I am perfectly delighted that the Republic of Finland chose Convallaria majalis as the country’s floral emblem in 1967 on the 50th anniversary of their independence from Russia. Lily of the Valley flowers are perfectly formed and perfectly white. It is a perfect choice. Not that I know anything about Finland other than their famous architects, musicians and Nokia mobile ‘phones. My overall impression is that they are studiously serious people with probably the best education system in the world. My obvious question is, what does the Helsinki equivalent to Toronto’s Sick Kids’ Hospital tell the public of the possible toxicity of Lily of the Valley ?
I always thought that ‘majalis’ referred to the month of May, but wondered about it. Dependent on latitude, elevation and snow cover, Lily of the Valley can be flowering by early March. I hate to tell you this but can do no other; majalis is Latin for a male pig; a boar or hog. A most inappropriate epithet for such an elegant flower with such enchanting fragrance. What was Linnaeus thinking? Pearls before swine indeed. Nevertheless, despite the awkward results of my fact checking, bunches of the sweet flowers are traditionally sold in the streets of Paris on May 1st. apparently we are all wrong. I hope that I am correct in believing that ‘convallaria’ means ‘of the valley’.
Before Dr. William Withering introduce Digitalis to the world in 1786, Lily of the Valley was known to have heart stimulating qualities in some measure: not enough for clinical purposes and hardly enough to be called a poison, yet the idea lingers on in our folk memory. You would have to eat vast amounts of the plant and its orange-red berries to suffer any consequences. Now that we know that the plants specific epithet ‘majalis’ refers to a male pig it could very well be that we gained our awareness of Convallaria toxicity from ancient swine herds. We have already learned from the stories of Larkspurs, Buckeyes and St.John’s Wort, that veterinary science was always light years ahead of human medicine.
One maddening story that kept recurring while searching at many websites, is the warning that children have died from drinking the water in a vase that contained lily of the valley leaves and flowers. This is an outright falsehood. No such incident ever took place nor could it. People who tell such alarming stories should face criminal charges for spreading false news.
Convallaria majalis spread by rhizomes that stay connected and the plant seems prepared to go on for ever. In late summer a swollen bud emerges at the tip of a stolon forming a “pip’ which will form a new pair of leaves and a flower stem in Spring. The flowers do not set seed using their own pollen, they are self sterile. If you want to have berries you must introduce a plant from a different clone. Since garden centers are most likely all getting their plants from one major supplier you may have to go out of town or cadge from an old garden.
My favourite form of this old-fashioned plant is the pure white although in this modern world of choices a pink form can be found and even a double-flowered. Typical of monocot plants the spear-shaped leaves have parallel veins. In the variety ‘Striata’ the veins are gold. The white veined is ‘Albostriata’.
When Kate Middleton became Mrs William Wales and Duchess of Cambridge Lily of the Valley was in her bridal bouquet as it has often been for many brides. With her Royal endorsment it is now to be de rigueur.
They are easily forced into flower indoors in winter where their intoxicating scent will be nicely captured, You should do that. You deserve it.
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