Maianthemum stellatum

STARRY FALSE

LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY

Maianthemum stellatum
STARRY FALSE LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY
Syn. Smilacina stellata

Maianthemum stellatum is just as delightful as Lily-of-the-Valley, with sweet pretty scent, but starry white flowers instead of bells.
Otherwise it behaves just like normal Lily-of-the-Valley.

Sweet pretty scent from starry white blooms

Maianthemum stellatum blooms a little later than normal Lily-of-the-Valley, in late spring and early summer.
So it extends the season of enchantment.
When each stem bears heads of starry white blooms (up to 15 stars on a stem) wafting sweet, gentle perfume and brightly lighting up the shaded areas under trees and shrubs.

Groundcover under trees & shrubs

Starry False Lily-of-the-Valley spreads by rhizomes as an easy, low care groundcover under trees and shrubs.
So it is not invasive but does form a useful dense carpet to help out-compete weeds.
Mercifully it is not as pernickety to grow as true Lily-of-the-Valley, and is much more forgiving and tolerant of a wide range of conditions.
30-45cm High in spring-summer flower x 45-60cm. Wide dense clumps of foliage resembling Lily-of-the-Valley leaves.

Perfect in dappled & deciduous shade

Maianthemum stellatum just loves pottering around amongst the leaf litter, humus or mulch under trees, shrubs and rose bushes.
Partly shaded conditions, like dappled light and shade all year, or deciduous summer shade, are perfect.
Though it can thrive in full shade, flowering will be reduced – and the flowers are such a treat.
Starry False Lily-of-the-Valley is completely frost hardy.

Low maintenance & easy care groundcover

Maianthemum stellatum requires only average, normal garden watering, but regularly.
While it is not a water-guzzler, it is not tolerant of long periods of dry either.
But is helped by mulch, compost or leaf litter over summer.
It is not usually plagued by any pests or diseases and just gets on with the job with little help needed from us.

Tolerates a wide range of soils

Dear little Maianthemum stellatum grows in a wide range of soils – from sandy, to garden loam, to clay soils – of both acid or alkaline pH.

Edible berries

The starry blooms are followed by striped berries that are red black.
So the berries are both very decorative, and useful for cooking.
They have a tart, fruity flavour when ripe.

Traditional medicinal herb

Maianthemum stellatum is a widespread native plant in North America.
So the First Nations people of several tribes used it for medicine to treat stomach, menstrual and venereal disorders.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: Cold-warm-cold

Sow seeds of Maianthemum stellatum at any time of year when suitable temperatures are available / or scatter in the garden in autumn.
Seeds must experience a period of moist cold to germinate.

First soak the seeds in water for 24 hours.
Then place the seeds in a clip-lock bag with some moist sand or vermiculite to keep them hydrated.

Now keep the seeds moist in the sealed clip-lock bag for 2 months at room temperature.
Temperatures around 20C are optimum.
Check occasionally to make sure the sand/vermiculite remains moist (not wet).
And of course date when they have to come out.

Then after 2 months, moisten the sand/vermiculate again and place the clip-lock bag in the fridge (not freezer) for 3 months.
Date again.

After 3 months in the fridge, once again bring the seed bag out to room temperature (temperatures around 20C are optimum).
Keep at room temperature for 2 months.
Check the bag occasionally to make sure the sand/vermiculite remains moist.

Then once again return the moist seed bag to the fridge for 2 months.

Finally take the seeds out and sow in small pots 5mm deep in quality seed raising mix.
Continue to keep moist.
Seeds will then germinate at all different times – so do not discard the pots too quickly (we have come this far – don’t give up now).

Seed Count: 5 seeds per pack (Seeds are scarce).

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