On the eve of May 1, the horticulturalists of the Nantes region no longer know where to look.
We had to recruit seasonal workers, pick, load and condition this flower, symbol of Labor Day.
"The weather was ideal, it came out just in time," explains Frédérique, in Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu (Loire-Atlantique), in the heart of the producing region.
In 2020, the bells had been left in the fields because of the confinement, a real heartbreak.
But not this year.
Tons and tons of these fragrant white flowers will be well sold this Friday: 60 million sprigs and 2 million pots for Nantes market gardeners who claim 90% of production.
Specificity of lily of the valley, all these bells must be flowered and ready on the stalls on the same day.
A tour de force, "which requires not very natural refrigeration and precision logistics that do not match our values," said Hortense Harang, creator of the Fleurs here brand.
She still sells a few bouquets with white bells, but only from a small producer in Sarthe and destined for the Paris region.
Look for the label
The claws (a kind of root) remain in the ground for five years and the bells do not appear until the third year. To have pretty flowers at the end of April, the plants are "forced", sometimes kept in hibernation until mid-March in the "Nantes tunnels", plasticized protections or under frames. Once hatched, the flowers are kept in refrigerated rooms. Some of the producers are making efforts: in the florist or in the supermarket, their products can be recognized by the “fleurs de France” or “plant blue” labels.
These logos mean that horticulturalists respect serious environmental specifications recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture.
“For logistics or refrigeration, there are no requirements.
On the other hand, on inputs, renewable energies or water management, real efforts are being made ”, explains Sylvie Robert, general delegate of the association Excellence vegetale, which promotes quality labels in horticulture.
Pick or plant
You may also prefer to pluck its sprigs in the forest.
It is also necessary to know the corners with lilies of the valley, generally in the shade, far from the paths.
"The flowers are smaller and more fragile than those bought from florists, but they have so much more value", estimates Béatrice, Ile-de-France, who is used to these lily of the valley outings in the spring.
Her advice: wash your hands well after picking because this plant, from the tulip family, "smells divine but it is poisonous".
Read alsoBut yes, you can also buy local and seasonal flowers
If this tinkerbell of the undergrowth is not protected, the National Forestry Office recommends not to exaggerate: too large a collection may be subject to a fine, or even criminal penalties.
The custom is to tolerate "what the hand can contain", ie ten to fifteen stems per person and not to tear off the bulb, so that it can reproduce.
The other option is to make your own harvest.
If you are offered lily of the valley in a pot, you can keep the pot and water it from time to time indoors.
If you plant it in the ground, it should bloom again the following year.
As long as you reserve a place for it in the shade.
Put your sprigs in the ground in October, to see it bloom in May.
