13 Things You Didn't Know About Lily of the Valley
Like why the delicate flower is a favorite of royal brides, for starters.
This lily isn't even really a lily.
Its origins are biblical.
Legend has it that Lily of the valley sprang from Eve's tears when she was exiled from the Garden of Eden.
It's a favorite of royal brides.
Queen Victoria, Princess Astrid of Sweden, Grace Kelly, and Kate Middleton all used the white, bell-shaped buds in their wedding bouquets.
It's said to bring luck in love.
Another reason it's a wedding-bouquet favorite.
It's a classic spring flower.
Its scientific name majalis or maialis, means "of or belonging to May," so if you were born in that month, Lily of the valley is your birth flower.
It's native to muliple continents.
Including Asia, Europe, and North America, where it grows naturally in temperate forests.
They can't handle the heat.
Lily of the valley can live for decades in cool climates, but doesn't survive for long in hot weather.
It holds major significance around the world.
It became Finland's national flower in 1967 and was the floral emblem of Yugoslavia. France also celebrates La Fête du Muguet (Lily of the Valley Day) on May 1.
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The leaves were historically cultivated to produce green pigment.
Emeralds stand in nicely for the color on these Van Cleef & Arpels earrings.
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It actually belongs to the asparagus family.
Despite its name, the flower is not a lily and is scientifically classified as part of the Asparagaceae family.
Lily of the valley is a popular ingredient in perfumes and other cosmetics.
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They're sweet, but not always so friendly.
The flower is delicate and beautiful, but can be poisonous when ingested causing abdominal pain, blurred vision, drowsiness, and reduced heart rate.
It's a powerful healing tool.
Lily of the valley was used to combat gas poisoning particularly during WWI, and used as a treatment of heart disorders, epilepsy, and skin burns.
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