Asiatic lily growing in my backyard.
First flower of Spring
Lilium (members of which are true lilies) is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are native to the temperate northern hemisphere, though their range extends into the northern subtropics. Many other plants have "lily" in their common name but are not related to true lilies.
Lilies are tall
perennials ranging in height from 2–6 ft (60–180 cm). They form naked or tunicless scaly underground
bulbs which are their overwintering organs. In some North American species the base of the bulb develops into
rhizomes, on which numerous small bulbs are found. Some species develop
stolons. Most bulbs are deeply buried, but a few species form bulbs near the soil surface. Many species form stem-roots. With these, the bulb grows naturally at some depth in the soil, and each year the new stem puts out
adventitious roots above the bulb as it emerges from the soil. These roots are in addition to the basal roots that develop at the base of the bulb.
The flowers are large, often fragrant, and come in a range of colours including whites, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds and purples. Markings include spots and brush strokes. The plants are late spring- or summer-flowering. Flowers are borne in
racemes or
umbels at the tip of the stem, with six
tepals spreading or reflexed, to give flowers varying from funnel shape to a "Turk's cap". The tepals are free from each other, and bear a
nectary at the base of each flower. The ovary is 'superior', borne above the point of attachment of the
anthers. The
fruit is a three-celled capsule.
[3]
Seeds ripen in late summer. They exhibit varying and sometimes complex
germination patterns, many adapted to cool temperate climates.
Naturally most cool temperate species are
deciduous and dormant in winter in their native environment. But a few species which distribute in hot summer and mild winter area (
Lilium candidum,
Lilium catesbaei,
Lilium longiflorum) lose leaves and remain relatively short dormant in Summer or Autumn, sprout from Autumn to winter, forming dwarf stem bearing a basal rosette of leaves until accept enough chilling requirement, the stem begins to elongate while warming.
