Is Lily of the Valley Invasive?

22.02.2024 - 19:52 / gardenerspath.com / Kristine Lofgren

Is Lily of the Valley Invasive?

It’s often so hard to make the shady parts of our gardens sing. And many of us have so much of it – shade on the north side of the house, under our trees, and next to our shrubs.

It’s no wonder species like hostas and lily of the valley are so sought after. You’d have a hard time finding more reliable options for filling the shade with life and color.

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But, as the saying goes, no one is perfect. Not even our shade-loving superstars.

Lily of the valley, for example, isn’t as sweet as she looks. In reality, she can sometimes be quite the menace.

In this guide, we’re going to talk about whether this plant is invasive and what we can do to control it. Here’s what’s in the coming attractions:

Before we discuss invasiveness and what it all means, let’s define what lily of the valley is.

Convallaria majalis, commonly known as lily of the valley, is a plant native to Eurasia.

It was brought to North America as an ornamental for its white, bell-shaped flowers that dangle delicately from long stalks.

Not just a pretty face, these tiny blossoms exude an outsized fragrance with notes of sweetness, flora, and fresh greenery that’s marvelous enough to grace perfumes.

The only problem is that its mild-mannered appearance hides a wily nature, and it has at times escaped.

Not content to be constrained, this species has quickly found its way into forests and fields, earning itself a bad reputation and the dreaded label of “invasive” (dun dun dun…).

An invasive plant is one that isn’t indigenous to an area, and that has caused some sort