Wild Lily of the Valley Adaptations

Water Loving

• Wild lily of the valley plants can handle moist soil conditions well. This is due to the native habitat of the forest floor. Rain soaks into the soil, and the leaf litter on the floor of the forest acts as a mulch, locking in moisture. Since the wild lily of the valley evolved in this environment.

Shade Tolerant

• Wild lily of the valley is a shade tolerant since it typically grows wild on the forest floor of forests. Forest floors are shaded. Large trees growing high up in the canopy provide little light for the plants below. Growing in shady conditions is an adaptation to this environment. (Ref 1)

Rhizome Growth

• Wild lily of the valley plants not only procreate using seeds, they also spread underground using their rhizomes creating runner plants. Since forest fires are common in where wild lily of the valley grows, they adapted to survive underground as rhizomes until the fire danger ends. Even with the plant's top portion burned away, the wild lily of the valley rhizomes grow back.

Berries

• Wild lily of the valley plants produce red berries after the flowers fade. These berries are food for animals, such as birds, that eat them. The birds spread the wild lily of the valley seeds to distant areas.