Lilium michauxii

Carolina Lily
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Lilium
Species: L. michauxii
Binomial name
Lilium michauxii
Poir.

Lilium michauxii, commonly known as the Carolina lily[1] can be found in the Southeastern United States from West Virginia in the north to Florida in the south to Texas in the west. It is most common in the summer months of July and August but can be found blooming as late as October. It was named for the French botanist André Michaux, who travelled and did research throughout the Southeast.

The common name "Carolina lily" reflects an older taxonomy that used the name Lilium carolinianum for both L. michauxii and L. catesbaei.[1][2] Another common name, Turk's cap lily, has been listed for L. michauxii,[1] although L. superbum (which is very similar in appearance to L. michauxii) shares this common name.[1]

The Carolina lily can grow to 3½ feet tall with flowers 3–4 inches across. Its petals bend backward and are spotted. Colors range from yellow through orange to red for background petal color and from red through purple to brown for the spots.

The Carolina lily is the official state wildflower of North Carolina.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Bailey, L.H.; Bailey, E.Z.; the staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third: A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada. Macmillan, New York.
  2. ^ Bailey, L.H. 1929. The Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture : A discussion, for the amateur, and the professional and commercial grower, of the kinds, characteristics and methods of cultivation of the species of plants grown in the regions of the United States and Canada for ornament, for fancy, for fruit and for vegetables; with keys to the natural families and genera, descriptions of the horticultural capabilities of the states and provinces and dependent islands, and sketches of eminent horticulturists. The MacMillan Company, New York.

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