False Lily-of-the-Valley, Maianthemum Dilatatum

Day 226: At first glance, you might mistake Maianthemum dilatatum for the Lily-of-the-Valley you thought was a good idea at the time (as the saying goes), later experiencing some degree of regret as your flower beds began sprouting it in profusion. Known as False Lily-of-the-Valley for its obvious visual similarity to the persistent garden plant, this Maianthemum is also capable of filling in shady nooks with alacrity, but perhaps not with quite the same vigour as its namesake. It is kin to much larger False Solomon's Seal and also Star-Flowered Solomon's Seal, both of which are frequently referred to in short form as "Solomon's Seal" here in the Pacific Northwest. Unlike true Lily-of-the-Valley, its flowers are not bell-shaped, but somewhat upturned to welcome a wide range of insect pollinators including bees, flies and beetles. It is only lightly fragrant. It is known to associate with several common PNW plants including Swordfern, Oxalis, Spring Beauty and Stream Violet and flourishes in the same moist soils and partial shade which these plants prefer.