Lily of the valley

Family Liliaceae. Widely distributed in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere.

Perennial plant with a cord-like, branching, creeping rhizome. Leaves usually 2, less often 1–3, basal, broadly lanceolate or obovate with a long sheath. Flowering stem leafless, up to 30 cm high. Inflorescence — a one-sided, sparse raceme consisting of 6–20 flowers. Flowers nodding, on long curved pedicels with membranous bracts, strongly pleasantly scented. The perianth is white, globular, bell-shaped with six reflexed lobes, white or pale pink. Blooms from mid-spring to early summer. Fruit — a red berry.

Has several garden forms: The cultivar Rosea bears flowers that blush like the cheeks of a shy girl, while the cultivar Flore Pleno has large flowers with a double perianth, dazzling white. Fortin's Giant and Grandiflora have surpassed all in flower size. Very attractive is the cultivar Пролиферанс — with double flowers. Among breeding novelties, the cultivar Albistratia with its striped yellow-white flowers and the broad-leaved garden form Латифолия with double pinkish flowers draw attention. Original cultivars: Вариегата, with striped leaves (green with yellow striping along the veins); Хардвик Холл with green leaves edged in gold.

based on materials from the website www.flower.onego.ru