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May Lily
Maianthemum bifolium
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May Lily is a small woodland plant with two heart‑shaped leaves and a spray of tiny, star‑shaped white flowers. It grows in shady forests across much of Europe and Asia. Later it bears dark red berries. All parts, especially the berries, are poisonous.
Did you know?
- Spreads by long, thin underground stems and can form large carpets in shade.
- The tiny white flowers smell sweet and attract insects.
About the species
Identification
Small, 5–20 cm tall. Slender creeping underground stem; upright pale green stem usually slightly hairy. Two stalked leaves sit near the top; they are thin, heart‑shaped with smooth edges and a little hairy underneath. At the tip stands a short, tight cluster (1–4 cm) of many tiny, sweet‑scented white, star‑shaped flowers. Later it carries round, dark red berries. Distinguish from lily‑of‑the‑valley: May Lily’s two leaves are on the stem and the flowers are small and starry above it; lily‑of‑the‑valley has two larger leaves from the base and drooping bells. Flowers in May–June.
Plant group
Herbaceous plants
Habitat
heath forest
Toxicity
A poisonous plant – do not taste it. Source: HUS Poison Information Centre (Finland), tel. 0800 147 111.
Flowering
May–Jun
About the habitat
Grows in shade or dappled light in coniferous and mixed forests, from dry to moist sites. Also along forest edges and by streams, where the soil holds some moisture and nutrients. Common across Finland, rare in northern Lapland.
Sources
Photo: aga_l_, CC BY 4.0 https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/6234390568
Text: Pinkka: BIO-503 Suomen kasvisto ja kasvillisuus - Metsät: tuoreet kankaat, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39976
Text: Pinkka (Luomus), CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39976
Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oravanmarja
