Plant Details

Smilacina Stellata

Star-Flowered Lily Of The Valley

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Common names

19 names · 12 languages
EnglishYour language
  • slim Solomon’s seal[1]
  • Star-flowered False Solomon's Seal[1]
  • Star-Flowered Lily Of The Valley
+3 more namesShow fewer names
  • star-flowered lily-of-the-valley[1]
  • Starry False Solomon's-seal[1]
  • starry Solomon's-seal[1]
Other languages (11)
Dutch
  • Troslelietje[1]
  • Valse salomonszegel
French
  • Sceau de Salomon étoilé
  • smilacine étoilée[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 星花舞鹤草[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 星花舞鶴草[1]
Finnish
  • tähtirotkokielo[1]
Ojibwe
  • Anungokauh[1]
Polish
  • majówka gwiazdkowata[1]
Russian
  • Майник звёздчатый[1]
Slovak
  • tôňovka hviezdovitá[1]
Swedish
  • stjärnrams[1]
Ukrainian
  • Веснівка зірчаста[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Maianthemum stellatum — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • star-flowered lily-of-the-valley — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • Starry False Solomon's-seal — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • starry Solomon's-seal — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • Star-flowered False Solomon's Seal — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • tähtirotkokielo — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • Майник звёздчатый — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • Anungokauh — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • smilacine étoilée — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • stjärnrams — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • 星花舞鹤草 — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • Troslelietje — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • 星花舞鶴草 — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • slim Solomon’s seal — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • majówka gwiazdkowata — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • tôňovka hviezdovitá — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.
  • Веснівка зірчаста — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 53268; Maianthemum stellatum.

General information

Scientific name: Smilacina Stellata
Accepted name (Kew): Maianthemum stellatum View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited taxonomic treatment. Botanical references may use alternative names.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Asparagaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Smilacina (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Star-Flowered Lily Of The Valley
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous, Ground cover
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.60 m
Spread: 0.60 m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: None

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3-7
Soil moisture:
Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral
Light:
Shade, Partial shade

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Fruit, Root
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
None

Description

Fruit: edible raw or cooked. The fruit, the size of a pea, grows in clusters of 2 to 8 berries. The fruit has a sweet, bitter taste reminiscent of syrup and is a good source of vitamin C, which can help prevent scurvy. Excessive consumption can have a laxative effect, but cooking eliminates this. Young leaves: edible raw or cooked. The young shoots that grow in spring can serve as an alternative to asparagus. Additionally, the young leaves and shoots are suitable as a vegetable after being cooked. Root: edible after cooking. The roots should first be soaked in alkaline water to reduce the unpleasant taste. They can then be eaten like potatoes.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/08
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: WCVP version 16, wcvp_names.csv: Smilacina stellata (L.) Desf., name ID 288330, row 1163323; Maianthemum stellatum (L.) Link, name ID 281249, row 1163308
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1145762; name ID 287301; Smilacina Desf.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Smilacina stellata

    Taxonomic data from WCVP, version 16.0, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. This shares the Kew WCVP evidence base cited on this page.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 2472106, ID 6Z497: Smilacina stellata (L.) Desf. (synonym). Accepted target: Maianthemum stellatum (L.) Link, ID 3XJB3, line 586139.

    Source checked on .