Carolina lily facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carolina Lily |
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| Lilium michauxii (at left) | |
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L. michauxii
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| Lilium michauxii Poir.
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The Carolina lily, or Lilium michauxii, is a beautiful wildflower. You can find it growing in the southeastern United States. Its range stretches from southern Virginia down to the Florida Panhandle and west to eastern Texas. This lily usually blooms in July and August. Sometimes, you can even see its flowers as late as October. A French botanist named André Michaux gave the lily its scientific name. He explored and studied many plants in the Southeast.
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About the Carolina Lily
The Carolina lily is known by a few different names. Its common name, "Carolina lily," comes from an older way of classifying plants. This older system used the name Lilium carolinianum for both L. michauxii and another lily called L. catesbaei.
What is a Turk's Cap Lily?
Another common name for L. michauxii is Turk's cap lily. This name comes from the way its petals curve backward, looking a bit like a turban or a "Turk's cap." However, another lily, L. superbum, also shares this common name. Both lilies look very similar.
How to Spot a Carolina Lily
The Carolina lily can grow quite tall, up to about 3 and a half feet (1 meter). Its flowers are large, usually 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) across. This lily is special because it is the only fragrant lily found east of the Rocky Mountains.
Its petals are unique because they bend backward, almost touching the stem. The petals are also covered in spots. The main color of the petals can be yellow, orange, or red. The spots on the petals can be red, purple, or brown.
State Wildflower
The Carolina lily is very important to the state of North Carolina. It is the official state wildflower of North Carolina.
See also
- In Spanish: Lilium michauxii para niños
