Species PlantsLily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley

Convallaria majalis

CommonPlant
Illustration of Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Safety note: All parts are highly toxic, including the red berries and the water in vases with cut flowers.

Lily of the Valley is a European plant cultivated for centuries for its intensely fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers. It has escaped cultivation and naturalized in some parts of eastern North America. Despite its delicate beauty and beloved fragrance, every part of the plant is highly toxic, containing cardiac glycosides similar to digitalis.

Habitat
Naturalized in shaded forest edges and gardens across North America
Diet
Berries eaten by some birds; toxic to most mammals
How common
Common

Best time to see a Lily of the Valley

The best time to see a Lily of the Valley is April–May, when about 74% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 13,206 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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Not certain it is a Lily of the Valley? What plant is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.

Recent Lily of the Valley sightings near you

Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.

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