During the flowering period, the scent of lily of the valley is in the air throughout the garden. The pretty little flowers, which appear mainly in white but occasionally in pink, hang in small bells from the branches. How long does the popular spring flower bloom?
When is the flowering time of lily of the valley?
The flowering period of lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) mainly begins in May and, depending on the weather, can last until the beginning of June. Earlier blooms are possible if the winter was mild, while blooming takes longer after harsh winters.
The main flowering time of the lily of the valley is May
The lily of the valley lives up to its name. Its main flowering time is the sunny month of May. This can already be seen from the botanical name of the plant Convallaria majalis. While the first word refers to the preferred location, valley, majalis stands for “in May”.
Depending on the weather, the flowering period of the lily of the valley can begin as early as April if the winter was very mild. After a harsh winter, the plant takes longer to bloom.
If May remains cool and wet, the flowering period of lily of the valley is extended until the beginning of June.
Picking lily of the valley during flowering
Many people love to put a bouquet of lily of the valley in their room. It should be noted that in some countries and regions lilies of the valley are protected and cannot be picked in the wild.
In your own garden you can of course pick a few flowers for the vase at any time.
Lily of the valley is poisonous. The plant sap that comes out when cutting or picking also contains toxins that can cause allergies in sensitive people. Wearing gloves is therefore advisable. Children should not touch lilies of the valley at all.
Tip
You can grow lily of the valley indoors and thus bring the flowering period forward into winter. To do this, dig up rhizome pieces (€21.00 on Amazon) from the garden in autumn and plant them in a pot.
