Thursday, August 5, 2010

Species Lilium wigginsii

LILIUM WIGGINSII

A very pretty species lily that is growing in the back garden in the conifer area. Looks perfect up against dark green fir trees. A rare, little-seen lily from the Siskiyou Mountains of northern California and certain areas of Oregon where it grows in bogs and under redwoods.
The stems can reach 3' to 3 1/2' and flowers that are about 3" in diameter. Several hanging turkscap flowers of pure yellow, with little orange-brown spots all over the inside. The upright leaves clothe the stem. Lilium wigginsii takes partial shade to full sun in the north, give filtered shade in the south. In the garden keep the bulbs on the dry side and the roots damp for best results. In cold areas try a thick layer of mulch to protect the bulbs from freezing in the winter.
Naturally these beauties grow in streams with the bulb sitting above the summer water level and the roots down in the water. When the streams run high in winter the bulbs are often totally covered with cold but not frozen running water. They find places in the streams where rocks or tree roots keep them from washing away in winter storms. The seeds fall down into the pebbles and stones of the creek bank and take root.
If you are new to growing species lilies give
Lilium pardalinum and Lilium pardalinum subspecies a try – I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

USDA hardiness zone 5 to zone 10

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