Sandhills lily facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lilium pyrophilum |
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| Sandhills lily | |
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L. pyrophilum
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| Lilium pyrophilum M.W.Skinner & Sorrie
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The Sandhills lily, also known as Lilium pyrophilum, is a special type of lily plant. It grows only in a specific part of North America. You can find it in the Sandhills area of southern Virginia, North Carolina, and northern South Carolina in the eastern United States. This makes it an endemic species, meaning it naturally lives only in this one place.
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What is the Sandhills Lily?
The Sandhills lily is a beautiful plant that can grow quite tall, usually between 0.6 and 1.6 meters (about 2 to 5 feet). It has a root system that includes a rhizome, which is like an underground stem. This helps the plant spread.
How Does It Look?
This lily has long, narrow leaves that are slightly pointed. These leaves grow in groups called "whorls" around the stem. They can either stand up straight or hang down.
The flowers are usually yellow or yellow-orange. They grow in clusters called racemes, with 1 to 7 flowers on each stem. The flowers hang downwards and do not have a strong smell. Their petals can be reddish, reddish-orange, or even a deep pink color towards the tips. They often have magenta spots. The petals also curve backwards, looking a bit like a "turk's cap." The parts inside the flower, called anthers, are magenta or purple.
When Does It Bloom?
The Sandhills lily blooms in the summer. You can usually see its colorful flowers from late July to mid-August.
Where Does It Live?
The Sandhills lily gets its name from the "Sandhills" region where it lives. This area is known for its sandy soil. A very interesting fact about this lily is that it actually benefits from regular brush fires! These fires help clear out other plants, giving the lily more space and sunlight to grow. This is why its scientific name, pyrophilum, means "fire-loving."
Who Helps the Lily?
The Sandhills lily needs help from animals to spread its pollen and make new seeds. This process is called pollination.
Pollinators
Scientists have observed that ruby-throated hummingbirds often visit these flowers. These tiny birds might help carry pollen from one lily to another. The Palamedes swallowtail butterfly also helps pollinate this lily. These animals play a very important role in the lily's life cycle.
Related Lilies
The Sandhills lily is related to a few other types of lilies. It is botanically similar to the Lilium superbum, which is also known as the Turk's cap lily. Sometimes, people might confuse these two plants. The Sandhills lily can also cross-pollinate with another lily called Lilium michauxii. This means they can share pollen and create hybrid plants.
