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Lilium canadense - L.

Common Name Meadow Lily, Canada lily
Family Liliaceae
USDA hardiness 4-8
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Wet meadows, moist rich woods especially edges, streamsides and river alluvia, bogs, marshes, swamps, along wet roadsides and railroads from sea level to 1000 metres[270].
Range Eastern N. America - Quebec to Nova Scotia, south to Georgia.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (0 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Lilium canadense Meadow Lily, Canada lily


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lilium_canadense_%28lit%29.jpg
Lilium canadense Meadow Lily, Canada lily

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of bulb
Lilium canadense is a BULB growing to 1.5 m (5ft).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower in July, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Root
Edible Uses:

Bulb - cooked[2, 105, 177]. Rich in starch, it can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). The taste is rather like raw green corn on the ear[207]. The bulb can be dried, ground into a powder and used in making bread etc[257]. A famine food, only used when better foods are not available[257]. The bulb is up to 5cm in diameter[235].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Dysentery  Poultice  Stomachic

A poultice made from the bulbs is applied to snakebites[222]. A tea made from the bulbs is stomachic and is also used in the treatment of irregular menses and dysentery[222, 257].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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FOOD FOREST PLANTS

Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

Food Forest

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Prefers an open free-draining humus-rich loamy soil with its roots in the shade and its head in the sun[200]. Dislikes lime[42]. The sub-species L. canadense editorum is said to be lime tolerant[163, 200]. Does well in open woodland[1, 143]. Succeeds in partial shade but rapidly degenerates when grown in deep shade[143]. The dormant bulbs are very hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -10°c[214]. Stoloniferous[200], the bulbs should be planted 15 - 25cm deep[143]. Only replant in autumn, never in spring[143]. A very ornamental[1] and easily grown plant[143]. The species is not easy to grow in Europe[90]. Polymorphic, there are a number of sub-species[143]. It hybridizes in nature with L. superbum but it does not hybridize readily in the garden[143]. Closely allied to L. michiganense[143]. The plant should be protected against rabbits and slugs in early spring. If the shoot tip is eaten out the bulb will not grow in that year and will lose vigour[200]. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 8 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread [1-2]. The root pattern is a bulb. The root pattern is stoloniferous rooting from creeping stems above the ground [1-2].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Fahrenheit:

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The PFAF Bookshop

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Propagation

Seed - delayed hypogeal germination[130]. Best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in spring[143]. Stored seed will require a warm/cold/warm cycle of stratification, each period being about 2 months long[163]. Grow on in cool shady conditions. Great care should be taken in pricking out the young seedlings, many people leave them in the seed pot until they die down at the end of their second years growth. This necessitates sowing the seed thinly and using a reasonably fertile sowing medium. The plants will also require regular feeding when in growth. Divide the young bulbs when they are dormant, putting 2 - 3 in each pot, and grow them on for at least another year before planting them out into their permanent positions when the plants are dormant[K]. Division with care in the autumn once the leaves have died down. Replant immediately[200]. Bulb scales can be removed from the bulbs in early autumn. If they are kept in a warm dark place in a bag of moist peat, they will produce bulblets. These bulblets can be potted up and grown on in the greenhouse until they are large enough to plant out[200].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

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Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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