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auron22

Thoughts on convallaria majalis 'prolificans'?

auron22
10 years ago

I'm well aware how weedy lily of the valley are, but does anyone have experience or thoughts on the double 'prolificans'? I can't find much on the web about it and very little images come up, but any that do look fantastic. I was wondering if this was just as carefree and/or aggressive as other convallaria majalis? I don't plan on pairing it with anything, just letting it grow under a row of thuja emerald green. I figure it won't grow very far beyond the hedges since it is very sunny.

Comments (4)

  • wieslaw59
    10 years ago

    According to people in the know, Prolificans is not a double. In Prolificans each individual flower is replaced by a cluster of small bells, however each of them is single. If you want a real double, you must go for Convallaria majalis Flore Pleno , which is supposed to be a different plant. Somehow they "merged together" in some nurseries. People do not even bother to check.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    I figure it won't grow very far beyond the hedges since it is very sunny.

    ===>>> you might want to rethink this part ... i was not aware.. they only grow in shade.. and if happy.. will not become the usual problem ....

    if they dont.. it might be an issue of the arbs very dense fiborous root mass.. which might be hard to get plants established under .... its usually VERY dry under such ...

    ken

  • auron22
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    wieslaw59,
    Thank you for clarifying that up for me, I was not aware that prolificans was actually a cluster of single flowers on each end. After a quick search 'flore pleno' seems even more scarce than prolificans. I'll see if I can find any reliable nurseries with it, but so far I think I still got my eye on prolificans. I think I like it even more seeing it has a lot of flowers.

    ken_adrian,
    Based on experience and what several nurseries suggest, they certainly like the shade more. After a quick search I read on a couple care guides saying that they actually can grow in full sun....if the soil stays consistently moist. Since I was just enlightened about arbs roots, i'm still convinced the lily-of-the-valley won't get very far away from underneath the thuja. The combo of full sun and very dry soil will probably kill any that stray too far away from the shade, they would also have to compete with my grass.

    Lily of the valley have a really intense root system as well, forms like a mat just underneath the soil. An absolute nightmare weeding it out. Can it be possible for them to survive underneath my thuja and live peacefully with them, or will they be too competitive? I've actually lost one of my thuja last summer, I think it was the intense heat and dry times NW OH had.

  • woodnative
    10 years ago

    I have the double (flora pleno) as well as the common white (the white came with the house). The doulble as well as pink and variegated were added alter. The double spreads well though does not seem to grow as thickly as the regular. Pink is much slower than either and the variegate seems to be behaving too.

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