European lily of the valley
European lily of the valley
Convallaria majalis
Plantae
COMMON

Stats

Lifespan
Perennial
Size
Small
Diet
Photosynthetic
Biome
Temperate forest
Range
Europe and Asia
Movement
Sessile
Breeding
Runners
Defense
Toxins
Status
Common

About

A woodland perennial prized for its arching stems of tiny, sweetly-scented white bells that bloom in spring. Despite its delicate appearance, every part of the plant — including its bright red autumn berries — is highly toxic due to cardiac glycosides.

Life cycle

  1. 1.
    seed
    A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
  2. 2.
    sprout
    A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
  3. 3.
    sapling
    A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
  4. 4.
    mature
    Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Family
Asparagaceae
Genus
Convallaria
Species
Convallaria majalis