Lily of the Valley Plant Care

Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) belongs to the Asparagaceae family within the Convallaria genus. Lily of the Valley is native to Europe, Western Asia and Northern Asia. Lily of the Valley is also known as May Bells, Our Lady's Tears, Conval Lily.

Lily of the Valley displays a low rosette, spreading growth habit, reaching up to 0.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Lily of the Valley produces fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers in spring.

Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Lily of the Valley every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Lily of the Valley thrives in shade to partial shade. Avoid placing Lily of the Valley in direct, harsh sunlight for extended periods, as this can scorch the foliage.

Convallaria majalis tolerates temperatures of 60–75°F. Lily of the Valley prefers humidity levels of 50–70%. A pebble tray or humidifier helps maintain adequate moisture around the plant.

Rich, well-draining soil with high organic matter content. Good drainage is essential for Lily of the Valley to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Lily of the Valley every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with shade to partial shade and rich, well-draining soil with high organic matter content. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Lily of the Valley is suited to USDA Zone 3a – 8b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Lily of the Valley can spread to about 1 ft (0.3 m) and reach about 1 ft (0 m) tall. Space plants about 1 ft (0.3 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Lily of the Valley while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Lily of the Valley is hardy down to USDA zone 3a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Lily of the Valley can be propagated through division of rhizomes.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Lily of the Valley is susceptible to aphids, slugs, snails. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Lily of the Valley grows outdoors in USDA Zone 3a – 8b. It survives winters down to planting zone 3a. Lily of the Valley is native to Europe, Western Asia and Northern Asia.