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Of all the plant growing in my tree - shaded backyard , lily - of - the - valley is the one I transport in the most . It kindles fond childhood memories of strolling through my granny ’s garden , where I first lay eyes on those enchanting white-hot bloom hanging like faerie bell above the emerald - unripened foliage . And the fragrance ! To this day , I still ca n’t look for that pick up odour to fill the spring air with its sweet perfume , which is reason alone to grow this springy flowering ground cover .
Although its charms are many , lily - of - the - valley is a gutsy little plant life with a taste for wanderlust . If you do n’t have room to let it spread to its heart ’s subject matter , there are a number of lovely cultivar that are not only less assertive but also more ornate , with variegated foliage and larger , more abundant blooms . With such a variety of options , almost any gardener with a piece of nicety can name raw way to enjoy this old - fashioned dearie .
On this page : Lily - of - the - Valley Basics|Growing Tips|Good Companions|Lily - of - the - Valley Types|Sources for Lily - of - the - Valley
LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY BASICS
Lily - of - the - valley(Convallaria majalis)gets its botanical name from the Latin words for " the vale " ( convallis ) and " go to May " ( majalis ) . Despite the name , it ’s not a lily or even in the lily family . It ’s really a member of theAsparagaceae(which includes asparagus ) and belong to the subfamily Nolinoideae , which it shares with other spreading groundcovers such as lilyturf(Liriope)and Solomon ’s seal(Polygonatum ) .
Zones:
uprise in zones 2 to 7 . This ultra - hardy perennial actually prefers stale conditions , which encourages better flowering in the spring . Although it will tolerate the strong conditions of zone 6 and 7 , it struggles in zones 8 and above .
Exposure:
spring up in full or partial refinement . It does not care a place that is too gay or too hot or dry .
Bloom time:
Established plant will bloom in mid to late saltation .
Height:
6 to 18 in
Lily - of - the - valley scatter by fast - crawl rhizome that travel just under the soil surface . Where they take rootage , humble conical branch call “ pips ” form that sprout the leaf - bearing stems and racemes of petite , scalloped - adjoin bells .
Although lily - of - the - valley is widely grown in North America , it relish cult - alike status in Europe , where it ’s considered one of the primary precursor of spring and is called the mayflower as a symbol for the month of May ( inspiring the name of the gravy holder the Pilgrims sail from England to the New World in 1620 ) . Lily - of - the - valley is also a favorite flower in the bouquet of imperial Brigid , including Queen Victoria , Princess Astrid of Sweden , Grace Kelly , and Kate Middleton . Iconic British rock candy band Queen even has a song named after the industrial plant .
Pros:
Cons:
GROWING TIPS
pic by : visi110184 © Visions BV , Netherlands / VisionsPictures & Photography .
Planting:
Plant the radar target or divide existing plants in early spring or fall . constitute the pips about an in below the soil line with the narrow-minded tip pointing up and the root facing downward , spacing them about 6 to 8 inches apart . Do n’t worry if the works seem thin at first . They will fill in the gap during the second growing season . Although lily - of - the - vale tolerates most soil types , it prefers moist , well - drained soil enriched with organic topic . At planting fourth dimension , cultivate in a few spadeful of humus or garden compost to help augment the ground . If you implant your pips in the fall , apply a light bed of mulch before the ground freezes to keep them from heaving out of the ground before they are well - rooted .
Watering:
Once install , lily - of - the - valley seldom needs supplemental lachrymation because the dense foliation bottle up the evaporation of soil wet . During full point of drought , a good sousing of the soil to keep it dampish will aid the foliage stay greenish and healthy all summertime .
Dividing and transplanting:
Like many rhizomatous industrial plant , lily - of - the - vale should be divide every few years to control its rapid spread and to keep the plants vigorous and blooming . Dig up and fraction your industrial plant when they are dormant ( in former outpouring or fall ) and gently separate and replant the pips . If you have a lot of plants that need to be removed or relocated , simply carve out big mats of ancestor with a jigaboo and separate them into smaller thump .
Pests and diseases:
These tough , long - lived perennials are seldom bothered by pest or diseases . The most common ailments are fungous folio spotting and crown putrefaction . The estimable preventive measures are to thin out your lily - of - the - vale patches regularly to better air circulation and to ensure the soil drains well . Also head off using overhead sprinklers to water your plant .
Forcing indoors:
You do n’t have to wait until leaping to delight lily - of - the - valley ’s heady fragrance . It ’s easy to draw the pip to flower indoors over the winter , much as you force spring bulbs . Dig them up in the dip after they ’ve been exposed to a few knockout frosts , and pot the pip with the thickest , healthiest roots , maintain the tips just below the soil surface . Place the green goddess in a brilliant fix at elbow room temperature and keep the soil evenly moist . In just a few weeks , they will begin to bloom . you may also pot lily - of - the - valley in the spring in the same way to grow outdoors in container . look on thisvideofrom White Flower Farm to see the potting process .
LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY TYPES
photograph by : Monique Dumas - Quesnel / Millette Photomedia .
Convallaria majalisvar.rosea
All existing cultivars of lily - of - the - valley have white flowers , except for this endearing nonconformist , which displays somewhat wan pinkish Melville Bell that turn even darker pink when the plant is located in full tincture . Looks beautiful alone or intermixed with white lily - of - the - valley .
Height:6 to 8 in
pic by : Karl Gercens / Millette Photomedia .
Convallaria majalis’Fernwood ’s Golden Slippers '
Many of the newer lily - of - the - valley cultivars do n’t fiddle with the pristine beauty of the Greco-Roman white flower but instead sleep with up the feeling of the leafage , get them broader , promising , and more colorful . Because the foliation retains its color all summertime long , that can be a substantial asset in the refinement garden . This stunning cultivar boast bright gold leave-taking in the leap that gradually deepen to chartreuse subsequently in the time of year .
Height:6 inch
Photo by : Christopher Burrows / Alamy Stock Photo .
Convallaria majalis’Hardwick Hall '
This welcome visitant from across the pond has been grow for generation in the gardens at England ’s historical Hardwick Hall . Its extensive , variegated leaves have creamy yellow margins , and the abundant whitened flowers are exceptionally large . Also try ‘ Crème de Mint ’ , another striking variety with creamy gold leaf edges .
Height:9 to 12 inches
pic by : fotoflora.com / Alamy Stock Photo .
Convallaria majalis‘Albostriata ’
all-inclusive hosta - comparable leaves sporting creamy xanthous stripes make this lily - of - the - valley a standout in the shadiness garden from natural spring through late summer . It ’s also substantially behave than most assortment , incline to grow in clumps rather than spread out of bound .
Height:8 to 10 column inch
picture by : visi39873 © Visions BV , Netherlands / VisionsPictures & Photography .
Convallaria majalis’Prolificans '
This cultivar is sincerely fertile , with each heyday forming clusters of as many as six smaller cupful - determine flower . The single blossom heads are so full that they give the impression of being twice flowered . Also try ‘ Flore Pleno ’ , which is similar in appearance but has genuine double flowers .
Convallaria majalis‘Geant de Fortin ’ ( Fortin ’s Giant )
remember of this special cultivar as lily - of - the - vale ’s bigger pal . The strongly perfumed flower are doubly the size of it , the foliage is wide and greener , and the stature is significantly improbable , turn out to almost genu level . Also try ‘ Bordeaux ’ , another variety with big , more abundant blooms .
Height:12 to 18 inches
GOOD COMPANIONS
Over sentence , just a few lily - of - the - vale plants will become a lavish carpet of green that can well stand alone as a groundcover . But if you prefer a flake of variety , try combining lily - of - the - valley with other vigorous shade - tolerant plant that wo n’t mind its unbridled growth habit . Here are some ideas :
