Lilium canadense
A tall North American native lily with pendant yellow to yellow-orange flowers on a stem with whorled leaves, pollinated mainly by ruby-throated hummingbirds, reaching about 3–6 ft tall in wet meadows, floodplains, and moist woods.
Common Names
Canada Lily, Meadow Lily, Wild Yellow Lily, Lis Du Canada
Summary
Canada Lily (Lilium canadense) is a native eastern North American bulbous geophyte with an unbranched stem and whorled leaves, growing about 2–5 feet tall, it bears 1–17 pendant bell-shaped flowers on long pedicels, blooms range from yellow to orange to red with dark spots inside the tepals and are not fragrant, with ruby-throated hummingbirds as the primary pollinators along with bees, it inhabits moist habitats such as moist meadows, wood margins, wetlands, and stream sides, contributing a tall, architectural presence in suitable landscapes, in cultivation, it prefers moist, well-drained loamy soil with full sun to partial shade and is hardy to USDA zones 3–9, bulbs should be planted about 6–8 inches deep and bloom in summer for several weeks, propagation is easiest by division of bulbs, though seeds can be used with warm periods followed by cold cycles and may take 3–6 years to flower, it is valued as an ornamental and cut flower, and nectar attracts hummingbirds and bees, potential pests include lily leaf beetle, with voles and rabbits interacting with corms or foliage, ensure consistent moisture and protection from extreme conditions.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
24-60 inches
Spread
2-7 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4-8
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Sun and Partial Shade.
Soil Type
Moist, well-drained loamy soil, preferably sandy loam or humus-rich soil.
Soil Drainage
Moist but well-drained
Soil pH
6.0-7.0, Slightly acidic to neutral
Bloom Color
Yellow through orange to red
Bloom Time
Summer (June–August)
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green, Yellow
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Fast, 1.5-2 feet per year
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds and Division
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 303 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Liliales
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Genus
- Lilium
Synonyms
Lilium pulchrum Lilium penduliflorum Lilium peramoenum Lilium philadelphicum subsp. editorum Lilium michiganense f. peramoenum Lilium canadense var. hartwegii Lilium canadense f. rubrum Lilium canadense f. peramoenum Lilium canadense var. editorum Lilium canadense var. flavum Lilium canadense var. canadense Lilium canadense var. pluriflorum Lilium canadense var. rubrum Lilium pendulum Lilium canadense var. coccineum Lilium canadense f. flavum Lilium canadense f. canadense Lilium canadense var. rubroflavum Lilium canadense var. uniflorum