Lily of the valley and wild garlic plants look very similar at first glance. Both have broad, lanceolate leaves that are a rich green. They sprout in similar locations and at the same time, which is why there is always confusion. However, there are clear differences, not only in the smell. In the following text you can read what you need to know about the poisonous lily of the valley and how to care for it and, of course, how to distinguish it from wild garlic.
Table of Contents
Profile of the lily of the valley
- Convallaria majalis – only European species
- Asparagus family
- Widespread throughout Europe
- Perennial herbaceous plant
- 10 to 30 cm high
- Up to 50 cm deep rhizome as a storage and survival organ
- Upright growing and angular stem
- Usually two large leaves at the base, sometimes three
- Hairless, broadly lanceolate, ending in a short pointed leaf tip
- Dark green leaves, glossy on top
- Inflorescences between April and June
- 5 to 10 nodding, bell-shaped white flowers
- The intense, sweet fragrance is characteristic
- Small spherical berries form, which turn bright red
- It contains up to 5 seeds
- Propagation by seeds and vegetatively via the rhizome
- Highly poisonous, especially flowers and fruits
Fact sheet on wild garlic
- Genus Allium
- Related to chives, onions and garlic
- Estimated wild vegetables
- Occurs in almost all of Europe
- In Germany more in the south, less in the north
- Perennial herbaceous plant
- 20 to 50 cm high
- Onion plant, slender, elongated onion
- Upright compact stem, triangular to almost round
- Leaves only at the base
- Usually two, rarely one or three leaves
- Flat, elliptic-lanceolate shape
- Shiny surface in dark green
- Lighter green on the underside, dull
- Flowering from April to May
- Long flower stalks
- About 20 flowers on a peduncle in a pseudo umbel
- White flowers in the shape of a star, not bells at all
- strong fragrance, very spicy, not at all sweet
- Capsules form with the seeds
Differences between lily of the valley and wild garlic
The easiest way to tell the plants apart is by smell. Wild garlic leaves smell strongly of garlic. In addition, the undersides of the leaves are dull, almost dull. The leaves of the lily of the valley do not smell. In addition, the tops of the leaves are shiny. If you want to be on the safe side, you should rub a leaf between your fingers. The garlic scent of wild garlic is particularly evident here.
The flowers of both plants are easy to tell apart. Although they are both white, they are arranged differently. Wild garlic has a semicircular umbellate flower, the flowers look like little stars. The flower buds of the lily of the valley grow in a row on the stem and look like little bells. Another distinguishing feature is the arrangement of the leaves. Those from wild garlic grow individually on the stem and tend to curl at the edge, while those from lily of the valley grow in pairs on the stem and are rather smooth at the edge. However, one should not rely solely on the visual characteristics.
When collecting, it is advisable to select only plants from bulk stocks. Wild garlic spreads wherever it pleases and forms huge stocks. The probability that a lily of the valley will grow between these is low. With individual plants that grow somewhere along the way, much more caution is required. If you are unsure whether you can identify and classify the plants correctly, you should rather buy wild garlic and not collect them yourself.
signs of intoxication
External contact can cause skin and eye irritation. Oral ingestion may cause nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, cardiac arrhythmia and chest discomfort. At first the blood pressure rises, the pulse races, later the blood pressure decreases, breathing becomes slow and deep until finally cardiac arrest occurs.
The care of lily of the valley
Lily of the valley can be cultivated well in the garden if a favorable location and a suitable substrate are available. The plants exude a strong scent and are also very romantic with their bell-shaped flowers. However, it usually takes a few years until the first flowering.
Lily of the valley are extremely usury-friendly and spread widely wherever they like. This has advantages and disadvantages. It is good that weeds do not stand a chance between the plants. Plants won’t allow that. It is unfortunate that once you plant lilies of the valley, you can hardly get rid of them again. They will even sprout again from the smallest piece of root.
However, there are many things you can do to prevent the spread. On the one hand root or rhizome barriers do a good job, on the other hand lily of the valley manure. Plants don’t like their own decay products. As soon as the lilies of the valley are about 5 cm high, draw a strip about 25 cm wide around the plants you want to keep and soak it with the liquid manure. This must be repeated twice, always at intervals of 3 to 4 weeks. If it rains in the meantime, this gift must be adjusted. The runners, which the lily of the valley drives, avoid this area. Without a rhizome barrier or liquid manure, the lilies of the valley form a dense population and act like ground cover.
location
Although lilies of the valley like the sun, they much prefer morning or evening sun to bright midday sun. The plants also grow in the shade, but do not flower as well there. Lily of the valley are ideal for underplanting trees and shrubs.
- Shady to semi-shady
- Morning and evening sun are best
- If there is too much sun, the leaves can fade.
- If there is too much shade, the plants will become lazy.
- Allow some space for stocks to spread out. Groups of many lilies of the valley look the most beautiful.
plant substrate
Lily of the valley does not make great demands on the plant substrate. They can handle almost any soil as long as it is not permanently wet or extremely mineral. A humus-rich, well-drained mixture is favourable. When the soil is moist, lilies of the valley tolerate significantly more sun than usual.
- Evenly to moderately moist
- Humos – incorporate compost soil
- Sandy-loamy
- Nutritious leaf soil is also beneficial
- As low in lime as possible
plant
There is not much to consider when planting. It is important that the rhizomes are planted correctly in the soil.
- Can be planted all year round, but spring is ideal
- Good neighboring plants are rhododendrons and outdoor azaleas, as they have the same requirements in terms of location and substrate.
- Planting depth 10 cm
- Planting distance 20 cm
- If you want the plants to act as ground cover, only leave a distance of 10 cm
- Insert horizontal roots horizontally
watering and fertilizing
Lily of the valley doesn’t need a lot of water, but the soil shouldn’t dry out either. In the beginning, until it grows, it must be watered regularly. Later, once a week watering is usually sufficient, as long as it is not too hot.
- Water regularly after planting until established.
- Always wait until the soil has dried.
- But it shouldn’t dry out.
- Avoid waterlogging!
- Fertilize with compost, every two years is enough
- It is good if you water the pond every now and then, as there are enough nutrients in it.
- As an alternative to compost, leaf soil can also be distributed around the plants.
To cut
Even if the leaves don’t look great over time, they should remain on the plants until fall. This is the only way to ensure that the nutrients from the leaves are reabsorbed by the rhizome. This gives the plants enough strength to sprout vigorously again next year. The leaves can then be cut off in autumn.
- Only cut off leaves in autumn when they have almost completely yellowed.
- Even if the lily of the valley is poisonous, the leaves can be put on the compost. The ingredients are destroyed by composting.
- If you want to prevent the plants from self-seeding, you have to cut off the withered flower stalks.
hibernate
The hibernation of lily of the valley succeeds without any problems. The plants are sufficiently hardy, even without special protection. However, it is ideal to put some compost on the planting sites in autumn, when the plants have moved in. If lily of the valley is cultivated in a bucket, it must be protected. The earth shouldn’t freeze.
multiply
Lily of the valley can be easily propagated by dividing the rhizome. You simply dig up larger parts of the plants and divide them. Then they can be used again. Lily of the valley also reproduces on its own, first by seed and then by spreading the rhizomes. If you want to prevent this, you have to take precautions from the start.
- Rhizome division in autumn
- self seeding
- spreading of the rhizomes
diseases and pests
There are not many diseases or pests that afflict lilies of the valley. Chemical agents only rarely have to be used, an old household remedy usually helps. Only when it comes to gray mold is there no alternative.
- Combat gray mold, rarely, with chemical agents, otherwise the plant will rot. The spores spread to the lilies of the valley all around, which endangers the entire stock.
- Lily beetle – can cause a lot of damage – can be recognized by the feeding spots on the leaves, help spray with tansy or wormwood tea
- Root Moths – brown caterpillars that feed on the buds and underground parts of the plant. They can be recognized by the fact that the flowers wither quickly. The only thing that helps here is to collect the caterpillars or to use a caterpillar spray.