Pink Lily of the Valley

Blooming now in the gardens are Convallaria majalis, common name: Lily of the Valley.  Other names for the flower are, "Our Lady's Tears" or "May Lily". Not a true lily, but it plays the part well!   Of all the plants in our gardens, this flower is my favorite. Such a beautiful flower and unforgettable fragrance. We know that Lily of the Valley is native to Europe, but there is disagreement on whether it is native to North America.  Some interesting cultivars exist, such C. albiostrata, a white blooming plant with variegated foliage.  There is the pink blooming variety, C. majalis var. rosea, as well as a white blooming type with doubled flowers.

We've grown the white, pink and variegated varieties here.  In our garden setting, it is the pink Lily of the Valley that exceeds the other varieties in naturalization, root mass, stem diameter and plant height.