This fragrant classic spring efflorescence easy fills a shady quad below a tree diagram .
How can such a midget flower give off such a tremendous scent ? Tiny lily of the vale sends up its lovely little sprays of bell - like white or pale pink flowers each leaping . take into account it to unfold a small ( which it does , so much that it can be a job ) and it will perfume the whole area with its distinctive fragrance . It also makes adorable , lilliputian fragrance . It makes agood groundcoverin little areas .
Lily of the valley is toxic to humans and pets .
Credit: Ginny Weiler
Where to Plant Lily of the Valley
Lily of the valley is ashade - loving plantthat should be planted in a location where the ground is naturally moist and slightly acid to neutral .
Most gardener plant it under trees where it will fill the space over time . But be cognisant that it can easily spread out of control , so it ’s smart to put it in an area where its counterpane is limited by a driveway or sidewalk .
Lily of the vale , which is native to Asia and Europe , has escaped cultivation and is look at an invasive industrial plant in many share of the Midwest and Northeast of the United States . It spreads by rootstock and seed and forms dense , large colonies , choking out aboriginal plants .
Credit: Bill Holt
How and When to Plant Lily of the Valley
Lily of the valley can beplanted in the fallor spring . Dig a kettle of fish that is large enough and deep enough to fit the rhizome . Place the rhizome with the pointed growth buds facing up in the hole . Spread the roots around the bud like a fan and cover everything with grunge so that the growth bud sits about ½ inch below the grease level . Water it deeply .
Space plants about 6 inches aside .
Lily of the Valley Care Tips
Though the flora wait delicate , lily - of - the - valley is quite tough , abide spook and ironical condition well . utilize these guidelines to deal for this perennial in your garden .
Light
Lily of the valley need full ghost to partial sunlight . It can tolerate morning sun but by all odds needs a location where it is protected from the potent midday and good afternoon sun . At the warmer end of its zone chain of mountains , it is best to plant it in full shade . In too much sun , its leaves will brown .
Soil and Water
The soil should be fertile and systematically dampish but well - drained , with a pH between 5.0 and 7.0 .
The shadier the locating , the less likely the ground dries out to the point where you take to water lily of the valley . However , in stretch forth dry periods or droughts , water it slowly and deeply to repair land moisture . ironic conditions , just like too much Lord’s Day , will lead to browning of the folio .
Temperature and Humidity
Lily of the valley is a hardy plant that can survive subzero winter down toUSDA Hardiness Zone3 but is not suited for ironic , blistering mood above Zone 8 . Summer warmth , even in pretty hot summers , can lead to some dieback of the foliation but the works comes back the next fountain .
Fertilizer
Broadcasting a thin layer of compostover your lily of the vale patch in the springiness is optional but advocate as it add organic matter to the soil . Other than that , lily of the valley typically does n’t need any fertilizer unless it has been planted in poor territory , in that showcase , give is a thoroughgoing slow - spillage granular plant food in the leap , according to product recording label instruction .
Pruning
Lily of the vale does not take any pruning or deadheading . Leaving the dead foliage in place after the winter serves as a natural mulch layer that preserves land wet and suppresses weeds .
Potting and Repotting Lily of the Valley
While growing lily of the valley in container might be a respectable thought to control the plant from scatter , there is a caution . In skunk , the root are exposed to the winter chill , unlike in garden soil . So , although lily of the vale is wintertime - hardy , it might not survive temperatures below zero when develop in pots , unless you isolate the solution by sinking the container in the ground or winterizing by placing in it in a 2d , larger pot to create a planting silo .
habituate wide container with large drainage holes and fill them with a commixture of potting mix and compost . Keep in mind that potted industrial plant need more frequent lacrimation and fertilizer than plants in the landscape . When the rhizomes have filled the pile , divide the plant or repot it in a larger container with fresh pot mix and compost .
Pests and Problems
This long - lived perennial is unbothered by serious pestilence or disease . Occasionally anthracnose , leaf spot , foliage splodge , and crown rot may occur . Snails andslugs also like to course on the plants .
How to Propagate Lily of the Valley
Types of Lily of the Valley
Lily of the valley come in a few unlike sizes and colors . Here are some democratic ones to look for .
American Lily of the Valley
genus Convallaria majalisvar.montanais the North American potpourri of lily of the vale . The growing conditions are very standardised to the European lily of the valley , except that it is drouth - large-minded once it ’s established . zona 5 - 8
Giant Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis’Bordeaux ' is a cultivar that is double as large as the species , reaching 12 to 16 inch in elevation . It has larger , fragrant blanched flowers and tulip - alike leafage . Zone 3 - 8
Pink Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalisvar.roseahas pinko , bell - shaped flowers that appear early to late spring . Like the livid specie , it grows 6 to 8 inch tall . Zone 2 - 8
Frequently Asked Questions
Because the plant contain toxins , it is recommend to wear gloves whenever you do into striking with the flora when gardening , as well as when rationalise and handling it for floral arrangements .
These are the toxic fruit of lily of the valley . They start out green and turn a deep bolshie as the season come along . Besides the risk of infection of handling the toxic germ , it takes a long time to spread the plant from seed ; therefore , generation from rhizomes is the recommend method acting .
Updated by Nadia Hassani
Lily of the Valley . scout to poisonous flora – College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences – Colorado State University . Accessed August 2 , 2024 . https://poisonousplants.cvmbs.colostate.edu/plant/123 .
