Bulb · Asparagaceae
Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis
Sweet, nodding white bells that carpet the shade, and every part of them is poisonous.
Partial shade
Every 5–10 days
USDA 3–8
6–12 in · 15–30 cm
Overview
Lily of the valley is a low woodland perennial prized for its arching stems of small, white, nodding bells and one of the sweetest scents in the spring garden. It spreads underground by creeping rhizomes called pips, knitting together into a dense green carpet under trees and along the north side of a house. The broad paired leaves stay handsome long after the flowers fade.
It asks for little. Hardy from zone 3 to 8, it shrugs off cold winters and thrives in the dappled to full shade where most flowers sulk. Give it moist, rich soil and it will run, which is part of its charm and part of its trouble, since it can crowd out neighbors and has been flagged as invasive in some regions.
The catch is the danger. Every part of this plant, from the fragrant flowers to the bright red berries, holds cardiac glycosides that can throw the heart into a dangerous rhythm. It is beautiful, easy, and best kept where pets and children can't reach it.
Care
The short version: plant the pips in dappled to full shade, keep the rich soil evenly moist, and divide congested clumps every few years. Wear gloves whenever you handle it.
Light
Plant it in dappled to full shade, the dim spots under trees or on the cool side of a building where little else flowers well. It puts up with some morning sun, but hot afternoon light scorches the leaves and pushes the colony into early decline.
Water
Keep the rich soil evenly moist, watering roughly every 5 to 10 days and more often in a dry spell. An established colony tolerates a summer drought, though the foliage looks ragged when it runs short, so a drink during long dry stretches keeps it fresh.
Soil
It wants moist, fertile, organically rich ground that still drains well. Heavy clay and drier patches are no deal-breaker, but the lushest, fastest-spreading colonies grow where the soil holds moisture and plenty of compost.
Temperature
Cold is no problem at all. This is an iron-hard perennial that takes winters down to -40°F (-40°C) and grows happily up to about 84°F (29°C), after which heat and sun start to wear the foliage down.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor air suits it, so there's no number to chase. Air movement matters more than humidity here, since a crowded, stagnant, damp spot is what invites leaf spot onto the foliage.
Feeding
Feed once in spring as the new growth pushes up. A top-dressing of compost or a balanced general-purpose fertilizer is all it asks, and a yearly mulch of leaf mold keeps an established patch thriving.
Pruning
There's little to do. Clip off the spent flower stems and cut back the tired foliage in late summer or fall once it yellows. Always wear gloves, because every part of the plant is poisonous to handle and ingest.
Repotting
In the ground, the job is dividing rather than repotting. Every 3 to 5 years, lift congested colonies and split them to keep the clumps vigorous, since crowded plantings flower less and thin out in the middle.
Size & spacing
Plants stay low, reaching just 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) tall, and each spreads 9 to 12 inches (23 to 30 cm) wide before merging into a continuous groundcover. Space the pips with that running habit in mind, knowing they will fill the gaps in time.
When to plant
Lily of the valley follows the seasons. Set the pips in the ground in fall or early spring, and the sweet white bells open from April into early summer before the colony settles into its 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
This is a tough, easygoing plant, so most trouble is minor and tied to weather or a wet site. Read the early signs on the leaves and stems and you can step in before anything spreads. Match what you see below, then act while it still helps.
Soft, rotting stems that collapse at the base
Mushy, discolored stems point to stem rot, which sets in when the soil stays wet and drainage is poor. Pull and bin the rotted material so it can't spread. Improve the drainage and ease off the water, and the planting recovers.
Fix:
- Improve soil drainage
- Reduce excess moisture
- Remove and dispose of rotted material
Brown or tan spots and blotches on the leaves
This is usually fungal leaf spot, leaf blotch, or anthracnose, which take hold in the damp shade these plants love. The spots start small, then enlarge and run together in wet weather. Strip off the marked leaves, clear fallen debris, and water at the soil line so the foliage stays dry.
Fix:
- Remove and dispose of affected leaves
- Improve air circulation and avoid wetting foliage
- Water at the soil line
Foliage yellowing and browning off through summer
Lily of the valley often fades back in hot, dry weather, and that is mostly heat and drought stress rather than disease. A spot with too much sun or too little water speeds the decline. Mulch to hold moisture, water through dry spells, and the colony returns next spring.
Fix:
- Provide shade and consistent moisture
- Mulch to conserve soil moisture
- Site in dappled to full shade
Twisted new growth with tiny insects or fine webbing
Two pests cause this. Aphids cluster on soft new growth and warp it, while spider mites spin fine webbing in dry weather. Check the leaf undersides, knock them back with a strong jet of water, and reach for insecticidal soap only if they hang on.
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 in the garden, so treat it with real care. Every part holds cardiac glycosides, including the sweet flowers, the leaves, the red berries, and even the water a cut stem has stood in. Swallowing any of it can cause vomiting and dangerous changes to the heartbeat, and a large enough dose can be fatal to pets, livestock, and people alike.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Severe
Even a nibble is dangerous. A cat may drool and vomit, then turn weak as its heartbeat slows and falls out of rhythm, and a large enough dose can stop the heart.
Dogs Severe
Watch for vomiting, a sluggish or racing pulse, low blood pressure, and collapse. The same cardiac glycosides that poison cats can kill a dog, so treat any chewing as an emergency.
Horses Severe
Horses that graze the foliage can develop colic, a dangerously irregular heartbeat, and staggering. The poisoning is severe and can prove fatal without fast veterinary help.
Rabbits Severe
The cardiac glycosides hit rabbits hard, bringing on gut upset, a faltering heart rhythm, and sudden weakness. Keep them well clear of every part of the plant.
Livestock Severe
Cattle, goats, and sheep are poisoned by the leaves, flowers, and berries alike, with heart-rhythm failure that can be deadly. Dried plants in hay stay just as toxic.
Birds Severe
Birds are highly sensitive to these heart toxins, and even a small amount can throw the heartbeat into a fatal rhythm. Keep the plant and its berries away from them entirely.
People Caution
No part of this plant is food. Eating the flowers, leaves, or red berries, or even drinking the vase water, can cause vomiting and dangerous changes in heart rhythm. Keep it well away from children and call poison control 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 plantings are the plain white species, but a couple of named forms turn up for gardeners after something different.
var. rosea
A pink-flowered form that trades the usual white bells for soft, light pink ones.
Golden Slippers
Grown for its foliage rather than its bloom, with leaves in 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 simple, since this plant is built to multiply on its own underground. You can split what it has already grown or start from seed, though one route is far quicker than the other.
DivisionEasy
Fall or early spring · One to two growing seasons
Division is the reliable way to make more, and the one most gardeners use. In fall or early spring, lift an established clump and pull the rhizomes, called pips, apart into pieces. Replant them and they settle in over one to two growing seasons. Wear gloves, since every part of the plant is poisonous.
SeedModerate
Fall · Several years
Seed is the slow road. Sow in fall and expect patchy germination, then several years before the plants amount to much. Division gets you there far sooner, so most gardeners skip seed altogether.
Myths
The sweet-smelling flowers and bright red berries are harmless and safe to taste.
Every part of this plant is poisonous, including the fragrant flowers and the bright berries that catch a child's eye. They carry cardiac glycosides that can throw the heart into a dangerous rhythm. A taste is never safe, and a larger amount can be fatal.