Lily of the Valley
May Day in France is a big deal to workers and somewhat like our Labor Day in September. May in France is very special because there are more official national holidays than in any other month so workers look forward to combining official national holiday with other holidays to create a really nice mini vacation. As May Day approaches, vendors come forth to sell Lily of the Valley (“porte-bonheur”–literally, “bringer of happiness) in bouquets or pots and the usual tax on plants/flower sales is laid aside. What a beautiful custom.
Type: Herbaceous perennial.
Bloom: White tinged with green, bell shaped very fragrant flowers borne in racemes in mid spring.
Size: 10-12”.
Light: Shade but tolerates some sun depending on water requirements.
Soil: Moist, well drained humus. Will tolerate dryness once established.
Fertilizer: Organic mulch will provide nutrients for successful growth.
Hardiness: Zones 2-7 (struggle in zone 8).
Care: Meet temperature and light requirements.
Pests: Leaf spot and stem rot. Remove and destroy the infected parts as soon as they’re noticed. It also helps to remove the dead foliage.
Propagation: Spreads quickly by rhizomes in moist, humus; the ends of the rhizomes produce new plants, called pip. These can be pricey to buy so shop around.
Companion plants: Other woodland species such as hostas, Tiarella, and ferns; good grown under azaleas and rhododendrons.
Outstanding Selections:
‘Bordeaux’-larger flowers are borne profusely above the foliage rather than in it; foliage on red stems.
‘Fortin’s Giant-taller and with larger flowers than the species.
‘Plena’-cream colored flowers that are larger and more persistent than the species
‘Rosea’-Light pink flowers.
‘Striata’-Leaves with white stripes
Comments: Excellent grounds cover if it likes the environment.
{ 4 comments }
Very fitting to have lily of the valley on May Day. I love the scent!
Lily of the Valley are treasures and a great way to usher in the month of May. I sure wish there was a perfume or cologne that really replicated their scent.
Hi
Nice website. Wonder if you could help me out. My Lily of the Valley’s are
going under. They are turning black or purple
We had a tremendous amount of race since April
What should I do
I tried to attach a pic but it kept asking for a url. Do you have a regular
email address that I can attach the pic to?
Thanks
Mike
Mike
Sure, send me the picture and give me more details of the site, how long it has done will in that site, and your location in the country; kvmeyers@hotmail.com. In general, lily of the valley likes moisture but not standing in water, same shade, and humusy soil. It does well in zone 7 and colder but struggles in zone 8. Hope this helps.
Karen
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