Native Plants

Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

Enter a Plant Name:
Or you can choose a plant family:

Cressler, Alan

Lilium columbianum

Lilium columbianum Leichtlin

Columbia Lily, Columbian Lily, Oregon Lily, Wild Tiger Lily

Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Synonym(s): Lilium canadense var. parviflorum

USDA Symbol: lico

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

The slender leafy stems of this lily may reach 5-6 ft. and under favorable conditions carry a dozen or more nodding, light-orange flowers, spotted maroon. May be only 6-12 in. in dry, subalpine sites. Leaves are light green and lance-shaped; the lower whorled, the upper scattered.

This is one of the most popular western wildflowers, often dug for the garden, and in some areas now uncommon. The similar Leopard Lily or Panther Lily (L. pardalinum), which grows along forest streams or near springs over most of California, has bright orange-red flowers with anthers 3/8-5/8" (9-15 mm) long.

From the Image Gallery

8 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 6 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Orange
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: CA , ID , OR , WA
Canada: BC
Native Distribution: N. CA to B.C., n. ID & Lincoln Co., MT
Native Habitat: Ferny or brushy, redwood forest slopes; prairies; thickets

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Description: Well-drained soils; dry in summer.
Conditions Comments: Bloom time depends on elevation.

Propagation

Description: Increase using bulb scales or offsets or seed. Sow outdoors in summer for germination the following spring. Seedlings take several years to flower.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Lilium columbianum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Lilium columbianum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Lilium columbianum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-16
Research By: TWC Staff

Go back