woodland wildflower
Star-flowered lily-of-the-valley
Maianthemum stellatum
Also known as Starry False Lily Of The Valley, Starry False Solomon's Seal, Star-flowered Solomon's Seal
1 of 3Native to most of the USA and Canada
Alaska to Labrador, south to Virginia, Arkansas, New Mexico mountains and California
- Light Part shade to shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Dry to moist Moisture preference
- Zones 2–10 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Apr–Jun Flowering time
- Height up to 18 in to 46 cm
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland wildflower for part to full shade and dry to moist soil. Its white flowers peak in May. At up to 18 in, it suits shade gardens and woodland edges. It shrugs off drought once established. Hardy in USDA zones 2–10.
Growing conditions
Hardiness zones
When it blooms
The Star-flowered lily-of-the-valley's white flowers bloom April to June, peaking in May. This late-spring display draws bees and butterflies.
Star-flowered lily-of-the-valley blooms whiteFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Pure Green Sweat bee
also Orange-legged Furrow Bee, Golden Sweat Bee, Spurred Ceratina +15 more
Carlin's Mining Bee, Bristle Sweat Bee, Eastern Miner Bee, Cresson's Mining Bee, Dwarf Cellophane-cuckoo Bee, Cresson's Nomad Bee, Willow Flower Miner Bee, Sphecodes smilacinae, Obscure Sweat Bee, Box-headed Furrow Bee, minor cuckoo sweat bee, Pseudopanurgus compositarum, Dwarf-dandelion Mining Bee, Augochlora nominata, Augochlorella persimilis - Butterflies Pearl Crescent
also Silvery Blue, Hobomok Skipper, Northern Azure +2 more
Western Tailed-Blue, Incisalia niphon - Flower flies Margined Calligrapher also Greater Bee Fly, Eriozona erratica, Eastern Catkin Fly
- Also visited by
- Beetles: Slender Flower Longhorn Beetle
- Wasps: Fraternal Potter Wasp
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Eastern pine elfinnectar
- Pearl crescentnectar
- Silvery bluenectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Most of the USA and CanadaUnited States (41): AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY. Canada (8): AB, BC, NB, NL, NS, ON, PE, SK. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Alaska to Labrador, south to Virginia, Arkansas, New Mexico mountains and CaliforniaThe 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
- Dry to moistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 2–10 · Canadian 0–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Moist, especially sandy, 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
- Acid to neutralThe acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Drought tolerance
- HighRelative to plants of the same type and region, inferred from where it grows, not a days-without-water figure.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 18 in (to 46 cm)Typical mature height.
- Spread
- ~2 ft (0.6 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).
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Apr–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.