Description
(Morning Star Lily)
Lilium concolor makes quite small bulbs (2.5-3.5cm in diameter) from which it produces stems of 40-55cm (exceptionally to 90cm in cultivation) clothed in scattered green leaves, which have traces of hairs on the edges and undersides. In good light the leaves and especially the bases of the stems can be tinged with red-purple. Each leaf is around 5-7cm long by only 3-6mm wide.
The flower buds are slightly hairy, from which stunningly-coloured and very showy, bright red, upwards-facing flowers (with a tint of orange) are made in June and July. Each individual blooms last 4-5 days, however they overlap and so the umbel of 1-5 (and rarely to 10) flowers lasts longer than the blanket term ‘short-lived’ might imply. They don’t smell too good, but in truth this isn’t that pervasive nor even noticeable (unless you get close and inhale, which now you know about the smell, you don’t need to do).
One of the most widespread of Asian Lilies in the wild, this occurs in Japan, Korea, eastern Russia, Mongolia and China (from where it was first introduced to Britain by Charles Francis Greville in 1790. In the 1840s, it was re- introduced, this time from Shanghai, by Robert Fortune. With such a wide geographical range, this, not surprisingly, if found in a wide range of habitats from grassy mountain slopes to rocky slopes, scrubs and woodland edges and clearings and as high as 2,000m on rocky slopes, clearings in forests, woodland edges and Rhododendron scrub. Though it is known from soils overlying limestone, it usually grows there in thick humus mats which are usually acidic in nature. It does seem to prefer acid soils in cultivation also, with good drainage but plenty of water when in growth and light shade for preference.
It sets seed readily and it is best brought on from seed now and again to maintain its presence in your garden.
Its relationship with other species is not clear, although it shares some features with Lilium pumilum.
Introduced to our lists November 2020
Picture from Wikipedia, Denis Barthel with thanks, used under CC BY-SA 3.0