Canada Mayflower has light green oval leaves that are pointed on the end. A small spike of white flowers sticks up from the plant and the plant is in front of a dark brown log.
Three Canada Mayflower leaves poke up from the forest floor. They are lime green and have a deep midvein. They are growing among pennsylvania sedge..
Lots of lime green Canada Mayflower plants are crowded together like a ground cover with decaying leaves just showing through. The plants have the buds of flowers .
Many Canada mayflower plants sit on a small ledge above a creek.
A single canada mayflower plant with stalk higher than the leaves and has a cluster of white flowers. The shadow of the flowers is on one leaf.
Five Canada Mayflower plants are in focus with their white clusters of flowers sticking up from the stalk. The background is out of focus and contains a flowering bunchberry plant
Two canada mayflower plants with two leaves each have wide lime green leaves. They have small white flowers sticking up above the leaves and are on the forest floor.
Canada Mayflower berries will eventually turn pink and then red.
Late in the season, Canada Mayflower leaves start to yellow and the berries turn bright red. They are usually eaten by woodland birds.
Canada Mayflower has light green oval leaves that are pointed on the end. A small spike of white flowers sticks up from the plant and the plant is in front of a dark brown log.
Three Canada Mayflower leaves poke up from the forest floor. They are lime green and have a deep midvein. They are growing among pennsylvania sedge..
Lots of lime green Canada Mayflower plants are crowded together like a ground cover with decaying leaves just showing through. The plants have the buds of flowers .
Many Canada mayflower plants sit on a small ledge above a creek.
A single canada mayflower plant with stalk higher than the leaves and has a cluster of white flowers. The shadow of the flowers is on one leaf.
Five Canada Mayflower plants are in focus with their white clusters of flowers sticking up from the stalk. The background is out of focus and contains a flowering bunchberry plant
Two canada mayflower plants with two leaves each have wide lime green leaves. They have small white flowers sticking up above the leaves and are on the forest floor.
Canada Mayflower berries will eventually turn pink and then red.
Late in the season, Canada Mayflower leaves start to yellow and the berries turn bright red. They are usually eaten by woodland birds.

Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

from $5.50

Canada Mayflower is another plant in the Maianthemum genus. It is rather small topping out at 6-8 inches. Plants usually have 1-3 leaves. Plants with one leaf are sterile and those that are fertile have 2 or 3. The leaves are shiny, lime-green and have a deep vein down the center.

Flowers are in a small cluster atop a stalk that arises from the leaves. Flowers, usually in pairs, are small and white with four tepals that curve backward. Berries form after bees and flies visit the plant to collect pollen. There is no nectar. Berries are pink with red spots.

Canada Mayflower can spread by rhizome and form a ground cover if conditions are right. It prefers cool temperatures, so may be found most often in boreal habitat and in cool microhabitats all around the state.

Birds and small mammals eat the seeds, dispersing them.

Companion Plants: blue-stemmed goldenrod, barren strawberry, trillium, spring beauty, pretty sedge, other woodland sedges

Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Canada Mayflower

height: 6-8 inches

bloom time: May-June

soil: acidic, rich, medium-dry

sun: partial, shade

plant spacing: 6”

flower: white (berry: pink-red)

life cycle: perennial

family: Convallariaceae

seed source: Michigan

Sizes:

Canada Mayflower is another plant in the Maianthemum genus. It is rather small topping out at 6-8 inches. Plants usually have 1-3 leaves. Plants with one leaf are sterile and those that are fertile have 2 or 3. The leaves are shiny, lime-green and have a deep vein down the center.

Flowers are in a small cluster atop a stalk that arises from the leaves. Flowers, usually in pairs, are small and white with four tepals that curve backward. Berries form after bees and flies visit the plant to collect pollen. There is no nectar. Berries are pink with red spots.

Canada Mayflower can spread by rhizome and form a ground cover if conditions are right. It prefers cool temperatures, so may be found most often in boreal habitat and in cool microhabitats all around the state.

Birds and small mammals eat the seeds, dispersing them.

Companion Plants: blue-stemmed goldenrod, barren strawberry, trillium, spring beauty, pretty sedge, other woodland sedges

Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Canada Mayflower

height: 6-8 inches

bloom time: May-June

soil: acidic, rich, medium-dry

sun: partial, shade

plant spacing: 6”

flower: white (berry: pink-red)

life cycle: perennial

family: Convallariaceae

seed source: Michigan

Michigan puts this plant as well as the other Maianthemums in family Convallariaceae. Minnesota Wildflowers states that these plants were formerly in Liliaceae (Lily) but have now been reassigned to Ruscaceae. I have kept the Convallariacea assigned by Michigan Flora.