How to get rid of lily of the valley—and what to grow instead

It’s a beautiful ground cover, but it comes with a lot of problems.

Lily of the valley seems like the perfect plant for your garden. It emits a sweet, intoxicating scent, and its bell-shaped blooms add a touch of whimsy. Despite its charming appearance, however, this popular perennial has a darker side.

If you’ve got lily of the valley and it’s started to spread, it’s worth taking action sooner rather than later. We spoke with gardening experts about how to remove this troublesome plant safely and what they recommend growing instead.

Meet Our Expert

• Teri Speight, landscape gardener, gardening coach, podcast host, and co-author of The Urban Garden
• Niki Jabbour, founder of Savvy Gardening and the author of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener
• Steve Conaway, director of horticulture at New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill

Related: 6 Invasive Ground Covers You Should Never Plant—and What to Grow Instead

The Problems With Lily of the Valley

Lily of the valley is considered invasive in the United States, spreading very quickly and aggressively and often smothering native plants. “It has a growth habit that relies on spreading via rhizomes, creating dense patches,” says Steve Conaway, director of horticulture at New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill.

Because of this, lily of the valley is very difficult to get rid of. It often escapes cultivation and will move into lawns and natural areas, says Niki Jabbour, founder of Savvy Gardening. Once it escapes cultivation, it can continue spreading into natural areas, where it displaces other plants and is difficult to eradicate.

Beyond its invasive habit, lily of the valley is also toxic. All parts of the plant contain cardiac glycosides, which can cause serious poisoning if ingested by people or pets, says Conaway. So while it’s lovely to look at and smell, it’s best to remove lily of the valley from the garden before it starts spreading out of control.

Removal Methods

There are two removal methods that experts recommend, and that will get rid of lily of the valley for good.

Dig It Up

Since lily of the valley spreads via underground rhizomes, the most effective removal method is to dig up the plant and dispose of it. “I do this with a garden fork that I push underneath the mat of roots, lifting up as much of the root system as I can,” says Jabbour.

After you’ve dug it up, place the plant and its roots into a garbage bag. “Don’t try to compost the plants, as they’ll root in the compost pile and continue to spread,” she says.

Patience is key. Remove as much of the root system as you can, says gardening coach Teri Speight—but you won’t get every piece, so you’ll have to remove new plants as they pop up until the lily of the valley in your yard has been completely eradicated.

Cover With Cardboard

Another option is to cover lily of the valley with cardboard, which will deprive the plant of light and weaken its roots. You’ll need enough cardboard to cover the entire patch, as well as at least a foot beyond the edge of the plants, says Jabbour.

“Begin by cutting or mowing your lily of the valley down to ground level. Water well and then cover with cardboard. Walk over the cardboard to ensure it’s in direct contact with the soil,” she says.

Speight recommends covering the cardboard with about 3 inches of mulch to keep light out and restrict new growth. Leave the cardboard in place for a full year. “Expect that you’ll still need to dig out the occasional lily of the valley plant,” says Jabbour.

What to Grow Instead

Lily of the valley is a beautiful ground cover that you may not want to part with, but there are many other plants experts recommend growing instead for a similar look—without the downsides.

• Foamflower: This plant produces beautiful, foamy white flowers and attractive, ground-hugging foliage, says Conaway. Like lily of the valley, it also has a sweet scent.
• Canada mayflower: Just like lily of the valley, Canada mayflower has low-growing foliage and lovely white flowers.
• Bigroot geranium: “It’s one of my favorite ground covers for its ease of cultivation, pretty flowers, and foliage—and its non-aggressive growth habit,” says Jabbour.
• Snowdrop: Just like lily of the valley, snowdrop produces sculptural white blooms—it’s a show-stopping ground cover. 

Read the original article on Martha Stewart