here Convallaria majalis	Maianthemum canadense
Common Name	lily of the valley	Canada mayflower
Plant	6-12" (15-30 cm) high	3-6" (7.6-15 cm) high
Flowers	5-15 white, bell-shaped flowers hanging along the length of the flowering stalk. Flowers are usually white, rarely pink.	Flowers are less than ¼" (6.3 mm), with four parts, stamens seemingly sticking out in all directions, on upright stems.
Leaves	One or two long, narrow leaves about 4-10" (10-25 cm), with tapering, sharp tips and parallel veins.	One to three leaves, heart-shaped, 2-5" (5-12 cm) long × 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) wide.
Fruit	Berries are orange-red, ⅛-¼" (5-7 mm) in diameter.	Note young fruits (left) and mature fruits. Green or bronze at first, with dark red or brown spots, about ¹/₁₆-³/₁₆" (3-5 mm) in diameter, becoming soft and dull red.
Range/ Zones	USDA Zones: 3-8
Habitats	Shaded forest floors in temperate regions	Rich woods, damp mossy woods, in partial shade
Type	Wild	Wild
Occurrence	Common	Common

Edibility: Poisonous Lily of the valley contains chemicals that interfere with heart operation. All parts of the plant are considered poisonous.

Online References:

Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

Wikipedia

Missouriplants.com

Illinois Wildflowers

SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network

EFloras

9/19/2013 · Harvard, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 8 × 7" (20 × 16 cm)

5/29/2014 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 8" (13 × 19 cm)

7/29/2023 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts

9/19/2013 · Harvard, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 10 × 7" (25 × 16 cm)

5/11/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 5" (9.2 × 13 cm)

5/5/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 8 × 10" (20 × 25 cm)

9/19/2013 · Harvard, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 9 × 6" (23 × 16 cm)

Convallaria majalis description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Sep 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

9/19/2013 · Clapp-Scorgie-Tufts-Smith Conservation Area, Harvard, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 6" (13 × 14 cm)

9/8/2017 · Bates Land and Blackman Land, Groton Conservation Trust, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 4½" (14 × 12 cm)

5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 8 × 9" (20 × 23 cm)

5/27/2017 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 7" (13 × 18 cm)

9/8/2017 · Bates Land and Blackman Land, Groton Conservation Trust, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 4" (15 × 10 cm)

6/2/2008 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 28 × 18" (71 × 45 cm)

4/7/2012 · Ladew Topiary Gardens, Monkton, Mary­land
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

5/30/2014 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 7 × 5" (16 × 13 cm)

9/8/2017 · Bates Land and Blackman Land, Groton Conservation Trust, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 10 × 6" (24 × 16 cm)

Range: Zones 3-8:

About this map...