Maianthemum species have heart shaped leaves and edible berries.
They are a shade-loving spring flower for the water garden.
In early spring, tiny shoots lie dormant underneath the forest floor.
This beautiful, shade-loving groundcover is the False Lily of the Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum).
This perennial loves wet, shady areas and is a common plant in deciduous and coniferous forests.
The common name False Lily of the Valley can refer to severalMaianthemumspecies, including Maianthemum dilatum and Maianthemum canadense.
This common name is derived from the Latin name for the plant.
The flowers distinguish it from the true lily.
Plants in thelily familygenerally flower in threes, but false lily of the valley flowers in groups of four.
They range from a greenish-gold to red in color.
The berries are sour and should generally be stored in water or dried before eating.
Children love the tiny berries, since they look like miniature marbles.
For this reason, some also call the plant bead ruby.
It is also called snakeberry, likely for the speckled coloration of the berries.
A word of caution: unlike False Lily of the Valley, true Lily of the Valley is poisonous.
It grows most easily from rhizomes that can be purchased in the fall at native plant nurseries.
These long, thin roots yield a small number of leaves the first spring.
Maianthemumspecies make excellent groundcovers for areas beside the pond.
