A striking pop of color in an otherwise very green corner of Oregon!
Can grow taller than a park ranger!
Lilium columbianum
Columbia lily
Description:
Stem erect and unbranched.
Leaves in 2 to 9 whorls, 2 to 4 inches long, lance-shaped, bright and shiny green.
Flowers are numerous at the top on separate, bent stalks, light to dark orange with brown spots, facing downward. Flowers are 1 to 2 and 1/2 inches across, widely bell-shaped, with petals flared or often recurved, long stamens extending well beyond petals in a tight cluster.
May hybridize with L. pardalinum subspecies vollmeri, L. pardalinum subspecies wigginsii, or L. occidentale, where ranges overlap, making identification difficult.
Bulbs were prepared as a food or peppery condiment. For many, it was a staple food
Rarity: Locally Common
Flowering Time: Early Summer
Life Cycle: Perennial
Height: 1 to 4 feet
Habitat: Coastal, Meadow, West-Side Forest, Subalpine in drier coastal meadows, forests, roadsides, subalpine meadows, in northern part of range
Found In: Olympic Np, Mt. Rainier Np, West Gorge, N Cascades Np
Native: Yes
Source: Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest
Additional resource: https://oregonflora.org/taxa/index.php?taxon=6076