Lilium philadelphicum * Common Names*: Wood Lily, Western Red Lily, Prairie Lily

Lilium philadelphicum * Common Names*: Wood Lily, Western Red Lily, Prairie Lily

* Genus: Lilium * Species: philadelphicum Subspecies: * Family (scientific): Liliaceae  * Family (common): Lily

* INDIGENOUS Distribution in Canada: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, N.W.T.

***Although sometimes incorrectly called so; OBVIOUSLY, it is NOT a tiger lily.***

Yes, the Lilium Philadelphicum is being threated and protected under the provincial emblems and honours act; meaning it cannot be picked, uprooted or destroyed in any way. Please Don't Pick Them; so us, our children, our children’s children; are able to admire Nature’s-the Creator of All Realm for generation upon generation to come.

Once a species of animal, including man, plant, flower becomes extinct there is no way for man or for a God Created by Man, in his own image or other, to re-create it.

Habitat and Distribution: Lilies are most often found in clearings in woodlands, prairies, roadside, and meadows. Lilies take advantage of margins, such as those resulting from forestry cut lines and road building. Somewhat shade intolerant.

Seral Stage: Late seral, although establishing in margins, lily is one of the later species to invade.

Soils: Sandy to loamy, well-drained soils, more tolerant of higher pH than lower

Distribution: Scattered in the Rocky Mountains, boreal forest and parkland in Alberta. Southeastern British Columbia to western Quebec south to New Mexico, North Dakota, Michigan.

Phenology: Blooms June to July. Stems and seeds ripen in August and September

Pollination:

Swallowtail and monarch butterflies, as well as bees have been observed as pollinators.

It is also pollinated by wind.

Likely wind dispersed.

 Facts, About the Lily: The Lily has significant medicinal use. A tincture is made from the fresh plant and has proved of great value in uterine-neuralgia, congestion and irritation, also in the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

Lily flower essence helps in suppressing aggressive tendencies in individuals and helps in holistic healing.

Tiger Lily is an unincorporated community in central Alberta within the County of Barrhead No. 11, located 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northwest Highway 18, 96 kilometres (60 mi) northwest of St. Albert. It is (incorrectly) named for the Prairie lily(Shown right) flower.

Tiger Lily, the Plant (left)

The bulbs of its plants are boiled and eaten in some countries, especially China. They taste like potatoes.

The Tiger Lily, bears large, fiery orange flowers covered by spots. The name tiger probably refers to the spots on the petals.

The flowers of this perennial can grow up to three inches in width.

The Tiger Lily Flower Lilium lancifolium- Other Names:  Lilium tigrinum features bold nodding orange trumpet-shaped flowers with black spots at the ends of the stems in mid-summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves remain green in colour throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.

Tiger Lily is an herbaceous perennial with a rigidly upright and towering form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

Tiger Lily will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 23 inches.

Tiger Lily has a strong, sweet and distinctively lily smell. Besides producing a stunning spectacle, most parts of this plant are edible. There are two varieties of the Tiger Lily:

The Oriental Variety: Propagates through bulbs that form at leaf axils.

The Common Wildflower: Also propagates by tuberous roots.

The Lily is known by a host of different names in different parts of the world. Some of the synonyms are: Lilium tigrinum, Devil Lily, Kentan, Lilium lancifolium, Leopard Lily, Pine Lily, Lilium catesbaei, Columbia lily, Oregon Lily, Western Wood Lily, Chalice-Cup Lily, Western Red Lily, etc.

The Tiger Lily was first described by the famous Swedish botanist Carl von Linne (Linnaeus) in 1753.

Tiger Lily can often act as a carrier of viral diseases and so becomes a vector infecting other species. It is therefore better to grow this species well away from your other lilies

Tiger Lily has some toxic effects on cats. It can produce vomiting, in appetence, lethargy, kidney failure, and even death.

Tiger Lily has edible flower buds apart from edible roots and shoots. These can often have a bitter flavour. When baked, lily bulbs taste rather like potatoes.

The best place to find dried Tiger Lily buds is in an Asian market. Look for soft buds and store well in a cool, dry place. Tiger Lily buds must be soaked in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften them before adding them to the dishes. The tough stem attached to them should be removed. Besides adding to Chinese dishes, they can enhance the flavor of egg dishes and salads.

There is an old legend from Asia about the Tiger Lily. A Korean hermit helped a wounded tiger by removing an arrow from its body. The tiger asked the hermit to use his powers to perpetuate their friendship after his death. The hermit agreed and when the tiger died, his body became a tiger lily. Eventually the hermit drowned and his body was washed away. The Tiger Lily spread everywhere searching for its friend.

There is a superstition that smelling a Tiger Lily will give you freckles.

The Tiger Lily stands for wealth and prosperity.

The Tiger Lily, has six stamens (composed of anthers and filaments), one pistil (composed of the stigma, style and ovary), a long style, and a three-lobed stigma.

~~~Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan.