How to plant lily of the valley: set dormant bare-root pips in fall or early spring, in shade and moist, rich soil. Soak the roots an hour or two. Plant each pip bud up, tip half an inch deep, 3 inches apart. Water and mulch. Edge the bed, as it spreads. Every part is poisonous, so plant away from pets.
This potting shed is run by TN Nursery, the third-generation family nursery in Altamont, Tennessee, growing native trees and plants since 1959. Our lily of the valley ships bare-root and dormant, so this guide starts the day the box arrives. It ends with how to keep the patch where you want it, and why it belongs out of reach of pets and children.
What month do you plant lily of the valley?
Plant while the pips are dormant: in fall, once summer heat has gone from the soil, or in early spring before new growth starts. In most gardens that means roughly September to November, or March to April as soon as the ground thaws. Colder zones plant earlier in fall and later in spring; warmer zones the other way round. A pip is a single rhizome (a short underground stem) with a pointed bud on top and roots below.
- Fall planting: the roots settle in over winter, and the pips get the cold spell they need to bloom in spring.
- Early spring planting: plant as soon as the ground can be worked. Expect fewer flowers the first spring while the roots catch up.
- Your zone: lily of the valley grows in USDA zones 3 to 8. It does best where winters are cold.
When the box arrives: unpack and soak the pips
Bare-root pips have no soil around them, so their roots dry out fast. Open the box the day it comes.
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Check the pips
Look for firm, plump buds and pale, flexible roots. A little dry packing material on them is normal.
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Soak the roots
Stand the roots in a bucket of room-temperature water for an hour or two. Keep the buds above the water line.
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Plant the same day if you can
Have the bed dug before you soak, so the pips go straight from the bucket into the ground.
Tip: Can't plant for a few days? Wrap the roots in damp paper or packing material, slip them in a loose plastic bag and keep them somewhere cool and dark. For a longer wait, set them in a pot of moist soil until the bed is ready. Never let the roots dry out.
Where is the best place to plant lilies of the valley?
Pick a spot in part to full shade with moist soil that still drains. Morning sun with afternoon shade suits it well. Under deciduous trees, along a shady north wall or at the edge of a woodland bed all work.
- Light: dappled or part shade to full shade. Hot afternoon sun scorches the leaves.
- Soil: moist and rich in organic matter. Work a few inches of compost or leaf mold into the top of the bed.
- Drainage: avoid spots where water sits after rain, which can rot the roots.
- Room to spread: choose a bed with a clear edge, such as a path or wall, so the patch has somewhere to stop.
Lily of the valley is not native to North America. If you want a shade bed of natives beside it or instead of it, we also carry white trillium, Virginia bluebell, mayapple and shade ferns such as Christmas fern and cinnamon fern.
How to plant lily of the valley pips, step by step
Plant each pip bud up, with the tip about half an inch below the soil, and space pips about 3 inches apart. NC State Extension puts the base of the rhizome about 3 inches down and suggests 15 to 25 plants per square foot.
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Loosen the soil
Dig the bed over and mix in compost. Rake it level.
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Make a hole for each pip
Make it deep enough to take the roots hanging straight down, about 3 inches.
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Set the pip bud up
Hold the pip so the pointed bud faces the sky. Fan the roots out below it.
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Cover lightly
Fill in around the roots so the bud tip sits just under the surface. Firm the soil gently with your fingers.
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Water well
Soak the bed so the soil settles around the roots.
Watering and mulching through the first winter
- Keep the soil damp, not soggy, until the ground freezes or until the leaves are up in spring.
- Spread a layer of shredded leaves or bark mulch over the bed in fall. It holds moisture and protects the shallow roots.
- Add fresh mulch each fall after that.
- In spring, remove spent flowers and dead leaves to keep the bed tidy.
Keeping the patch in bounds
Lily of the valley spreads by underground rhizomes and forms dense mats. NC State Extension notes it can crowd out other plants in good conditions, and that it is reported as invasive in Wisconsin and Arkansas. Plan the edges before you plant.
- Plant inside hard edges: a path, patio, wall or driveway stops the rhizomes on that side.
- Sink a barrier: bury solid lawn edging or a strip of plastic or metal around the bed, leaving a lip just above the soil.
- Grow it in a pot: use a wide pot with drainage holes, in shade, and keep the soil moist. Pots dry out faster than beds.
- Dig out strays: each fall or spring, lift any pips that have crossed the line. Replant them in a pot or share them.
- Keep it away from wild areas: don't plant it at the edge of woods you want to stay natural.
Lily of the valley is poisonous: keep pets and children away
Every part of the plant is poisonous if eaten. NC State Extension lists the flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, sap, seeds and stems. It names symptoms such as a slow or irregular pulse, belly pain, diarrhea and low blood pressure. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
- Plant it where children and pets don't play.
- Wear gloves when you handle the pips, and wash your hands afterward.
- Keep cut flowers and their vase water out of reach.
- If a child or pet may have eaten any part, call Poison Control or your vet right away.
Lily of the valley planting questions
Do lilies of the valley come back every year?
Yes. Lily of the valley is a perennial, so one planting lasts for years. The leaves die back in summer or fall, and new shoots come up from the rhizomes each spring. The clumps usually grow larger every year as the rhizomes spread, which is why it pays to plan the edges of the bed before you plant.
Are lily of the valley difficult to grow?
No. Given shade and moist, rich soil, it is one of the easier plants to grow from bare-root pips. Most problems come from too much sun or soil that dries out. The harder part is often keeping it from spreading where you do not want it, so set a barrier or a hard edge at planting time.
How deep do you plant lily of the valley pips?
Plant each pip with its pointed bud facing up and the tip about half an inch below the soil surface. The roots hang straight down, so the base of the rhizome ends up about 3 inches deep. Space the pips about 3 inches apart, then water the bed well so the soil settles around the roots.
How do you plant lily of the valley in pots?
Use a wide pot with drainage holes and a rich potting mix. Plant the pips bud up, with the tips about half an inch below the surface and about 3 inches apart. Keep the pot in shade and water whenever the top of the mix feels dry, since pots dry out faster than garden beds.
Ready to start a patch? Our lily of the valley plants ship bare-root and dormant, ready for the steps above.
