Types of Lilies
Tiger Lily can mean a few different lily species in the Lilium genus that share some similar physical characteristics such as having spotted, colorful, reflexed flowers that nod.
Lilium tigrinum, a native lily of the eastern Asian area, is a popular tiger lily, hybridized and grown in gardens around the world.
Lilium pardalinum, sometimes called a panther lily, and Lilium philadelphicum sometimes called a wood lily, have also been called tiger lilies.
The top picture shows a tiger lily native to the Pacific Northwest. It's also called the Columbia Lily (Lilium columbianum), a very colorful late spring bloomer.
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It is a fairly adaptable plant, found growing at different altitudes, in fields, forests, meadows and along the road.
During late spring dozens of plants can be found blooming along roadsides, many of which have multiple flowers on the stalk. The bulbs are edible, and were a traditional food source for Native Americans.
Fawn Lilies
Count the fawn lily (Erythronium genus) among the most popular species of spring blooming lilies.
Most of the two dozen or so native species grow in the West, however a couple of species grow elsewhere in the United States.
The first picture shows the Oregon Fawn Lily (Erythronium oregonum) also known as the Giant White Fawn Lily. It is found primarily in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest, south to a few northern California counties.
The Yellow Avalanche Lily (Erythronium grandiflorum) or Glacier Lily is the most widespread of the Western Erythronium species, with a range extending up and down the West Coast and Rocky Mountain Region.
Like other Erythronium species, Yellow Avalanche Lilies bloom eary, fighting the snow in its typical higher elevation range to announce the coming of spring. Unlike other Erythronium species, the plant is not characterized by blotched leaves.
Yellow petals are the flowers signature trait, and they can be complimented by white, red or yellow anthers. Another species, Erythronium montanum, is also called an Avalanche lily. Its petals are white with yellow bands at the base.
The plants often grow in large clusters at the edges of forests. Some speciality native plant nurseries sell bulbs for garden planting.
Indigenous to the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest, Erythronium revolutum, also known as the mahogany fawn lily brightens up the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest.
Like a few other Erythronium species, the leaves are mottled. They thrive in swampy woodland areas, often growing in large colonies.
Pink fawn lilies continued to be promoted for garden use and a successful garden transition requires the bulbs being planted in soil and climactic conditions similar to their native environment.
Fawn lilies are edible. The bulbs were favored by Native Americans, and the name fawn lily refers to the plant's appeal as food to local wildlife.
The Camas Lily (Camassia Esculenta) is one of the six petal members of the lily family (Liliaceae).
One of six common Northwest perennial, also known as Common Camas, Blue Camas and Indian Hyacinth.
With the exception of the coldest regions in the United States, Camas Lily are also well suited as garden flowers.
They are late spring bloomers with purple flowers that grow to about eighteen inches. Their bulbs are edible when cooked, and they were a vital part of the diet of native Americans in the Northwest.
