Lily of the Valley: Prespring's Most Beloved Bloom
Lily of the Valley's beautiful, bell-shaped white flowers, paired with a heavenly scent, make this perennial plant a favorite of many people, including gardeners, poets, and artists, to name a few. It's timeless beauty has long been a source of inspiration and culture. We'll look at the unique features, the cultural history, and, of course, the growing and care of this flower.
Famous for its distinctive appearance, as a member of Asparagus' botanical family, Lily of the Valley's rhizomes, or underground stems, create lush green carpets in the spring. It has slender, arching stalks, and a glossy-paired leaf that tapers to a point. Between the leaves, the stalks emerge, hiding the flowers in a procession of bells.
Small white bells that look like they are floating along the stem in a straight line are the famous flowers of the species. This formation, a raceme, carries around a dozen flowers. The flowers, along with looking pretty, have a strong, sweet, and clean smell that many people say symbolizes spring. These flowers are a pleasure to experience and remember because of what they look and smell like. Convallaria majalis var. rosea is a pink flowered version that is not as common and adds a tiny bit of color to the plants.
The Everlasting Meaning in Culture
The meaning and the rich fragrance of the plants have given them big importance in many cultures throughout time. The history of this flower is as sweet as the fragrance itself.
New Life, Innocence, and Purity
The birth of a child, weddings, christenings, and anything that involves big life changes uses the flowers because white heavily symbolizes purity. Lily of the Valley is a flower that represents happiness, and this meaning is also a good fit because the white color in the flower represents innocence along with purity.
A Staple in Bridal Bouquets
The Victorian era is when the Lily of the Valley first made its mark in bridal bouquets. It was considered to be an omen of good fortune in love and signified the return of joy. Its beauty and fragrance made it a representation of happiness in marriage and the bliss of a new beginning. Even today, this bridal tradition is seen among modern brides, even the royals, who decide to incorporate the flower into their wedding bouquet.
May Day Celebrations
The Muguet (Lily of the Valley) is greatly appreciated in France during the May Day holiday. As a sign of good luck and happiness for the new year, it is customary to gift small bouquets of Muguet des Bois on May 1st to friends and family. This tradition has roots in the Renaissance and continues to be a treasured aspect of French culture.
Companion Plants for a Thriving Shade Garden
Although Lilies of the Valley is a gorgeous ground cover on its own, it can be paired nicely with other shade-loving plants for even more Garden Texture. One such companion is Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). Bloodroot is an ephemeral spring flower that has white flowers with surprisingly golden centers before its uniquely carved leaves unfurl. The plant gets its name from the reddish-orange color of the sap from its roots, which Native Americans would later use as dye. Like Lilies of the Valley, this plant also does well in moist, shaded woodland areas, making them perfect companions.
Other plants that work well for companions include Hostas with their magnificent variety in leaf color and texture, and Ferns that help add a feathery softness to the garden. These plants can help transform a shaded space into a tranquil, lush, escape.
How to Cultivate and Care for Lilies of the Valley
As long as you understand some of the basics, growing Lilies of the Valley is quite simple. Knowing these things will guarantee you a healthy, expanding patch of these lovely, fragrant flowers for years.
Optimal Growing Conditions
The plant thrives in fully to partially shaded places. This makes the plant a good candidate for woodland gardens, shady borders, and under deciduous trees, where the plant can still receive some dappling of sunlight.
Well-draining, humus-rich soil is a plus in growing this plant. Moisture must be consistent. Creating the right place for the plant's soil to remain intact is to add organic material to the soil in compost and the like before the planting.
Planting and Propagating
In early spring or later fall, you can plant lily of valley roots. These roots look like small round bulbs and are often called pips. When you plant the pips, no closer than 4 inches and no further than 6 inches for every plant, and at 1.5 inches deep. So they have to run the area out over the time. Water the pips well so they can settle down.
The plant is a rapid, underground growing spreader. To contain the plant's growth, or to create more plants, the spreading must be managed by dividing the patches of plants each couple of years. To do this, the outer edge of the plants must be dug, before the rhizomes must be separated and planted elsewhere.
A Note on Toxicity
A thing to remember about the Lily of the Valley is that its leaves, flowers, stems, and berries are all dangerous to eat. What makes it especially dangerous are the cardiac glycosides. So make sure to plant it away from where young kids and pets might munch on it. Fortunately, this poisonous plant keeps the deer and rabbits away which is a plus for most gardeners.
Let These Plants Enchant Your Garden!
Lily of the Valley never fail to make a person feel wonder at the beauty of the earth. The flowers have an alluring fragrance, a gentle appearance, and a bouquet of meaning portraying the peace of earth, and the eternal magic of nature. The flowers have a special place in gardens, weddings, stories, and traditions because of their beauty. The flowers valued to renew and restore a sentiment and peace in nature.
Would you like to have this plant in your landscape? At TN Nursery, Lily of the Valley and Bloodroot are two of the many native plants we sell to help you make the garden you envision. Explore our garden plants and more to create your shady oasis. Visit our online store today!
FAQs
Why are lily of the valley so special?
Lily of the Valley is special for the cultural meaning it carries and the sweet and gentle fragrance they produce. These flowers are a symbol of purity, joy, and new beginnings, while their scent is a reminder of spring blossoming.
Is it okay to touch lily of the valley?
Yes. Touching leaves and flowers of lily of the valley should be safe. They are not toxic through the skin, even though the plant is poisonous and so therefore it is always best to wash your hands after touching any plants. Would be especially smart with a poisonous plant.
Why is lily of the valley called Mary's Tears?
Following Christian stories, the flower grew from the ground where the Virgin Mary’s tears fell when she witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus. Because of this, the plant is tied with the ideals of innocence, sadness, and humbleness with the hope of new life.
What is the story behind the lily of the valley?
Another story tells of the battle between a dragon and a saint named Leonard of Limousin. It is said that the saint lost some of his blood during the battle when he triumphed over the dragon and the Lily of the Valley flower spread from the ground where his blood fell.
Can you drink lily of the valley?
Definitely not. Every component of the Lily of the Valley plant is extremely toxic and could lead to serious health issues like nausea, vomiting, and heart illnesses if consumed. It is also not safe to drink anything that contains this plant.
