CONVALLAPJA 



THE BULB BOOK 



CONVALLAPJA 



CONVALLARIA ( convallis, a 

 valley ; rica, a mantle ; in allusion 

 to the dense covering of leaves). Nat. 

 Ord. LiliaceoB. — In a book devoted to 

 bulbous and tuberous plants it is 

 rather difficult to squeeze in a plant 

 like Lily of the Valley, which really 

 has neither bulbs nor tubers. It is, 

 however, so generally associated with 

 plants of this character, and it also 

 has creeping root-stocks and fleshy 

 crowns, that it may appropriately 

 find a place in this volume. 



C. majalis (Lily of the Valley). — 

 Notwithstanding the fact that the 



Fio. 99.— Convallaria majalis. (h.) 



Lily of the Valley is a native — 

 although a rare one— of England, it 

 is one of the most popular of garden 

 plants. It has a creeping under- 

 ground rhizome, from which arise 



shoots usually bearing two, but 

 sometimes three, ovate lance-shaped 

 leaves, 6 to 8 ins. long, deep green, 

 smooth, and leathery in texture. In 

 the open air the beautiful, drooping, 

 broad, and flatly bell-shaped blossoms 

 are borne in May or June on angular 

 stalks 6 to 12 ins. high, springing up 

 at the side of the leaves. The flowers 

 are pure white, with six short recurved 

 lobes, and from ten to twenty are 

 borne on each stalk, emitting a 

 delightful perfume. If allowed to 

 wither, they are succeeded by round, 

 fleshy, red berries containing the 

 seeds in autumn. 



There are now many varieties of 

 Lily of the Valley in cultivation, 

 differing chiefly in the size, purity of 

 colour, and number of the blossoms 

 or " bells " borne on the stalks. There 

 are Dutch and German varieties, the 

 latter being considered best for forc- 

 ing purposes. Such varieties as 

 Fortin's, Giant-floivered, and Victoria 

 are perhaps the most popular ; but 

 others such as pi'olificans (which has 

 large white flowers flushed with pink), 

 7'osea (rose-tinted), and flore pleno (a 

 poor form with " double " flowers) are 

 also known. 



Open - air Cultuee. — Provided 

 Lilies of the Valley are planted in 

 a rich loamy soil, well drained and 

 containing a certain amount of sand 

 or grit, and in a moist, partially 

 shaded position, there is practically 

 no difficulty in growing them to 

 perfection. A position facing north 

 or west is generally a good one. The 

 best time for planting the " crowns " 

 or growths from the creeping root- 

 stocks is in September or October. 

 The fattest and plumpest crowns are 

 those most likely to flower the follow- 

 ing year, as they have already been 

 in existence for a couple of seasons. 

 The thin-pointed crowns, although 

 perfectly sound and healthy, represent 



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