Practical
Plants

Lilium pardalinum

Panther Lily

a member of the Lilium genus in the family Liliaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Liliaceae
Genus
Lilium
Height
2 m
Spread
0.3 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Bulb - cooked[2][5]. Rich in starch, it can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes (Solanum tuberosum).

Plant part
Root

Environment

Range
South-western N. America - California to Oregon.
Habitat
Stream banks and springy places to 2000 metres, forming large colonies near the coastal range[6][7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
high
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind
Wind
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - autumnal hypogeal germination. Best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in spring[3]. Stored seed will require a warm/cold/warm cycle of stratification, each period being about 2 months long[3]. Grow on in cool shady conditions. Great care should be taken in pricking out the young seedlings, many people 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 in autumn once the leaves have died down. Replant immediately[4]. 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. Bulbils - gather in late summer when they start to fall off the stems and pot up immediately. Grow on in a greenhouse until large enough to go outside[3].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in almost any soil that is moist but not water-logged[6][2]. Prefers a wet soil on a slope or a well-drained soil with a high water table[8]. Tolerates lime[6][8][3]. Succeeds in full sun but rapidly deteriorates if grown in deep shade[2]. Fairly wind resistant but is best grown in a sheltered position[6][2]. Very ornamental and easily grown[1], the plant is rhizomatous, forming clumps[6]. The plant increases rapidly by division, each bulb producing 5 new bulbs per year[2]. 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[4]. 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[4].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Woodcock. and Coutts. Lilies - Their Culture and Management. Country Life 1935-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  3. RHS Lily Group. Lilies and Related Plants.

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  6. Fox. D. Growing Lilies. Croom Helm 1985-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  7. Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00

    ↩

  8. Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1

    ↩1↩2

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