Showy spikes, lush leaves and sweet scent all help to sell these appealing plants, writes Miranda Kimberley.Maianthemum is a lovely plant that suits a position in a moist, woodland garden. It is similar to "Solomon's seal" in having large, lush leaves that hang from arching stems. Some of the flower spikes produce a decorative fluffy mass, but there are othersthat bear dainty star-shaped flowers, earning them the common name "false lily of the valley".The genus is often reclassified into different families—originally Liliaceae, sometimes Ruscaceae, but now botanists are leaning towards Asparagaceae. There are 20 species, found in North America, Central America, northern Europe and eastern Asia. Theyare generally perennials with creeping rhizomes, explaining the invasive tendency. But some species are epiphytic. Their leaves are a nice mid- to dark-green, often with conspicuous veins, ovate to lanceolate or heart-shaped, arranged alternately up thestems. The leaves often clasp the stem, creating a nice effect.
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