Lily-of-the-Valley

Where it grows

Lily-of-the-valley spreads by creeping rhizomes through cool, moist deciduous forests of central and northern Europe and across Asia to Japan. It will colonise garden shade where many spring bulbs sulk, forming dense patches under deciduous shrubs.

How to recognise it

Each shoot puts up two oval, parallel-veined leaves that emerge folded around the slender flower stem. The stem carries a one-sided raceme of around eight to ten small, waxy white bells, each with six recurved lobes and a sweet, green-fresh perfume. Bright red berries follow in autumn and are extremely toxic.

Garden & cultural uses

The flower’s volatile compounds defy distillation, so all commercial “muguet” perfumes use synthetic accords blended from hydroxycitronellal and related molecules. Christian Dior’s Diorissimo and countless soaps imitate the scent. In France, sprigs are exchanged on the first of May for luck.

In symbolism

The flower carried associations with Mary’s tears in medieval Europe, was Queen Victoria’s favourite, and featured in the bridal bouquets of Princess Grace of Monaco and Kate Middleton.