How Does Lily-of-the-Valley Reproduce?
By Seed Many plants can self-fertilize, but Lily-of-the-Valley is always self-sterile. More than one parent plant is necessary if the plant is to set seed. After the flowers are pollinated, Lily-of-the-Valley develops glossy red-orange berries. Each berry holds a few seeds. These seeds are difficult to germinate under artificial conditions. Generally it is best to sow seeds in flats in late winter. Cover the seeds with compost, and hold them in a cold frame or greenhouse. Seeds may germinate in 2 months, but germination can take up to a year. Seedlings should be transplanted to individual pots. By Rhizome Lily-of-the-Valley reproduces by seed, but it spreads by rhizomes. Rhizomes are horizontal plant stems that usually grow underground. Each rhizome has at least one, and often several, nodes. Shoots grow upward from the node, developing into new stems, leaves and flowers. Roots grow downward from the node. This ability to spread by rhizomes can result in Lily-of-the-Valley becoming inv
