top navigation:

Native Plant Propagation Guidelines:
forbs

Maianthemum dilatatum (false lily-of-the-valley)

Category: 
forbs

photo by Dave Polster

Low-growing (10-25 cm tall) perennial from slender, branched, creeping rhizomes. Smooth, heart-shaped leaves up to 10 cm long, usually two per stem. Cylindrical shaped terminal clusters of small, white, delicately perfumed flowers stand above the leaves. Fruit is small, round, pale green /mottled berry which turns dark red (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994). Photo by Dave Polster.

Scientific Name: 

Maianthemum dilatatum (A. Wood) Nels. & J. F. MacBr.

Family: 
Liliaceae
English Name: 
false lily-of-the-valley
Other Names: 
two-leaved false Solomon’s seal

Geographical Range and Habitat Requirements

Ecological Setting: 

Moist to wet shaded woodlands, and stream banks at low to middle elevations.

Soil Texture: 

Moist, slow draining, humus rich soils.

Nutrients: 
n/a
Soil Reaction and Salinity: 
n/a
Moisture Regime: 

Moist, humus rich soils that don’t totally dry out in summer. Takes short periods of water-logged soil in winter.

Shade Tolerance: 

Shade to part shade.

Successional Status: 
n/a
BEC Zone and GOE Community Status: 
n/a

Uses

Site Rehabilitation: 
n/a
Wildlife: 
n/a
Landscaping: 

Groundcover in woodland areas or under shrubs.

First Nations: 

Berries were used as food but not relished (Gunther, 1973). The Makah chewed roots and swallowed juice to correct sterility. The Quinault pounded roots and soaked them in water which was rubbed on sore eyes (Gunther, 1973). Several groups used the leaves on cuts; the Cowichan drank root tea to heal internal injuries (Pojar and MacKinnon, 1994).

Other Uses: 
n/a

Seed Propagation

Flowering Time: 

May

Fruit Ripening Time: 

August

Seed Collection Time: 

September

Crop Intervals: 

Annual

Number of Seeds per Kilogram: 

  

Seed Viability: 

    

Fruit and Seed Collection and Extraction: 

      

Seed Storage: 

                  

Fruit/Seed Dormancy and Treatment: 

         

Vegetative Propagation

Can be propagated from root cuttings in the fall.

Outplanting Characteristics and Requirements

     

Seed and Cutting Propagation Techniques

        

Additional Information and Photos

For more information and pictures, visit the E-Flora BC website at www.eflora.bc.ca.

?>