Species Lilium, Leopard Lily, Panther Lily, Swamp Lily

Leopard Lilies grow wild in Northern CA. They can be found in bloom in the shadier areas around the foothills in mid summer. They are ple...Read Morentiful in parts of a nearby wilderness park that are not often frequented by humans, and can be found in sandy loam soil in part-sun to full-shade areas. I've always seen them near the creek, but not necesarily in moist soil. I think they prefer the higher humidity found near the creek, as Northern CA is very hot and dry in the summer months when they are in bloom, but the soil I have found them growing in is not particularly moist. I have not tried to transplant them from the wild, but I do know a nearby native plants nursery often has them for sale. The flowers are amazing and a photograph cannot do them justice :).

Zone 9b coastal Otago, NZ

I believe this lily is highly endangered in it's native Californian habitat.
I planted so...Read Moreme out last year- after handling all those oriental bulbs, it's weird to see the stoloniferous ones produced by these turks cap types! They get half day shade in an underplanting situation and seem to be happy enough, though some say this is a temperamental beast. They flower from a very small size which is great!
Just fabulous once they're established and monstrous, with huge candelabras of bicoloured, spotted blooms, and freely offsetting too.
If you can get hold of it, give it a try. Lily societies often have them for sale.
*Update- There are apparently many varieties of this species and Ive been trying to work out which one I have; mine have narrower leaves so Im guessing shastense or pitkinense. I love their snaky pointed buds which remind me of the plant from Little Shop of Horrors :-)
Anyhoo, talk about prolific! From 5 small stoloniferous bulbs I now have around 25, after 12 months, so yeah, Im guessing theyre happy! I give them no attention at all apart from a splash of water when theyre looking dry. They get full to half day sun in slightly raised beds over horrible clay. We don't get too many decent frosts here so perhaps the ground temp never gets low enough to halt their inexorable reproduction?
I am delighted with the performance of this species after so many lilium disappointments.

I saw this plant in Alberta gardener- they say it grows in zone 3 but I am unable to find it here --will keep looking and let you know. T...Read Morehey call it a giant for your garden! from drought