Lily of the Valley—known as May Bells, Mary’s Tears, and Our Lady’s Tears—is a woodland plant with attractive green foliage and tiny, bell-shaped, white or pink flowers. Learn how to plant, grow, and care for the lily of the valley in your garden!
Lily of the valley is a low-growing (6 to 12 inches tall), spreading plant that comes up year after year in late spring. The genus Convallaria includes a single species, C. majalis, which is among the most useful ground covers for shade.
Warning: Lily of the valley is known to be a very aggressive spreader. Plant with caution! All parts of the plant, including the berries, are poisonous to people and animals.
Lily of the valley blooms are bell-shaped and appear as a cluster on one side of a leafless stalk and last for about 3 weeks. The leaves are located at the base of the plant. The delicate white or soft pink flowers are very fragrant.
Types
Convallaria majalis var. rosea has pink flowers. The flowers are less fragrant than the white varieties.
C. majalis ‘Albostriata’ has white flowers and variegated leaves. The green leaves have creamy-white stripes.
C. majalis ‘Bordeaux’ produces large white flowers on long stalks.
C. majalis ‘Fernwood’s Golden Slippers’ has attractive golden-green leaves in early spring.
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