The Wild Garden: Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database

Maianthemum dilatatum (False Lily-of-The Valley)

Kingdom	:	Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom	:	Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision	:	Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division	:	Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class	:	Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass	:	Liliidae
Order	:	Liliales
Family	:	Liliaceae – Lily family
Genus	:	Maianthemum F.H. Wigg. – mayflower
Species	:	Maianthemum dilatatum (Alph. Wood) A. Nelson & J.F. Macbr. – false lily of the valley

This northwest native perennial has glossy green heart-shaped leaves and small flower spikes. The fruit are tiny berries turning from green to brown and eventually red as they mature.

An excellent ground cover, this plant barely reaches 1’ tall and spreads rapidly.

Native from Alaska to northern California, USDA 4-9, False Lily-of-the-Valley is found in moist, shaded forests and boggy areas. It saw wide use medicinally among Native groups.

Left, photo by Walter Siegmund

Right, photo by Daniel Gies

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