Flower for the Day Lily of the Valley 5-23-18

This trustworthy flower has been around since Biblical times. I grew up watching them grow outside my dining room window.

Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) is perennial and forms colonies by spreading underground rhizomes. New 

upright shoots are formed at the ends of the stolons in the summer.These grow the next spring into leafy shoots.

The flowering stems have two leaves and a raceme of 5-15 flowers on the stem apex. The stems are tall and thin arising from the base.

 

The flowers have six white tepals fused at the base to form a sweetly scented bell-shape. It is not easy to see

what the bell encases.

The cut flowers show well.