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Useful Temperate Plants

Lilium canadense

L.

Liliaceae


Although this species has at times been treated as comprising a number of subspecies, field observations do not strongly support this view. The various characteristics proposed on which to base segregation, such as flower colour and leaf shape, have been shown to vary widely within single populations, and the distributions of the proposed varieties overlap widely. In addition, morphological evidence also offers little support. In short, the increasingly refined attempts of the last 60 years to suitably characterize variation in this species suggest that is quite difficult or impossible to do so[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].

+ Synonyms

Lilium michiganense peramoenum (Farw.) Stoker

Lilium penduliflorum Redouté

Lilium pendulum Spae

Lilium peramoenum Farw.

Lilium philadelphicum editorum (Fernald) Wherry

Lilium pulchrum Salisb.

Common Name: Meadow Lily

No Image.

General Information

Lilium canadense is a herbaceous perennial bulbiferous plant producing a leafy stem that can be up to 180cm tall[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
The plant iss harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

43
Title
Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition
Publication
 
Author
Fernald. M. L.
Publisher
American Book Co.; New York
Year
1950
ISBN
0442222505
Description
A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.

Range

Eastern N. America - Ontario to Quebec and Nova Scotia, south to Georgia and Alabama

Habitat

Wet meadows, moist rich woods especially edges, streamsides and river alluvia, bogs, marshes, swamps, along wet roadsides and railroads; from sea level to 1,000 metres[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitBulb
Height1.50 m
PollinatorsHumming birds, Bees
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

Lilium canadense is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Prefers an open free-draining humus-rich loamy soil with its roots in the shade and its head in the sun[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Dislikes lime[
42
Title
Hardy Bulbs.; Including Half-hardy Bulbs and Tuberous and Fiberous-rooted Plants
Publication
 
Author
Grey. C. H.
Publisher
Williams & Norgate.
Year
1938
ISBN
-
Description
Rather dated now, but an immense work on bulbs for temperate zones and how to grow them. Three large volumes.
]. The sub-species L. canadense editorum is said to be lime tolerant[
163
Title
Lilies and Related Plants.
Publication
 
Author
RHS Lily Group.
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of interesting snippets about plants in the family Liliaceae (in the old, broad sense)
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Does well in open woodland[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
143
Title
Lilies - Their Culture and Management.
Publication
 
Author
Woodcock. and Coutts.
Publisher
Country Life
Year
1935
ISBN
-
Description
A classic, but dated. Deals with the genus Lilium.
]. Succeeds in partial shade but rapidly degenerates when grown in deep shade[
143
Title
Lilies - Their Culture and Management.
Publication
 
Author
Woodcock. and Coutts.
Publisher
Country Life
Year
1935
ISBN
-
Description
A classic, but dated. Deals with the genus Lilium.
].
The dormant bulbs are very hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -10°c[
214
Title
The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994.
Publication
 
Author
Matthews. V.
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society
Year
1994
ISBN
1352-4186
Description
A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp.
].
Stoloniferous[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
], the bulbs should be planted 15 - 25cm deep[
143
Title
Lilies - Their Culture and Management.
Publication
 
Author
Woodcock. and Coutts.
Publisher
Country Life
Year
1935
ISBN
-
Description
A classic, but dated. Deals with the genus Lilium.
]. Only replant in autumn, never in spring[
143
Title
Lilies - Their Culture and Management.
Publication
 
Author
Woodcock. and Coutts.
Publisher
Country Life
Year
1935
ISBN
-
Description
A classic, but dated. Deals with the genus Lilium.
].
A very ornamental[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
] and easily grown plant[
143
Title
Lilies - Their Culture and Management.
Publication
 
Author
Woodcock. and Coutts.
Publisher
Country Life
Year
1935
ISBN
-
Description
A classic, but dated. Deals with the genus Lilium.
]. The species is not easy to grow in Europe[
90
Title
Bulbs
Publication
 
Author
Phillips. R. and Rix. M.
Publisher
Pan Books
Year
1989
ISBN
0-330-30253-1
Description
Superbly illustrated, it gives brief details on cultivation and native habitat.
]. Polymorphic, there are a number of sub-species[
143
Title
Lilies - Their Culture and Management.
Publication
 
Author
Woodcock. and Coutts.
Publisher
Country Life
Year
1935
ISBN
-
Description
A classic, but dated. Deals with the genus Lilium.
]. It hybridizes in nature with L. superbum but it does not hybridize readily in the garden[
143
Title
Lilies - Their Culture and Management.
Publication
 
Author
Woodcock. and Coutts.
Publisher
Country Life
Year
1935
ISBN
-
Description
A classic, but dated. Deals with the genus Lilium.
].
Closely allied to L. michiganense[
143
Title
Lilies - Their Culture and Management.
Publication
 
Author
Woodcock. and Coutts.
Publisher
Country Life
Year
1935
ISBN
-
Description
A classic, but dated. Deals with the genus Lilium.
].
The plant should be protected against rabbits and slugs in early spring. If the shoot tip is eaten out the bulb will not grow in that year and will lose vigour[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

Bulb - cooked[
2
Title
Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Hedrick. U. P.
Publisher
Dover Publications
Year
1972
ISBN
0-486-20459-6
Description
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
,
105
Title
Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
Publisher
Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
Year
1976
ISBN
-
Description
The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
177
Title
Plants for Human Consumption.
Publication
 
Author
Kunkel. G.
Publisher
Koeltz Scientific Books
Year
1984
ISBN
3874292169
Description
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
]. Rich in starch, it can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). The taste is rather like raw green corn on the ear[
207
Title
The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers.
Publication
 
Author
Coffey. T.
Publisher
Facts on File.
Year
1993
ISBN
0-8160-2624-6
Description
A nice read, lots of information on plant uses.
]. The bulb can be dried, ground into a powder and used in making bread etc[
257
Title
Native American Ethnobotany
Publication
 
Author
Moerman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-88192-453-9
Description
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
]. A famine food, only used when better foods are not available[
257
Title
Native American Ethnobotany
Publication
 
Author
Moerman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-88192-453-9
Description
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
]. The yellowish bulb is 18 - 45mm x 42 - 117mm[
235
Title
An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
Publication
 
Author
Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
Publisher
Dover Publications. New York.
Year
1970
ISBN
0-486-22642-5
Description
Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
,
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
]. The bulb is made up of many imbricate, fleshy scales, without a tunic[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Medicinal

A poultice made from the bulbs is applied to snakebites[
222
Title
A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
Publication
 
Author
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A.
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Co.
Year
1990
ISBN
0395467225
Description
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
].
A tea made from the bulbs is stomachic and is also used in the treatment of irregular menses, rheumatism and dysentery[
222
Title
A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
Publication
 
Author
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A.
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Co.
Year
1990
ISBN
0395467225
Description
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
,
257
Title
Native American Ethnobotany
Publication
 
Author
Moerman. D.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-88192-453-9
Description
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
,
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].

A decoction of the boiled rhizomes was used in the past to fatten children[
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - delayed hypogeal germination[
130
Title
The Plantsman. Vol. 4. 1982 - 1983.
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Royal Horticultural Society
Year
1982
ISBN
-
Description
Excerpts from the periodical giving cultivation details and other notes on some of the useful plants, including Distylium racemosum and some perennial members of the family Berberidaceae.
]. Best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in spring[
143
Title
Lilies - Their Culture and Management.
Publication
 
Author
Woodcock. and Coutts.
Publisher
Country Life
Year
1935
ISBN
-
Description
A classic, but dated. Deals with the genus Lilium.
]. Stored seed will require a warm/cold/warm cycle of stratification, each period being about 2 months long[
163
Title
Lilies and Related Plants.
Publication
 
Author
RHS Lily Group.
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of interesting snippets about plants in the family Liliaceae (in the old, broad sense)
]. Grow on in cool shady conditions. Great care should be taken in pricking out the young seedlings, many people leave them in the seed pot until they die down at the end of their second years growth. This necessitates sowing the seed thinly and using a reasonably fertile sowing medium. The plants will also require regular feeding when in growth. Divide the young bulbs when they are dormant, putting 2 - 3 in each pot, and grow them on for at least another year before planting them out into their permanent positions when the plants are dormant[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
Division with care in the autumn once the leaves have died down. Replant immediately[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Bulb scales can be removed from the bulbs in early autumn. If they are kept in a warm dark place in a bag of moist peat, they will produce bulblets. These bulblets can be potted up and grown on in the greenhouse until they are large enough to plant out[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-12-03. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Lilium+canadense>

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