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Carolina lily facts for kids

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Carolina Lily
Lilium michauxii.jpg
Lilium michauxii (at left)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
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L. michauxii
Binomial name
Lilium michauxii
Poir.
Synonyms
  • Lilium carolinianum Michx. 1803, illegitimate homonym not Bosc ex Lam. 1792
  • Lilium autumnale G.Lodd.
  • Lilium michauxianum Schult. & Schult.f.
  • Lilium lockettii Featherm.
Carolina Lily
Carolina Lily, Uwharrie National Forest, North Carolina, USA

Lilium michauxii, commonly known as the Carolina lily, can be found in the southeastern United States from southern Virginia in the north to the Florida Panhandle in the south to eastern Texas in the west. It is most common in July and August but can be found blooming as late as October. It was named for the French botanist André Michaux, who traveled and did extensive research throughout the Southeast.

The common name "Carolina lily" reflects an older taxonomy that used the name Lilium carolinianum for both L. michauxii and L. catesbaei. Another common name, Turk's cap lily, has been listed for L. michauxii, although L. superbum (which is very similar in appearance to L. michauxii) shares this common name.

The Carolina lily can grow to 3½ feet tall with flowers 3–4 inches across. It is the only fragrant lily east of the Rocky Mountains. Its petals bend backward and are spotted. Colors range from yellow through orange to red for background petal color and from red through purple to brown for the spots. (Note photo below)

The Carolina lily is the official state wildflower of North Carolina.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lilium michauxii para niños

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