Just as each month has its own gemstone, each month also has its own traditional birth flower appropriate for the month and season. Each flower actually has a symbolic meaning and for the Lily of the Valley it is Humbleness and Humility. Two traits that can be critical to a happy marriage. It also can symbolize Sweetness and Purity and the Return of Happiness.
The Plant, Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis, commonly known as the Lily of the Valley or Lily-of-the-Valley, is the only species in the genus Convallaria in the flowering plant family Ruscaceae, formerly placed in the lily family Liliaceae or in its own family called Convallariaceae. This woodland plant is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe and a limited native population in Eastern USA (Convallaria majalis var. montana.)
Herbaceous Perennial
Lily of the valley is a herbaceous perennial plant that forms extensive colonies by spreading underground stems called rhizomes that send out stolons. These send up numerous stems each spring. The stems grow to 15-30 cm tall, with one or two leaves 10-25 cm long, flowering stems have two leaves and a raceme of 5-15 flowers on the stem apex.
The Flower
The flowers are white tepals(rarely pink), bell-shaped, 5-10 mm diameter, and sweetly scented; flowering is in late spring, in mild winters in early March.
The Fruit
The fruit is a small orange-red berry 5-7 mm diameter that contains a few large whitish to brownish colored seeds that dry to a clear translucent round bead 1 to 3 mm wide. Plants are self-sterile, and colonies of one clone do not set seed.
Subspecies
There are three subspecies that have sometimes been separated out as distinct species by a few botanists.
Convallaria majalis var. keiskei - from China and Japan with red fruit and bowl shaped flowers.
Convallaria majalis var. majalis - from Eurasia with white midribs on the flowers.
Convallaria majalis var. montana - from the USA with green tinted midribs on the flowers.
Legend and tradition
The flower is also known as Our Lady's tears since, according to Christian legend, the tears Mary shed at the cross turned to Lilies of the Valley. According to another legend, Lilies of the Valley also sprang from the blood of St. George during his battle with the dragon. Other names include May Lily, May Bells, Lily Constancy, Ladder-to-Heaven, Male Lily and Muguet.
Fun Facts
Floral Fact: These small, fragile, bell-shaped flowers are considered traditional marriage flowers.
Traditionally, Lily of the Valley is sold in the streets of France on May 1.
Lily of the Valley became the national flower of Finland in 1982.
The Norwegian municipality Lunner has a Lily of the Valley in its coat-of-arms.
It is the official flower of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, Kappa Sigma fraternity, Delta Omicron fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, and Alpha Phi sorority.
Lily of the Valley is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Grey Chi.
