Common Name: Canada Mayflower, False Lily-of-the-Valley, Wild Lily of the Valley

Dappled sunlight to moderate shade; moderately wet to moderately dry moisture level; prefers humus-rich soil but grows in loamy, sandy, rocky and clay soils; acidic to neutral pH. This is a plant of acidic soils and will tolerate up to very strongly acid pH. 3-8 inches, height, blooms May and June, white flowers producing red berries. Reproduces by extensive, creeping, slender rhizomes.

Germination Code:  C(71-112)

Native Region: Only occurs in the Blue Ridge Province.

Attractive groundcover with short, often zig-zag stems with dense clusters of tiny, white, star-shaped flowers. Only a small percentage of flowers will produce the small, pale red berry. Spreads rather slowly but in preferred conditions can form an extensive groundcover. Does not tolerate much competition from taller plants. If planted under some oaks or maples with large leaves, fall leaf drop may smother the plants. Plants have low seed production and are best propagated by division of the rhizomes in fall.   Tennessee is at the southern edge of its range, and the farther north, the better the plants perform and multiply. When planting, it is better to purchase plants by the dozen as one plant does little. Occurs naturally in a diverse range of habitats, including hardwood forests, conifer forests, mixed forests, floodplains, margins of shaded bogs, sandy meadows, sandy thickets, sandstone ledges along ravines, and north-facing wooded slopes. Attracts birds and bees.