Maianthemum henryi

May Lily Asparagaceae

A Maianthemum with a surprisingly luxurious perfume—proof that woodland flowers don’t need to be large to make their presence felt. Maianthemum henryi is a graceful rhizomatous perennial from the mountains of central and southern China, where it grows in cool, shaded woodland and forest margins.

It forms elegant stems carrying broadly ovate, pointed leaves, above which appear loose sprays of small, creamy-white, star-like flowers in late spring. Their modest size is more than compensated for by their wonderfully sweet fragrance, which can be surprisingly powerful when the plant is in full flower. The scent is particularly enjoyable in the still air of a woodland planting or shady garden corner.

The flowers are followed by rounded berries, developing from green before maturing through yellowish tones to red. With time, the rhizomes form a handsome colony, making it an excellent companion for ferns, Polygonatum and other woodland perennials.

Grow in partial or dappled shade, in fertile, humus-rich soil that remains reliably moist but well drained. It appreciates cool conditions and should not be allowed to dry out for prolonged periods during summer.

The species commemorates Augustine Henry, the Irish physician and plant collector whose extensive work in China contributed greatly to Western knowledge of the country’s flora.

Height: 30–60cm
Spread: 40–70cm
Flowering: May–June
Fruiting: July–September
Hardiness: H5, approximately -15 to -10°C
Position: Partial shade to shade
Soil: Moist, fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil
Habit: Rhizomatous woodland perennial