Lilium (members of which are true lilies) is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from

bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in

culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are native to the temperate northern

hemisphere, though their range extends into the northern subtropics. Many other plants have "lily" in

their common name but are not related to true lilies.

NameThe botanic name Lilium is the Latin form and is a Linnaean name. The Latin name is derived from

the Greek λείριον, leírion, generally assumed to refer to true, white lilies as exemplified by

the Madonna lily.[2][3] The word was borrowed from Coptic (dial. Fayyumic) hleri, from standard hreri,

from Demotic hrry, from Egyptian hrṛt "flower".[citation needed]Meillet maintains that both the Egyptian and

the Greek word are possible loans from an extinct, substratum language of the Eastern

Mediterranean.[citation needed] The Greeks also used the word κρῖνον, krīnon, albeit for non-white lilies.

The term "lily" has in the past been applied to numerous flowering plants, often with only superficial

resemblance to the true lily, including water lily, fire lily, lily of the Nile, calla lily,trout lily, kaffir

lily, cobra lily, lily of the valley, daylily, ginger lily, Amazon lily, leek lily, Peruvian lily, and others.[citation

needed] All English translations of the Bible render the Hebrewshūshan, shōshan, shōshannā as "lily",

but the "lily among the thorns" of Song of Solomon, for instance, may be the honeysuckle.[which?][4]

For a list of other species described as lilies, see Lily (disambiguation).

Description

Lilium longiflorum flower – 1. Stigma, 2.Style, 3. Stamens, 4. Filament, 5. Tepal

Lilies are tall perennials ranging in height from 2–6 ft (60–180 cm). They form naked or tunicless

scaly underground bulbs which are their overwintering organs. In some North American species the

base of the bulb develops into rhizomes, on which numerous small bulbs are found. Some species

develop stolons. Most bulbs are deeply buried, but a few species form bulbs near the soil surface.

Many species form stem-roots. With these, the bulb grows naturally at some depth in the soil, and

each year the new stem puts outadventitious roots above the bulb as it emerges from the soil. These

roots are in addition to the basal roots that develop at the base of the bulb.

The flowers are large, often fragrant, and come in a range of colours including whites, yellows,

oranges, pinks, reds and purples. Markings include spots and brush strokes. The plants are late

spring- or summer-flowering. Flowers are borne in racemes or umbelsat the tip of the stem, with

six tepals spreading or reflexed, to give flowers varying from funnel shape to a "Turk's cap". The

tepals are free from each other, and bear a nectary at the base of each flower. The ovary is

'superior', borne above the point of attachment of the anthers. The fruit is a three-celled capsule.[5]

Seeds ripen in late summer. They exhibit varying and sometimes complex germination patterns,

many adapted to cool temperate climates.

Naturally most cool temperate species are deciduous and dormant in winter in their native

environment. But a few species which distribute in hot summer and mild winter area (Lilium

candidum, Lilium catesbaei ,Lilium longiflorum) lose leaves and remain relatively short dormant in

Summer or Autumn, sprout from Autumn to winter, forming dwarf stem bearing a basal rosette of

leaves until accept enough chilling requirement, the stem begins to elongate while warming.

TaxonomyTaxonomical division in sections follows the classical division of Comber,[6] species acceptance

follows the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families,[7] the taxonomy of sectionPseudolirium is from

the Flora of North America,[8] the taxonomy of Section Liriotypus is given in consideration of Resetnik

et al. 2007,[9] the taxonomy of Chinese species (various sections) follows the Flora of China [10] and

the taxonomy of Section Sinomartagon follows Nishikawa et al.[11] as does the taxonomy of

Section Archelirion.[12]

There are seven sections;

§Martagon[edit]

§Pseudolirium[edit]

§Liriotypus[edit]

§Archelirion[edit]

§Sinomartagon[edit]

§Leucolirion[edit]

§Daurolirion[edit]

[show]Picture Section Sub Section Botanical name common name

Some species formerly included within this genus have now been placed in other genera. These

genera include Cardiocrinum, Notholirion, Nomocharis and Fritillaria.

§Distribution and habitat[edit]

The range of lilies in the Old World extends across much of Europe, across most of Asia to Japan,

south to India, and east to Indochina and the Philippines. In the New World they extend from

southern Canada through much of the United States. They are commonly adapted to either

woodland habitats, often montane, or sometimes to grassland habitats. A few can survive in

marshland and epiphytes are known in tropical southeast Asia. In general they prefer moderately

acidic or lime-free soils.

§Ecology[edit]

Lilies are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Dun-bar.

§Cultivation[edit]

Many species are widely grown in the garden in temperate and sub-tropical regions. They may also

be grown as potted plants. Numerous ornamental hybrids have been developed. They can be used

in herbaceous borders, woodland and shrub plantings, and as patio plants. Some lilies,

especially Lilium longiflorum , form important cut flowercrops. These may be forced for particular

markets; for instance, Lilium longiflorum  for the Easter trade, when it may be called the Easter lily.

Lilies are usually planted as bulbs in the dormant season. They are best planted in a south-facing

(northern hemisphere), slightly sloping aspect, in sun or part shade, at a depth 2½ times the height

of the bulb (except Lilium candidum  which should be planted at the surface). Most prefer a porous,

loamy soil, and good drainage is essential. Most species bloom in July or August (northern

hemisphere). The flowering periods of certain lily species begin in late spring, while others bloom in

late summer or early autumn.[16] They have contractile roots which pull the plant down to the correct

depth, therefore it is better to plant them too shallowly than too deep. A soil pH of around 6.5 is

generally safe. The soil should be well-drained, and plants must be kept watered during the growing

season. Some plants have strong wiry stems, but those with heavy flower heads may need staking.[17][18]

§Awards[edit]

Below is a list of lily species and cultivars that have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of

Garden Merit:[19][20][21]-

Lilium  African Queen Group (VI-/a) 2002 H6 Reconfirmed 2013 Lilium  'Casa Blanca' (VIIb/b-c) 1993 H6 Reconfirmed 2013 Lilium  'Fata Morgana' (Ia/b) 2002 H6 Reconfirmed 2013 Lilium  'Garden Party' (VIIb/b) 2002 H6 Reconfirmed 2013 Lilium  Golden Splendor Group (VIb-c/a) 2002 H6 Reconfirmed 2013 Lilium henryi  (IXc/d) 1993 H6 Reconfirmed 2013 Lilium mackliniae  (IXc/a) 2012 H5 Lilium martagon  (IXc/d) 2002 H7 Reconfirmed 2013 Lilium pardalinum  (IXc/d) 2002 H6 Lilium  Pink Perfection Group (VIb/a) 1993 H6 Reconfirmed 2013 Lilium regale  (IXb/a) 1993 H6 Reconfirmed 2013

§Classification of garden forms[edit]

Numerous forms, mostly hybrids, are grown for the garden. They vary according to the species and

interspecific hybrids that they derived from, and are classified in the following broad groups:[22][23][24]

§Asiatic hybrids (Division I)[edit]

 

 

 

 

 

These are derived from hybrids between species in Lilium section Sinomartagon.[25][26]

They are derived from central and East Asian species and interspecific hybrids, including Lilium amabile , Lilium bulbiferum , Lilium callosum , Lilium cernuum , Lilium concolor,Lilium dauricum, Lilium davidii , Lilium × hollandicum , Lilium lancifolium  (syn. Lilium tigrinum), Lilium lankongense , Lilium leichtlinii , Lilium × maculatum , Lilium pumilum , Lilium × scottiae, Lilium wardii  and Lilium wilsonii .These are plants with medium-sized, upright or outward facing flowers, mostly unscented.

Dwarf (Patio, Border) varieties are much shorter, c.36–61 cm in height and were

designed for containers.[27] They often bear the cultivar name 'Tiny', such as the 'Lily

Looks' series, e.g. 'Tiny Padhye',[28] 'Tiny Dessert'.[29]

§Martagon hybrids (Division II)[edit]

 

 

 

 

 

These are based on Lilium dalhansonii , Lilium hansonii , Lilium martagon , Lilium medeoloides, and Lilium tsingtauense .The flowers are nodding, Turk's cap style (with the petals strongly recurved).

§Candidum (Euro-Caucasian) hybrids (Division III)[edit]

This includes mostly European species: Lilium candidum , Lilium chalcedonicum , Lilium kesselringianum, Lilium monadelphum , Lilium pomponium , Lilium pyrenaicum  andLilium × testaceum.

§American hybrids (Division IV)[edit]These are mostly taller growing forms, originally derived from Lilium bolanderi , Lilium × burbankii, Lilium canadense , Lilium columbianum , Lilium grayi , Lilium humboldtii ,Lilium kelleyanum, Lilium kelloggii , Lilium maritimum , Lilium michauxii , Lilium michiganense , Lilium occidentale, Lilium × pardaboldtii , Lilium pardalinum , Lilium parryi , Lilium parvum , Lilium philadelphicum, Lilium pitkinense , Lilium superbum , Lilium ollmeri , Lilium washingtonianum , and Lilium wigginsii .Many are clump-forming perennials with rhizomatous rootstocks.

§Longiflorum hybrids (Division V)[edit]These are cultivated forms of this species and its subspecies.They are most important as plants for cut flowers, and are less often grown in the garden than other hybrids.

§Trumpet lilies (Division VI), including Aurelian

hybrids (with L. henryi)[edit]

 

 

 

 

This group includes hybrids of many Asiatic species and their interspecific hybrids, including Lilium × aurelianense , Lilium brownii , Lilium × centigale , Lilium henryi , Lilium × imperiale, Lilium × kewense , Lilium leucanthum , Lilium regale , Lilium rosthornii , Lilium sargentiae, Lilium sulphureum  and Lilium × sulphurgale .The flowers are trumpet shaped, facing outward or somewhat downward, and tend to be strongly fragrant, often especially night-fragrant.

§Oriental hybrids (Division VII)[edit]

 

 

 

 

 

These are based on hybrids within Lilium section Archelirion,[25][26] specifically Lilium auratum and Lilium speciosum , together with crossbreeds from several species native to Japan, including Lilium nobilissimum , Lilium rubellum , Lilium alexandrae , and Lilium japonicum.They are fragrant, and the flowers tend to be outward facing. Plants tend to be tall, and the flowers may be quite large. The whole group are sometimes referred to as "stargazers" because many of them appear to look upwards. (For the specific cultivar, see Lilium 'Stargazer'.)

§Other hybrids (Division VIII)[edit]

 

 

 

 

Includes all other garden hybrids.

§Species (Division IX)[edit]All natural species and naturally occurring forms are included in this group.

The flowers can be classified by

flower aspect and form:[30]

Flower aspect:

a up-facing b out-facing c down-facing

Flower form:

a trumpet-shaped b bowl-shaped c flat (or with tepal tips recurved) d tepals strongly recurved (with the Turk’s cap form as the ultimate state)

Many newer commercial

varieties are developed

by using new

technologies such as

ovary culture and embryo

rescue.[31]

§Pests and diseases[edit]

Scarlet lily

beetles, Oxfordshire, UK

Aphids may infest

plants. Leatherjackets fee

d on the roots. Larvae of

the Scarlet lily beetle can

cause serious damage to

the stems and leaves.

The scarlet beetle lays its

eggs and completes its

life cycle only on true lilies

(Lilium) and fritillaries

(Fritillaria).[32] Oriental,

rubrum, tiger and trumpet

lilies as well as Oriental

trumpets (orienpets) and

Turk's cap lilies and

native North

American Lilium species

are all vulnerable, but the

beetle prefers some types

over others. The beetle

could also be having an

effect on native Canadian

species and some rare

and endangered species

found in northeastern

North America.[33] Daylilies

(Hemerocallis, not true

lilies) are excluded from

this category. Plants can

suffer from damage

caused by mice, deer and

squirrels. Slugs, snails

and millipedes attack

seedlings, leaves and

flowers. Brown spots on

damp leaves may

signal botrytis (also

known as lily disease).

Various fungal and viral

diseases can cause

mottling of leaves and

stunting of growth.

§Propagation and growth[edit]

Lilies can be propagated

in several ways;

by division of the

bulbs

by growing-

on bulbils which

are adventitious bulbs

formed on the stem

by scaling, for which

whole scales are

detached from the

bulb and planted to

form a new bulb

by seed; there are

many seed

germination patterns,

which can be

complex

by micropropagation t

echniques (which

include tissue

culture);[34] commercial

quantities of lilies are

often propagated in

vitro and then planted

out to grow into plants

large enough to sell.

According to a study done

by Anna Pobudkiewicz

and Jadwiga the use of

flurprimidol foliar spray

helps aid in the limitation

of stem elongation in

oriental lilies. (1)

§Toxicity[edit]

Some Lilium species are

toxic to cats. This is

known to be so especially

for Lilium

longiflorum though

other Lilium and the

unrelated Hemerocallis ca

n also cause the same

symptoms.[35][36][37] The true

mechanism of toxicity is

undetermined, but it

involves damage to

the renal tubular

epithelium (composing

the substance of the

kidney and secreting,

collecting, and conducting

urine), which can cause

acute renal failure.

Veterinary help should be

sought, as a matter of

urgency, for any cat that

is suspected of eating any

part of a lily - including

licking pollen that may

have brushed onto its

coat.[38]

§Culinary and herb uses[edit]§China[edit]

Lilium bulbs

are starchy and edible

as root vegetables,

although bulbs of some

species may be very

bitter. The non-bitter

bulbs of Lilium

lancifolium, Lilium

pumilum, and

especially Lilium

brownii (Chinese: 百合 干;

pinyin: bǎihé gān)

and Lilium

davidii var. nicolor are

grown on a large scale in

China as a luxury or

health food, and are most

often sold in dry form for

herb, the fresh form often

appears with other

vegetables. The dried

bulbs are commonly used

in the south to flavor

soup. Lily flowers are also

said to be efficacious in

pulmonary affections, and

to have tonic properties.

[39] Lily flowers and bulbs

are eaten especially in the

summer, for their

perceived ability to reduce

internal heat.[40]They may

be reconstituted and stir-

fried, grated and used to

thicken soup, or

processed to extract

starch. Their texture and

taste draw comparisons

with the potato, although

the individual bulb scales

are much smaller. There

are also species which

are meant to be suitable

for culinary and/or herb

uses. There are five

traditional lily species

whose bulbs are certified

and classified as

"vegetable and non-staple

foodstuffs" on the

National geographical

indication product list of

China.[41]

Culinary use:[42]

野百合 Lilium brownii , 百合(变种)Lilium brownii  var. viridulum, 渥丹 Lilium concolor , 毛百合 Lilium dauricum , 川百合 Lilium davidii , 东北百合 Lilium distichum , 卷丹 Lilium lancifolium , 新疆百合(变种)Lilium martagon  var. pilosiusculum, 山丹 Lilium pumilum , 南川百合 Lilium rosthornii, 药百合(变种)Lilium speciosum  var. gloriosoides.

Herb use:[43][44]

野百合 Lilium brownii , 百合(变种) Lilium brownii  var. viridulum, 渥丹 Lilium concolor , 毛百合 Lilium dauricum , 卷丹 Lilium lancifolium , 山丹 Lilium pumilum , 南川百合 Lilium rosthornii , 药百合(变种)Lilium speciosum  var. gloriosoides, 淡黄花百合 Lilium sulphureum .And there are researches about the selection of new varieties of edible lilies from the horticultural cultivars, such as 'Batistero' and 'California' among 15 lilies in Beijing, [45] and 'Prato' and 'Small foreigners' among 13 lilies in Ningbo.[46]

§Japan[edit]

Culinary use:Yuri-ne (lily-root) is also common in Japanese cuisine, especially as an ingredient of chawan-mushi (savoury egg custard). The major lilium species cultivated as vegetable are Lilium leichtlinii  var. maximowiczii, Lilium lancifolium , and Lilium auratum .[47][48]

Herb use:Lilium lancifolium, Lilium brownii  var. viridulum, Lilium brownii  var. colchesteri, Lilium pumilum [49]

§Taiwan[edit]

Culinary use:The parts of lilium species which are officially listed as food material are the flower and bulbs of Lilium lancifolium  Thunb., Lilium brownii  var. viridulum Baker, Lilium pumilum  DC., Lilium candidum Loureiro.[50] Most edible lily bulbs which can be purchased in a market are mostly imported from mainland China (only in the scale form, and most marked as 蘭州百合 Lilium davidii var. unicolor) and Japan (whole bulbs, should mostly be Lilium leichtlinii var. maximowiczii). There are already commercially available organic growing and normal growing edible lily bulbs. The varieties are selected by the Taiwanese Department of Agriculture from the Asiatic lily cultivars that are imported from the Netherlands; the seedling bulbs must be imported from the Netherlands every year.[51][52][53]

Herb use:Lilium lancifolium Thunb., Lilium brownii  var. viridulum Baker, Lilium pumilum  DC.[54]

§South Korea[edit]

Herb use:

The lilium species which are officially listed as herbs are 이 약은 참나리 Lilium lancifolium Thunberg; 백합 Lilium brownii  var. viridulun Baker; 또는 큰솔나리 Lilium pumilumDC.[55][56]

§Not lilium[edit]

Th

e

"lil

y"

flo

we

r

bu

ds

kn

ow

n

as 

jīn

zh

ēn 

(金

针,

"g

old

en

ne

edl

es

")

in 

Ch

ine

se

cui

sin

e 

ar

e

act

ual

ly

fro

m

th

e 

da

ylil

y 

He

m

er

oc

alli

s

ful

va.