Asian Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria keiskei) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Asian lily-of-the-valley is a woodland plant native to East Asia and grown by specialty gardeners in the United States. Its fragrant white, bell-shaped flowers usually sit below the tops of its leaves, and every part of the plant, including the red berries, is poisonous if eaten.

Appearance

Appearance: Pairs of broad green leaves surround a short arching stalk of nodding white bells. Plants are usually about 8–10 in (20–25 cm) tall.
Flowers: The flowers are lightly scented and usually sit below the tops of the leaves.
Fruit: The flowers can be followed by round red berries.

Look-alikes

lily-of-the-valleyConvallaria majalis

European lily-of-the-valley tends to have broader, thicker leaves. Asian lily-of-the-valley has narrower, thinner leaves, but the two look very similar; check the plant label for a confident garden identification.

Why they get mixed upThe two species share broad leaves, white bell-shaped flowers, and the same general garden name.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: shaded woodland edges
moist, humus-rich garden beds
Range: It is native from southeastern Siberia through Korea, China, and Japan. In the United States it is mainly a specialty garden plant rather than a wild native.
Preferred conditions: It prefers partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. In U.S. gardens, it grows in about 5–9.

Growing it

Propagation: Underground spread sideways and slowly build colonies.
Toxicity: All parts are poisonous if eaten, including the red berries.

Name and classification

About the name: It was previously treated as Convallaria majalis var. keiskei. Asian lily-of-the-valley is also called Japanese lily-of-the-valley.
Varieties and forms: Cultivated selections include ‘Snow Chimes’, with white leaf edges, and ‘Soft Stripes’, with pale leaf stripes.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: American gardeners are more likely to encounter European lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) than this Asian species.

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