Wildfower Wednesday

Once again it's time to feature a wildflower and this week's is a rare treat. The Canada Lily. I know of only one area where this lily grows each year and there seem to be fewer of them each year. Please do not pick or dig this plant if you find it. It is on the endangered species list of COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada). Bulbs or seeds can be purchased from Lily breeders...

The Canada Lily (Lilium canadense), also called the Meadow Lily or Wild Yellow Lily is native to eastern North America and grows in moist fields and meadows. You can see it is happy here among daisies, purple vetch, and yellow whorled loosestrife. It grows from 2-6 feet tall, with a number of nodding trumpet-shaped flowers at the top of the stalk. The flowers are yellow-orange with dark spots. There are 3 petals and 3 petal-like sepals which arch outward but not backward, and 6 stamens with brown anthers. In this area it usually blooms in mid to late July, but like everything this year, it seems to be a few weeks early.
In the past, flower buds and roots were gathered by natives to treat stomach ailments. White-tailed deer also like munching on this plant, not to mention those darn lily beetles...
Have you found an interesting wildflower this week?

Peace,
Linda

"Touch the earth, love the earth, honor the earth; her plains, her valleys, her hills and her seas; rest your spirit in her solitary places." ~ Henry Beston