Coral Lily
Lilium pumilum

Family: Liliaceae

What it is like

Lilium pumilum is a BULB growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower in June, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.5

Where it is found

Dry open stony southern slopes in mountainous areas and on foothills. Grassland and low scrub in shallow humus-rich soils, 400 - 900 metres.

E. Asia - E. China to Siberia.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Bulb - cooked. The bulb is up to 3cm in diameter. Rich in starch, it can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes (Solanum tuberosum).

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicine

Rating: 2

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.

Antiasthmatic: Treats asthma.

Antitussive: Prevents or relieves coughing.

Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.

Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.

Other

Rating:

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

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.

Propagating it: 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.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge;

Habit: Bulb

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

L. tenuifolium.