Bulb · Asparagaceae
Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis
Sweet, nodding white bells that carpet the shade with ease, though every part of them is poisonous.
Partial shade
Every 5–10 days
USDA 3–8
6–12 in · 15–30 cm
Overview
If you are just starting out, lily of the valley is a kind plant to begin with. It is a low woodland perennial loved for its arching stems of small, white, nodding bells and one of the sweetest scents you will meet in spring. It quietly spreads underground by creeping rhizomes called pips, weaving itself into a soft green carpet beneath trees and along the shady north side of a house, and those broad paired leaves stay good-looking long after the blooms have gone.
You will find it asks for very little, which is exactly why it forgives a beginner's stumbles. Hardy from zone 3 to 8, it laughs off cold winters and settles in happily in the dappled to full shade where fussier flowers give up. Give it moist, rich soil and it will spread with gusto, and while that eagerness is part of its charm, it does mean it can crowd out neighbors and has been flagged as invasive in some regions.
The one thing to hold firmly in mind is the danger. Every part of this plant, from the fragrant flowers to the bright red berries, carries cardiac glycosides that can throw the heart into a dangerous rhythm. So enjoy it for how beautiful and easy it is, and give it a home where curious pets and children simply cannot reach it.
Care
The short version: settle the pips into dappled to full shade, keep the rich soil evenly moist, and divide crowded clumps every few years, and you will do just fine. Slip on gloves any time you handle it.
Light
Give it a home in dappled to full shade, those dim pockets beneath trees or on the cool side of a wall where little else will flower for you. It puts up with a touch of gentle morning sun, but harsh afternoon light scorches the leaves and pushes the colony into an early fade, so err toward the shadier spot and it will thank you.
Water
Keep the rich soil evenly moist, giving it a drink roughly every 5 to 10 days and a little more often through a dry spell. Once a colony is settled it can ride out a summer drought, though the leaves grow ragged when they run short, so a good soak during the long dry stretches keeps everything looking fresh and happy.
Soil
It loves moist, fertile, organically rich ground that still lets water drain away. Do not fret if you have heavy clay or a drier patch, because it copes with both, but the fullest, fastest-spreading colonies reward you where the soil stays damp and holds plenty of compost.
Temperature
Cold will never trouble it, so you can relax on that score. This is an iron-hard perennial that shrugs off winters down to -40°F (-40°C) and grows contentedly up to around 84°F (29°C), beyond which heat and sun begin to tire the foliage out.
Humidity
Everyday outdoor air suits it perfectly, so there is no humidity figure to fuss over. What matters far more is good air movement, since a crowded, still, damp corner is just what tempts leaf spot onto the foliage, and a little breathing room heads that off.
Feeding
One feed in spring, as the fresh growth pushes up, is all this plant asks of you. A simple top-dressing of compost or a balanced general-purpose fertilizer does the trick, and a yearly mulch of leaf mold keeps an established patch thriving without any extra fuss.
Pruning
There is refreshingly little to do here. Snip off the spent flower stems and cut back the tired foliage in late summer or fall once it yellows, and that is really it. Always pull on gloves first, because every part of the plant is poisonous to handle and to eat.
Repotting
Growing in the ground, the task is dividing rather than repotting, and it is an easy one. Every 3 to 5 years, lift the congested colonies and split them to keep the clumps strong, since crowded plantings flower less and start to thin out in the middle.
Size & spacing
These are low, gentle plants, reaching only 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) tall, and each one spreads 9 to 12 inches (23 to 30 cm) wide before knitting into a seamless groundcover. Set the pips out with that wandering habit in mind, and rest easy knowing they will fill the gaps for you over time.
When to plant
Lily of the valley moves with the seasons, so there is no need to rush it. Nestle the pips into the ground in fall or early spring, and those sweet white bells will open for you from April into early summer before the colony eases into its calm summer green.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Plant rhizomes (pips) in fall or early spring.
- Harvest: Blooms early to mid-spring (April to early summer).
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 3–8
Temperature: down to -40°C
Troubleshooting
Take heart, because this is a tough and forgiving plant, and nearly every problem is a small one linked to the weather or a soggy spot. If you learn to read the early hints on the leaves and stems, you can step in and set things right long before they spread. Match what you are seeing below, then act while your help still counts.
Stems going soft and flopping over at the base
When stems turn mushy and off-color, that points to stem rot, which creeps in where the soil stays soggy and the drainage is poor. Gently pull out and bin the rotted pieces so the trouble cannot travel to the healthy plants. Then help the water move through the soil more freely and hold back a little on watering, and the planting will find its feet again.
Fix:
- Improve soil drainage
- Reduce excess moisture
- Remove and dispose of rotted material
Brown or tan marks showing up on the leaves
If you notice brown or tan patches, the likely culprit is fungal leaf spot, leaf blotch, or anthracnose, and the good news is it is easy to manage. These fungi thrive in the cool, damp shade the plant enjoys, and the marks grow and blend together when the weather stays wet. Simply pick off the marked leaves, tidy away any fallen bits, and pour your water down at the soil so the foliage keeps dry, and the patch will bounce back.
Fix:
- Remove and dispose of affected leaves
- Improve air circulation and avoid wetting foliage
- Water at the soil line
Leaves fading and browning off as summer wears on
Try not to worry when the leaves fade back in hot, dry weather, because this is almost always heat and drought stress, not an illness. A place with a bit too much sun or a stretch without water simply hurries the fading along. Lay down some mulch to hold the moisture and offer a drink through the dry patches, and you can trust the colony to wake up fresh again next spring.
Fix:
- Provide shade and consistent moisture
- Mulch to conserve soil moisture
- Site in dappled to full shade
New growth twisting up with little bugs or fine webbing
A couple of small pests can be behind this, and both are easy to handle. Aphids gather on the tender new shoots and warp them, and spider mites leave fine webbing when the air turns dry. Peek under the leaves to see which you have, wash them off with a firm spray of water, and only if they linger do you need to follow up with a little insecticidal soap.
Fix:
- Spray with a strong jet of water
- Apply insecticidal soap if needed
- Remove heavily infested foliage
Toxicity
This is one of the most poisonous plants you can grow, so it deserves your steady care and attention. Every part carries cardiac glycosides, from the sweet flowers to the leaves, the red berries, and even the water a cut stem has stood in. Swallowing any of it can bring on vomiting and dangerous changes to the heartbeat, and a large enough amount can be fatal to pets, livestock, and people alike, so simply keep it out of reach and you can enjoy it with a calm mind.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Severe
Please take this one seriously, because even a small nibble puts a cat in real danger. You might first see drooling and vomiting, then a growing weakness as the heartbeat slows and loses its rhythm, and a big enough mouthful can stop the heart altogether.
Dogs Severe
Keep an eye out for vomiting, a pulse that runs slow or races, low blood pressure, and collapse. The very same cardiac glycosides that harm cats can take a dog's life, so treat any chewing as an emergency and get help without delay.
Horses Severe
A horse that grazes on the leaves can end up with colic, a frighteningly uneven heartbeat, and unsteady footing. The poisoning is severe and can turn fatal, so call your vet the moment you suspect it.
Rabbits Severe
These heart toxins are very hard on rabbits, bringing on stomach upset, a stumbling heart rhythm, and a sudden weakness. It is safest to keep them well away from every last part of the plant.
Livestock Severe
Cattle, goats, and sheep are all poisoned by the leaves, flowers, and berries just the same, with heart-rhythm failure that can prove deadly. Remember that dried plants caught up in hay stay every bit as toxic.
Birds Severe
Birds are especially delicate around these heart toxins, and even a tiny taste can tip the heartbeat into a fatal rhythm. Keep the plant and its berries out of their reach entirely, and you will spare yourself the worry.
People Caution
None of this plant is food, so please do not let anyone taste it. Eating the flowers, leaves, or red berries, or even sipping the water a stem has stood in, can bring on vomiting and dangerous shifts in heart rhythm. Keep it well away from children, and call poison control right away if any is swallowed.
Wear gloves when handling, and keep all parts including the sweet-smelling flowers and red berries away from pets and children. Wash hands after contact.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Most gardens grow the plain white species, and it is lovely, but a couple of named forms are out there if you fancy trying something a little different.
var. rosea
This is the gentle pink one, swapping the familiar white bells for soft, light pink blooms.
Golden Slippers
Here the leaves are the star instead of the flowers, glowing in shades of chartreuse to golden yellow.
Companions
Lily of the valley pairs best with shade-loving plants that share its taste for moist, rich soil, the kind of company it keeps on a woodland floor.
Plant near
Hosta: Shares the same shade and moist, rich soil preferences as a woodland groundcover companion.
Ferns: Thrive in the same dappled to full shade and moist conditions.
How to propagate
Making more is genuinely simple, because this plant is built to multiply on its own underground, so it does most of the work for you. You can split what it has already grown or start from seed, though one route is far quicker and easier on a new gardener than the other.
DivisionEasy
Fall or early spring · One to two growing seasons
You will find dividing the plant is both the surest way to get more and the one most gardeners lean on. When fall or early spring rolls around, lift a settled clump and gently tease the rhizomes, known as pips, apart into pieces. Tuck them back in and they will find their feet over one to two growing seasons. Do slip on gloves first, since every part of the plant is poisonous.
SeedModerate
Fall · Several years
Growing from seed asks for patience more than skill. Sow in fall, expect the sprouting to come up here and there, and give it several years before the young plants really amount to much. Because dividing is so much faster and just as forgiving, most gardeners happily skip the seed route.
Myths
The sweet-smelling flowers and bright red berries are harmless and safe to taste.
It is an easy thing to assume, but every part of this plant is poisonous, the fragrant flowers and the shiny berries that so easily catch a child's eye included. They hold cardiac glycosides that can throw the heart into a dangerous rhythm. A taste is never safe, and a larger amount can be fatal.