Growli
Let's go

Repotting guide

When & how to repot Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)

Also called May lily, May bells, our lady's tears.

About Lily of the valley

Convallaria majalis · also called May lily, May bells · flowering

Lily of the valley is a shade-loving perennial with broad green leaves and tiny fragrant white bells in late spring. Spreads by rhizome to make ground cover. Severely toxic to pets and people — every part contains cardiac glycosides.

Convallaria majalis is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial of Europe and Central Asia (naturalized in temperate North America and invasive in parts of the northern US), forming a low 8–12 in groundcover of arching white bells.

Easily grown in moist, fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil; thrives in the difficult low-light, root-competition zones of woodland borders.

Mature size: 15-25 cm tall

Sources: missouribotanicalgarden.org, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How to tell lily of the valley needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For lily of the valley, watch for these signs:

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot lily of the valley

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest. Rather than a true repot, lily of the valley is lifted and divided once the clump congests and flowering drops off. Rhizomatous spreading perennial.

What size pot to step lily of the valley up to

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant lily of the valley, set the bulbs or tubers at the correct depth (a rough guide: two to three times their own height of soil over the top) and space them so they are not touching. A wide, shallow pot suits a clump better than a tall narrow one.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot lily of the valley

The only safe window is dormancy: wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, lift and divide then, and replant before or at the start of the next growing season. Disturbing lily of the valley in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Step-by-step: repotting lily of the valley

  1. Wait for dormancy. Let lily of the valley foliage yellow and die back completely. Lifting while it is in growth wastes the energy it is storing for next year.
  2. Lift carefully. Loosen the soil well away from the bulbs/tubers with a fork and ease the whole clump out without spearing them.
  3. Separate the offsets. Gently pull the clump apart into individual bulbs or tubers. Keep only firm, healthy, blemish-free ones.
  4. Replant at the right depth. Reset them in fresh rich woodland loam at the correct depth and spacing — not touching — so each has room to bulk up.
  5. Water in and rest. Water once to settle them, then keep on the dry side until growth resumes. Do not feed until leaves are actively growing.

Aftercare

After replanting lily of the valley, keep the soil barely moist — not wet — until shoots appear; bulbs and tubers rot in cold, saturated soil. Once leaves are growing strongly, resume normal watering. Hold off feeding until the plant is in active growth again.

The right soil mix for lily of the valley

Lily of the valley wants rich woodland loam. Humus-rich; pH 6.0-7.0. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting lily of the valley — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot lily of the valley?

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest for lily of the valley. Lily of the valley is lifted and divided, not "repotted". Every 3–4 years, once the foliage has died back and it is dormant, lift the clump, separate the offsets, and replant at the correct depth in rich woodland loam. Crowding, not pot size, is what reduces flowering over time.

What size pot does lily of the valley need?

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant lily of the valley, set the bulbs or tubers at the correct depth (a rough guide: two to three times their own height of soil over the top) and space them so they are not touching. A wide, shallow pot suits a clump better than a tall narrow one. Use our pot size calculator to size it from the plant's current pot and root spread.

When is the best time of year to repot lily of the valley?

The only safe window is dormancy: wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, lift and divide then, and replant before or at the start of the next growing season. Disturbing lily of the valley in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Do you "repot" lily of the valley, or lift and divide it?

You lift and divide it. Lily of the valley grows from bulbs or tubers, so instead of repotting you wait for dormancy, lift the congested clump, separate the healthy offsets, and replant them at the right depth and spacing. Doing this every 3–4 years restores flowering.

Should you fertilise lily of the valley after repotting?

Hold off feeding lily of the valley until it is in active growth again. Fresh soil already carries enough nutrients to get it re-established, and feeding disturbed roots too soon does more harm than good.

Related guides