Maianthemum dilatatum

Common Name:
False lily-of-the-valley
Plant Type:
Deciduous perennial
Family:
Liliaceae (The Lily Family)
Geographic Origin:
California
California Native?:
Yes

Plant Size:
Low
Landscape/Garden Uses:
shade gardens
Flowering Season:
Summer

Flower Color:
White
Exposure:
Light shade
Soils:
Well-drained soil

Suggested Irrigation:
Regular to moderate watering
Estimated Hardiness:
Hardy to 0 degrees F. or less

This unusual little perennial is encountered in moist coastal woods from northern California to Alaska. The rhizomes creep and branch underground to form broad carpets. In spring many shoots, 6-8 inches high in this selection, rise from the ground, each carrying a pair of deeply veined, roughly heart shaped leaves and tipped with a short spike of tiny white flowers which develop in summer into little red berries. Winter deciduous. A lush, pretty ground cover for shady spots. Reasonably well drained, acid soil, regular watering from spring to fall. Hardy to below 0 degrees F.