Michigan lily
Lilium michiganense
Its petals curve backward so tightly they almost touch the stem, perfectly exposing its dangling, pollen-heavy anthers to passing swallowtail butterflies.
- Scientific name
- Lilium michiganense
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Liliales › Liliaceae › Lilium
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Wet prairies, fens, wet meadows, moist open woods, and riverbanks.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthesis via sunlight, water, and soil nutrients).
- Range
- Great Lakes Region, Midwestern United States, Ontario, Appalachian Mountains
- Size
- Stems grow 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet) tall, bearing flowers 5 to 8 cm wide.
- Lifespan
- Perennial (individual bulbs can live for decades)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat destruction, wetland draining, invasive species like reed canary grass, and heavy grazing by white-tailed deer.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch for humans, but highly toxic to domestic cats if ingested. Enjoy their beauty from a safe distance without picking them, as removing the flowers prevents seed production. If a pet ingests any part of the plant, seek veterinary care immediately.
Lilium michiganense is a species of true lily commonly referred to as the Michigan lily . It is a wildflower present in prairie habitats in the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi Valley regions of the United States and Canada, from South Dakota through Ontario to New York, south to Georgia and Oklahoma.
Photo: Cullen Hanks, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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