Syn.: Lilium andinum Nutt., nom. inval., Lilium montanum A. Nelson, Lilium umbellatum Pursh
Family: Liliaceae Juss.
Distribution: North American species. Found in the area from northeast coast of US to east of British Columbia, Montana and Colorado, northward reaching James Bay and central Alberta, in the south along Appalachians to northern part of Georgia and in the west to New Mexico.This species has the largest area of distribution in America and it is the most variable morphologically.
Ecology: Grows in prairie, open forest, forest margins and shrubbery, heaths and mountain meadows and also in disturbed areas, in elevations up to 2700 m. Blooms from end of May to August; earlier in Appalachians, later in Rocky Mountains.
Description: Perennial herb with underground bulb. Stem erect, 90–120 cm tall; leaves in whorls of 3–11, narrowly lanceolate to oblanceolate, 29–102 × 3–23 mm, 3.5–18 times longer than wide. Inflorescence 1–3(–6)-flowered, flowers erect, bowl-shaped, scentless, tepals red orange to red, rarely even yellow, sometimes spotted, outer ones 49–82 × 16–26 mm, inner ones 45–77 × 20–32 mm. Fruit is a capsule, erect, 22–77 mm long, 10–18 mm wide.
Threat and protection: Different degrees of endangerment are assigned to this species in states of Kentucky, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Tennessee.
Note: There is about 100 species of lilies occurring in the Northern Hemisphere. In the region of Lilium philadelphicum we recognize about 22 other species.
These images were taken in Canada, Alberta, Calgary, Reader Rock Garden (July 2012) and Alberta, Calgary, Weaselhead Natural Environment Park (July 2013).
