woodland wildflower
Canada mayflower
Maianthemum canadense
Also known as False Lily-of-the-valley
1 of 2Native to much of the USA and southern Canada
Labrador to Manitoba and Carter county, Montana, south to Delaware, Pennsylvania, upland Georgia and Tennessee, Indiana, northeastern Iowa and Wyoming
- Light Part shade to shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Moist to wet Moisture preference
- Zones 1–8 Cold to heat range
- Bloom May–Jun Flowering time
- Height up to 10 in to 25 cm
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland wildflower for part to full shade and consistently moist to wet soil. Its white flowers peak in May. At up to 10 in, it tucks into shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 1–8.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
When it blooms
The Canada mayflower's white flowers bloom May to June, peaking in May. This early-spring ephemeral draws bees and flower flies.
Canada mayflower blooms whiteFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Half-black Bumble Bee
also Orange-legged Furrow Bee, Cresson's Sweat Bee, Snowy Mining Bee +5 more
Singular Miner Bee, Macoupin County sweat bee, Quebec Sweat Bee, Cuneate Nomad Bee, Milwaukee Mining Bee - Flower flies Greater Bee Fly
also Pygmy Bee Fly, Hairy-eyed Halfband, Beautiful Patterneye +5 more
Boreal Bristleside, Hine's Leafwalker, Symmetric Globetail, Carposcalis confusa, Tropidia quadrata - Moths Phaeolita pyramusalis
- Also visited by
- Butterflies: Incisalia niphon
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Eastern pine elfinnectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Much of the USA and southern CanadaUnited States (31): CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY. Canada (6): MB, NB, NL, NS, ON, PE. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Labrador to Manitoba and Carter county, Montana, south to Delaware, Pennsylvania, upland Georgia and Tennessee, Indiana, northeastern Iowa and WyomingThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Part shade to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- Moist to wetThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1–8 · Canadian 0–8The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Moist to mesic, humus-rich soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- Mildly acid to mildly alkalineThe acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 10 in (to 25 cm)Typical mature height.
- Spread
- ~3 ft (1 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- RapidA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- May–JunWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- WhiteThe bloom color, or colors.
- Fruit/Seeds
- ripens Jun–SepThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.