Lilium Oriental Section

Lilium is a large genus in the Liliaceae family. Information and pictures of species on the PBS wiki are found on section pages. This wiki page is for the Oriental Section. Other sections and hybrids are linked below.


American Section a-m - American Section n-zAsiatic Section a-c - Asiatic Section d-k - Asiatic Section l-o - Asiatic Section p-zCandidum Section - Dauricum SectionMartagon SectionTrumpet Section - Lilium Hybrids - Lilium Index


Lilium alexandrae R.W.Wallace ex R.Hogg (nom. inval.) is native to wet and frost free islands in the South of Japan. Its Japanese name is uke-yuri from the uke island of Kagoshima. Lilium alexandrae is not a recognised name and in 2022 is listed as a synonym for Lilium ukeyuri Veitch ex R.Hogg and Lilium japonicum. It was named for Princess Alexandra. Stems grow to between 30 and 100 cm; flowers are pure white and scented. Photo 1 by John Lykkegaard Johansen. Photo 2 of bulbs by Cheung Siu Ming.

Lilium japonicum, syn. Lilium alexandrae, John Lykkegaard JohansenLilium japonicum, syn. Lilium alexandrae bulb, Cheung Siu Ming

Lilium auratum Lindl. is originally from Japan and is commonly called the 'gold band' lily. Photos 1-3 of variety platyphyllum Baker (syn. Lilium platyphyllum Makino) are by Janos Agoston. The fourth photo is by Ron Parsons of plants in cultivation, UC Berkeley arboretum. Photo 5 is of a bulb by Pontus Wallstén.

Lilium auratum var. platyphyllum, Janos AgostonLilium auratum var. platyphyllum, Janos AgostonLilium auratum var. platyphyllum, Janos AgostonLilium auratum, Ron ParsonsLilium auratum bulb, Pontus Wallstén

Lilium auratum var. virginale Duch. is a synonym of Lilium auratum var. auratum. Photos 1-3 by Darm Crook depicts a lilium from the Kimono strain developed by selective breeding of Lilium auratum var. virginale. Photo 4 is of a bulb of Lilium auratun var. rubrovittatum Duch., another synonym of Lilium auratum var. auratum, by Pontus Wallstén.

Lilium auratum, syn. var. virginale, Darm CrookLilium auratum, syn. var. virginale, Darm CrookLilium auratum , syn. var. virginale, Darm CrookLilium auratum, syn. var rubrovittatum bulb, Pontus Wallstén

Lilium brownii F.E.Br. ex Miellez is native to central and southern China. Var. viridulum Baker photos 1-2 were taken of a plant in cultivation by Arnold Trachtenberg. Photo 3 of a bulb was taken by Pontus Wallstén.

Lilium brownii var. viridulum, Arnold TrachtenbergLilium brownii var. viridulum, Arnold TrachtenbergLilium brownii, Pontus Wallstén

Lilium japonicum Thunb. ex Houtt. (sasa-yuri = bamboo lily) hails from the South of the Japanese island of Honshu where it grows on North facing slopes among bamboo and rhododendrons from sea level to over 3000 feet. It requires cool soil. Photos 1 and 2 of plants in cultivation by John Lykkegaard Johansen. Photo 3 of bulb by Pontus Wallstén.

Lilium japonicum, John Lykkegaard JohansenLilium japonicum, John Lykkegaard JohansenLilium japonicum bulb, Pontus Wallstén

Lilium nobilissimum (T. Makino 1914), is native to Kuchi-no-shima in the Ryukyu islands in Japan. Its Japanese name is tamoto-yuri. It is closely related to Lilium alexandrae. The first photo was taken by Jaap van Tuyl and is from Wikimedia Commons and is shared under a CC license. Photos of bulbs by Cheung Siu Ming.

Lilium nobilissimum, Jaap van Tuyl, Wikimedia Commons, CCLilium nobilissimum bulb, Cheung Siu MingLilium nobilissimum bulb, Cheung Siu Ming

Lilium rubellum Baker (otome-yuri = maiden lily) is native to the island of Honshu in Japan. It grows at 9,000 feet, and attains a height of 18 inches but may reach 30 inches in cultivation. Photo 1 by Arnold Trachtenberg of the flower of a bulb received from the Species Lily Preservation Group. Photos 2 and 3 of bulbs by Pontus Wallstén.

Lilium rubellum, Arnold TrachtenbergLilium rubellum bulb, Pontus WallsténLilium rubellum bulb, Pontus Wallstén

These photos were taken by Mari Kitama in June 2008 at Takashimizu natural park (800 m) in Japan where there are reputed to be one million bulbs of this scented lily.

Lilium rubellum, Mari KitamaLilium rubellum, Mari KitamaLilium rubellum, Mari KitamaLilium rubellum, Mari KitamaLilium rubellum, Mari Kitama

Lilium speciosum Thunb., syn. Lilium speciosum f. album Mast, syn. Lilium speciosum var. rubrum (Mast.) Baker, is native to southeast China, Taiwan, and Japan. It is an old favorite, seen in the first photo in the garden of and photographed by Jim McKenney. This lily has a distinct fragrance, very strong and sweet. Photo 2 by Ron Parsons of a plant in cultivation. Photos of bulbs by Pontus Wallstén.

Lilium speciosum, Jim McKenneyLilium speciosum, Ron ParsonsLilium speciosum bulb, Pontus WallsténLilium speciosum bulbs, Pontus WallsténLilium speciosum bulbs, Pontus Wallstén

Lilium speciosum var. gloriosoides Baker is from China and Taiwan and until recently was not in cultivation in the western world. It is visually different from var. speciosum with a better flower form and red dots in the central ring. It is tall, usually when established reaching 7', with strong stems. Flowering late, seed doesn't usually ripen in areas with severe winter weather unless grown in a greenhouse/polytunnel. Photos 1-2 by John Lonsdale. Photo 3 of a bulb by Pontus Wallstén.

Lilium speciosum var. gloriosoides, John LonsdaleLilium speciosum var. gloriosoides, John LonsdaleLilium speciosum var. gloriosoides bulb, Pontus Wallstén

American Section a-m - American Section n-zAsiatic Section a-c - Asiatic Section d-k - Asiatic Section l-o - Asiatic Section p-zCandidum Section - Dauricum SectionMartagon SectionTrumpet Section - Lilium Hybrids - Lilium Index


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