Maianthemum bifolium (false lily of the valley or May lily[1]) is often a localized common rhizomatous flowering plant, native from western Europe (including Britain[2]) east to Siberia, China and Japan.

[3] Non-flowering stems usually have only one waxy leaf, but on flowering plants there is one basal leaf that withers away before flowering, and two stem leaves produced alternately up the 10–20 cm tall stems,[4] which are topped off with many star-shaped white flowers.

One to two seeds are produced in round,[4] initially green berries that are speckled red when immature and turn completely red with age.

The whole plant, including the berries contains cardiac glycosides and just a few grams can be poisonous to humans when ingested.

It prefers partial shade, well drained and slightly acidic soil.