Lily-of-the-Valley - Convallaria majalis

Scientific Name: Convallaria majalis (Liliaceae).

English Name: Lily-of-the-Valley; Lady's Tears (Lily family).


French Name: Le Muguet; le Muguet de mai; la Clochette des bois (='woodland bell'); le Grillet; les Larmes de sainte Marie (='Saint Mary's tears'); le Lis des vallées (='lily of the valleys').

5 Key Characters:

• leaves in pairs, long stalked, elliptical, up to 20 cm long and 5 cm wide.
• white globose flowers hang off one side of the flower stalk. 
• flowers very fragrant.
• red berries.
• found in cool shaded woodland, where it will form large colonies if conditions suit it.

Lookalikes: Solomon's Seal Polygonatum multiflorum, which can be found growing with Lily-of-the-Valley, but has tubular flowers which hang below the leaves on arched stems.


Habitat: Woodland on calcareous or sandy soils.


Flowering Period: April-May-June.

Status: Widespread and locally common. Widely picked as a good luck token on 1 May.


Photographed by Loire Valley Nature: