Wildflower

Carolina Lily

In 2003, the General Assembly designated the Carolina Lily (Lilium michauxii) as the official State wildflower (Session Laws, 2003, c. 426 [2]).

Named for Andre Michaux, a noted eighteenth century naturalist and explorer, this flower grows throughout the state, from the forests and hills of Cherokee County [3] to the coastal swamplands (pocosins [4]) of Hyde [5] and Pamlico [6]Counties. The stem can grow up to 4 feet high, and can have up to 6 flowers at the summit, though 1-3 are more common. The petals are brilliant red-orange with brown spots, and arched back so that the tips overlap.

The Carolina Lily grows throughout the southeast, from West Virginia to Florida, and can bloom as late as October, though it is most prevalent in July and August.

References and additional resources:

Carolina Lily [7] (USDA, NRCS. 2007. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov [8], 18 June 2009). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.)

Resources in Worldcat [9]