Common Name: Coral Lily

General Information

Lilium pumilum is a herbaceous perennial bulbiferous plant producing a leafy stem around 15 - 60cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is often grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its scented flowers.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - western Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, northern, central and eastern China, Korea

Habitat

Dry open stony southern slopes in mountainous areas and on foothills[]. Grassland and low scrub in shallow humus-rich soils; at elevations from 400 - 2,600 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Bulb
Height	0.45 m
Pollinators	Bees
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Lilium pumilum is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[].
An easily cultivated plant[], preferring an open light soil with plenty of moisture in the growing season[, ], though it is tolerant of most soil types[]. Requires a well-drained soil and a sunny position[, ].
Stem rooting[], the bulbs should be planted 10 - 12cm deep[]. Early to mid autumn is the best time to plant out the bulbs in cool temperate areas, in warmer areas they can be planted out as late as late autumn[].
Plants are often short-lived[] and often die after setting a lot of seed[, ].
The flowers have a soft, orange-like perfume[].
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[].

Edible Uses

Bulb - cooked[, , , ]. The ovoid or conical bulb is around 20 - 30mm in diameter[]. Rich in starch, it can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). The bulb is made up of many imbricate, fleshy leaf scales, without a tunic[].

Medicinal

The bulb is antiasthmatic, antitussive, expectorant, sedative and tonic (nutritive)[, ]. It is used in the treatment of coughs, haemoptysis, insomnia and fidgetiness in the later stage of febrile disease[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - immediate epigeal germination[]. Sow thinly in pots from late winter to early spring in a cold frame. Should germinate in 2 - 4 weeks[]. Great care should be taken in pricking out the young seedlings, many people prefer to 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[].
Division with care in the autumn once the leaves have died down. Replant immediately[].
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[].