Lily of the valley
Lily of the valley is the flower of royal weddings — famously in Kate Middleton's and Grace Kelly's bouquets — one of the most powerfully-fragrant and most expensive cut flowers per stem. Only 4-6 weeks of season, 3-5 day vase life once cut. In France, the May 1 tradition of gifting muguet creates a demand spike unmatched by any other single-day event.
| Family | Asparagaceae |
|---|---|
| Origin | Europe; commercially grown Netherlands, France, Germany |
| Peak season | May |
| Availability | April to June |
| Stem length | 15–25 cm |
| Vase life | 3–5 days |
| Colors | white |
| Price tier | premium |
Cool water, gentle handling. Sell within 24 hours of purchase — vase life is short.
- •One of the most fragrant flowers in floristry — subtle and sweet
- •Very short season and vase life — extreme luxury flower
- •Cultural significance: May 1 in France (Fête du Muguet)
- •Highly toxic — wear gloves; keep away from pets and children
2 named lily of the valley cultivars from the Lacy Bird master catalogue — each a distinct commercial variety.
Entries marked ✦ come from the Acanta master catalogue — the shared database of cut flowers, forms, colours and named varieties that florists and studios build on. The rest are our editorial genus reference. What is Acanta →
Bouquet Builder — by Lacy BirdDesign the bouquet. See it as a photo.
Botanical reference
- Common name
- European Lily Of The Valley
- Also known as
- muguet, Convallaria bracteata, Convallaria fragrans, Convallaria latifolia, Convallaria linnaei, Convallaria majalis abchasica, Convallaria majalis angustifolia, Convallaria majalis bracteosa, Convallaria majalis flore-pleno, Convallaria majalis flore-purpurascente, Convallaria majalis laminaris, Convallaria majalis latifolia
- Distribution
- Albania, Askim, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark
- Uses
- medicinal plant
Open-data sources: GBIF, Wikidata (CC0/CC BY)
Frequently asked questions
When is Lily of the valley in season?
Lily of the valley peaks in May, and florists can usually source it April to June. Availability shifts by region and greenhouse supply.
How long does Lily of the valley last in a vase?
Expect 3–5 days with proper conditioning — a clean vase, fresh water every couple of days, flower food, and a cool spot away from ripening fruit and direct heat.
What can I use instead of Lily of the valley?
Good substitutes for Lily of the valley include Stephanotis, Sweet pea. Match on look, colour and season — our substitute finder ranks the closest alternatives.
What does Lily of the valley symbolise?
Lily of the valley is associated with return of happiness, sweetness, humility, purity.
How do you care for cut Lily of the valley?
One of the most fragrant flowers in floristry — subtle and sweet
Related flowers
Free to quote and cite with attribution and a link back, for non-commercial and editorial use (blogs, journalism, classrooms, research).
Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — “Lily of the valley”. https://lacybird.com/flowers/lily-of-the-valley/<a href="https://lacybird.com/flowers/lily-of-the-valley/">Lacy Bird Flower Encyclopedia — Lily of the valley</a>