Flower profile

Lily of the valley

Convallaria majalis

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is a flowering plant in the Asparagaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Introduced in the lower 48

Lily of the valley is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

31states where USDA records it

4Bloomipedia state lists include it

13,335U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Rhode Island

Quick look

Lily-of-the-valley, also written as lily of the valley, is a woodland flowering plant with sweetly scented, pendent, bell-shaped white flowers borne in sprays in spring. It is native to Europe, Western Asia and Northern Asia.
From Wikipedia's article Lily of the valley, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Asparagaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 31 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
In Massachusetts, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May. ^iNaturalist
In Michigan, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as summer. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 0.8 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 2,482 research-grade sightings of it in Massachusetts, ranking #55 among the 188 flowers on our Massachusetts list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,744 research-grade sightings of it in Michigan, ranking #98 among the 172 flowers on our Michigan list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 327 research-grade sightings of it in New Hampshire, ranking #91 among the 157 flowers on our New Hampshire list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,993 records)

Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Massachusetts	–	May	2,482
Michigan	–	May–June	1,744
New Hampshire	–	few records (39)	327
Rhode Island	–	few records (32)	219

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)

Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}

NatureServe global

G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe

State rare plant lists

Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 4 of our 4 states.

See each state

Massachusetts: Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe has no Massachusetts rank for it. ^{MESA list}
Michigan: Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). NatureServe has no Michigan rank for it. ^{R 299.1028}
New Hampshire: Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe has no New Hampshire rank for it. ^{NH Ncr 312}
Rhode Island: Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe has no Rhode Island rank for it. ^{RI rare plants 2016}

Rare elsewhere

No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peoplePoisonous to people

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: bark, flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, sap/juice, seeds, stems. Symptoms they list: “Toxic only if large quantities eaten. Irregular and slow pulse, abdominal pain and diarrhea, low blood pressure, disorientation, coma, seizures” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsToxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Lily of the Valley” (Convallaria majalis) lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. ^ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records lily of the valley in 31 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

Massachusetts counties with USDA records: Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester.

Michigan counties with USDA records: Calhoun, Chippewa, Emmet, Houghton, Ingham, Isabella, Lenawee, Marquette, Montcalm, Newaygo, Saginaw, St. Clair, Washtenaw.

New Hampshire counties with USDA records: Belknap, Cheshire, Grafton, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, Sullivan.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Lily of the valley a low shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.5 to 7.5 and winter lows down to -33 °F.

Shade tolerance: Low
Drought tolerance: Low
Moisture use: Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to: medium, fine
Soil pH range: 5.5 to 7.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -33 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 130
Annual precipitation range: 32 to 65 inches
Minimum root depth: 10 inches
Salinity tolerance: Low
Fertility requirement: Medium
Growth rate: Slow
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Summer
Fruit or seed: Brown
Can be propagated by: bulb, container, sprigs
Commercial availability: Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for COMA7. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Introduced.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 197 counties across 25 states; the most are in Pennsylvania (31), New York (23), Wisconsin (18).

More from the Asparagaceae family (34 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Yuccas, Solomon's plume (false Solomon's seal), Canada mayflower, Blue dicks, Common star-of-Bethlehem, Star-flowered lily-of-the-valley, Chaparral yucca, Mojave yucca.

More Massachusetts flowers

Canada mayflower

Maianthemum canadense

Native

🌼 Blooms in MA: May–June

Solomon's plume (false Solomon's seal)

Maianthemum racemosum

Native

🌼 Blooms in MA: May–June

Roses (genus Rosa)

Rosa

★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌼 Blooms in MA: May–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile COMA7.
iNaturalist, Convallaria majalis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Lily of the valley (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90).
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR) (Text from MDAR's 2023 scientific-name PDF (mass.gov blocks automated downloads); 2024-2026 additions listed on the mass.gov page: Alnus glutinosa, Pyrus calleryana, Miscanthus sinensis, Aralia elata, Rhodotypos scandens, Symplocos paniculata.).
Michigan: Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023).
Michigan: Michigan prohibited and restricted species (NREPA Part 413 and the 2026 Invasive Species Order), as listed by Michigan's Invasive Species Program.
New Hampshire: New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020).
New Hampshire: NH Prohibited Invasive Species List (Agr 3800, Table 3800.1).
Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Convallaria majalis (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
Photo: Lynn Harper via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.