Lily of the valley plants have a beautiful, delicate flower that is easy to spot. They are great for the garden as long as you can control how far they spread. Is there a lot to choose from? Lily of the valley is more than just its sweet smell. Keep reading to learn more about the different lily of the valley plant types.
Lily of the valley is a cherished shade garden flower, prized for its graceful, nodding white bell flowers and intense sweet fragrance. While the common species has dainty blooms, several giant lily of the valley varieties now exist that take this heirloom perennial to spectacular new heights. Read on to learn all about cultivating these jumbo-sized beauties for phenomenal spring bloom.
What is Giant Lily of the Valley?
Giant lily of the valley refers to selected cultivars of the traditional lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) that produce dramatically larger flowers on taller stalks, creating a super-sized version of this classic plant.
Some popular giant varieties include:
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Convallaria majalis ‘Bordeaux’ – Grows 18 inches tall with abundant extra-large blooms.
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Convallaria majalis ‘Giant’ – Huge white flowers on 2 foot stalks.
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Convallaria majalis ‘Rosea’ – Tall at 20 inches with giant pink bells
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Convallaria majalis ‘Scania’ – Large creamy bells on 15 inch stems.
These giant lily of the valley varieties flower in spring just like the species, releasing an amazingly intense sweet perfume. The flowers and leaves are significantly bigger for a bold effect.
Growing Conditions for Giant Lily of the Valley
Like regular lily of the valley, giant varieties thrive in the same growing conditions:
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Part shade is ideal, but they tolerate full shade Dappled light under trees is perfect.
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Rich, moist soil amended with compost provides the ideal fertile, organic growing medium
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Cool climates suit them best. Giant lily of the valley is hardy in zones 3-9. Protect from hot afternoon sun.
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Consistent moisture is appreciated, especially in summer. Established plants have good drought tolerance.
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Good drainage is essential to prevent root rot. Improve drainage in heavy clay soils.
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Mulch helps maintain cool, moist soil conditions. Shredded leaves or bark chips work well.
Planting Giant Lily of the Valley
Giant lily of the valley is sold in early spring as dormant bare root divisions. Here are tips for planting:
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Select a shady planting site with organic matter-enriched soil.
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Dig a hole or trench 2 inches deeper and wider than the bare roots.
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Carefully spread out the bare roots in the hole and backfill with soil.
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Plant the crown just above soil level, 8-12 inches apart.
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Water thoroughly after planting and apply mulch around the plants.
Caring for Giant Lily of the Valley Plants
Once established, giant lily of the valley requires minimal care:
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Water first year plantings regularly if rainfall is lacking. Mature plants are quite drought hardy.
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Apply a balanced organic fertilizer or compost annually in early spring.
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Remove the flower stems after blooming concludes. Don’t cut back foliage until it dies down in fall.
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Mulch plants each year with 2-3 inches of shredded bark or leaves to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.
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Transplant divisions every 3-5 years in fall to maintain vigor.
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Watch for slugs and snails, handpicking to prevent damage. Deer generally avoid this plant.
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Cut flower stems to bring the fragrant blooms indoors. Remove pollen stamens first to prevent staining.
How Giant Lily of the Valley Spreads
One advantage of giant lily of the valley is that it slowly spreads like the regular species to form attractive swathes of foliage and flowers. It expands through underground rhizome growth and self-seeding, but is non-aggressive.
Dividing mature clumps every few years and replanting the divisions encourages the plants to multiply faster. You can control unwanted spread by removing spent flower stems before they go to seed.
Tips for Growing Giant Lily of the Valley in Containers
The giant blooms of these lily of the valley varieties make them stars of shaded container gardens. Follow these tips:
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Select a pot at least 10-14 inches wide and deep. Make sure it has drainage holes.
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Use a quality potting mix amended with peat moss or compost.
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Plant at the recommended spacing for in-ground plantings. Place the crown at soil level.
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Situate the pot in partial or full shade. Provide afternoon shade in hot climates.
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Water regularly to maintain evenly moist soil. Reduce watering frequency in fall and winter.
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Apply slow release organic fertilizer at planting time and later in the season.
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Prune spent blooms and divide the bare roots every 2-3 years, replanting the healthiest divisions in fresh potting mix.
Companion Plants for Giant Lily of the Valley
The huge blooms of giant lily of the valley complement many other shade-loving perennials. Excellent companions include:
- Astilbes
- Ferns
- Epimediums
- Hellebores
- Heucheras
- Hostas
- Pulmonarias
- Violets
Blend giant lily of the valley with these beauties for varied flower forms, foliage textures, and year-round interest.
Uses for Giant Lily of the Valley in Gardens
Giant lily of the valley offers gorgeous possibilities:
- Shade garden specimen or mass planting
- Groundcover under trees or around foundations
- Border edges along paths, fences or walls
- Container plantings on patios, porches or balconies
- Cottage or woodland garden accent
- Cut flowers for bouquets indoors
- Perennial bed filler around bulbs and shrubs
- Rolled into lawns
- Rock garden plant
Let these jumbo lily of the valley varieties take your shaded beds and borders to the next level!
Other Kinds of Lily of the Valley Plants
Lily of the valley doesn’t necessarily mean white flowers anymore. There are many lily of the valley varieties that produce pink blooms. “Rosea” is a cultivar of the plant that has flowers with a pink tinge to them. The amount and depth of the pink can vary from specimen to specimen. To add more color to your lily of the valley patch, pick a type with leaves that are speckled or striped. The edges of “Albomarginata” are white, and the stripes on “Albostriata” are white that turn green as the summer goes on. Some types, like “Aureovariegata,” “Hardwick Hall,” and “Crema da Mint,” have stripes of yellow and bright light green. ” “Fernwood’s Golden Slippers” emerges with all over yellow foliage that never quite fades to green. Some more interesting kinds of lily of the valley varieties are grown for their size. “Bordeaux” and “Flore Pleno” will grow to a foot (31 cm. ) tall. “Fortin Giant” can reach all the way to 18 inches (46 cm. ) in height. “Flore Pleno,” as well as being tall, produces large double flowers. “Dorien” also has larger than normal flowers.
Common Types of Lily of the Valley
Its leaves are dark green and it grows to be about 10 inches (25 cm) tall. It is called common lily of the valley. ) in height, and produces small, extremely fragrant, white flowers. As long as it’s contained from taking over the garden, you can’t go wrong with this variety. There are, however, a large number of interesting cultivars that set themselves apart.