Are you looking for Maianthemim Canadense aka Canada Mayflower, May lily, false lily of the valley? It's a fairly common native plant in hardiness zones 3-8. Blooms in May which makes them easier to spot on a hike through the woods.

Hard to pinpoint exactly where they might be growing in the midwest; probably in any forested area. And you don't say where you are beyond "my area".

It might not be such a garden thug where you are(Maianthemum canadense: False lily-of-the-valley), but you may want to make sure your friend really wants it in the garden because here, once in, you've got it. It spreads by creeping rootstock, roots wrapping themselves tightly into other perennial and shrub roots. Leaving even the tiniest bit of root when trying to remove or reduce a clump results in resprouting.

Oh sorry, I just reread and saw where you wanted to take her to see it growing naturally.

Come here :) I've stood on acres of it while picking wild blackberries.

duluthinbloomz4: sorry, I live near Chicago but I'm willing to take a road trip if necessary, but not too far...

morz8: where is this place you speak of?

the binomial name of the plant I am looking for is Convallaria majalis var. majalis
here's a pic:
http://www.british-wild-flowers.co.uk/00%20John%20Crellin/Lily-of-the-Valley.jpg

it's also called Our Lady's tears, May Lily, May Bells, Lily Constancy, Ladder-to-Heaven, Male Lily and Muguet.
Idno how credible all those names are but I hope the pic helps...

Convallaria majalis var. majalis - is the lily of the valley from Eurasia with white midribs on the flowers.

But it's Convallaria Majalis -A low-growing perennial plant having two large oblong lanceolate leaves and a raceme of small fragrant nodding bell-shaped flowers followed by scarlet berries berries that is pictured by John Crellin in the British wild flower site and it's the ordinary, grown in shady garden spots, European originated lily of the valley. Can also be known by any of the common names listed above including "Muguet des bois" - French for the European lily of the valley.

Rather than in the woods, it is quite likely any city park or Chicago area neighborhood where homes were built between, say, 1890 and 1960 would have large patches of them. They can be aggressive and take over - I love mine now that I've cleared them out of the lawn and have them where they can spread to their heart's content.

Lily of the Valley is primarily Eurasian in origin and has a very limited native range in the US - pretty much restricted to the Tennessee River Valley. However, it has escaped cultivation and is naturalized in some parts of the midwest: Missouri has rather significant 'wild' stands of it.

Depending on how soon your friend's birthday is, you may not be able to see any naturalized stands of this plant nor any local plantings at that time. Convallaria is totally herbaceous, is fully dormant at this time of year and generally doesn't emerge until midspring (April?) with flowering around May. In fact, in my area, it is most often in bloom by Mother's Day or shortly before or after.

gardengal48: thanks! do you know of any specific places in your area with it growing? like a specific park or nature preserve? or is it just in bloom throughout your area?

Her bday isn't actually til september but I mistakenly thought it was in may. I still wanna take her to go see it probably sometime in june.