Lilium concolor
Morning Star Lily
a member of the Lilium genus in the family Liliaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Bulb - cooked[9][2]. The bulb is up to 35mm in diameter[13]. Rich in starch, it can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes (Solanum tuberosum). Young leaves - cooked[7]. Flowers[8]. No more details are given.
- Plant part
- Flowers
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Root
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The bulb is carminative, expectorant, pectoral, sedative and tonic[5][11]. It is taken internally in the treatment of bronchial complaints[12]. The flowers invigorate the blood[11]. They are poulticed onto sores and boils[11].
- Product or use
- Carminative
- Product or use
- Expectorant
- Product or use
- Pectoral
- Product or use
- Poultice
- Product or use
- Sedative
- Product or use
- Tonic
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China
- Habitat
- Scrub in pockets of humus on carboniferous limestone and in heavy limey soil, 1500 - 2200 metres[15]. Moist places in forests, thickets, moist meadows, grassy slopes and sunny grassland[13].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 4+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - immediate epigeal germination[3]. Sow thinly in pots from late winter to early spring in a cold frame. Should germinate in 2 - 4 weeks[6]. 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[K]. Division with care in the autumn once the leaves have died down. Replant immediately[10]. 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[10].
Cultivation
Prefers an open free-draining humus-rich loamy soil with its roots in the shade and its head in the sun[4][10]. Prefers an acid sandy soil but also succeeds on heavy soils[14][4]. Plants are lime tolerant[14][4][10]. Requires a sheltered position if grown outdoors, doing well on a rock garden, but it is best grown in a greenhouse[6] Stem rooting, the bulbs should be planted 7 - 10 cm deep[4][10]. 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[10]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is cultivated for its edible bulb in Japan[9]. 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[10].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
? The Plantsman. Vol. 4. 1982 - 1983. Royal Horticultural Society 1982-00-00
Woodcock. and Coutts. Lilies - Their Culture and Management. Country Life 1935-00-00
? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
RHS Lily Group. Lilies and Related Plants.
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Fox. D. Growing Lilies. Croom Helm 1985-00-00
Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1