Blooming Season for the Tiger Lily in North Carolina

Elusive Blossoms

• The striking blossoms of Carolina lily begin as swan-like buds that can take a month to open to full bloom. The sweet, strong fragrance of this lily -- the only native fragrant lily east of the Rocky Mountains -- pours from 3-inch orange flowers. The sepals and petals of the blossoms curve backward strongly until they overlap at the base of the bloom. Each petal begins as pale green toward the center, changes to orange by the middle and finishes bright, burnt orange at the end. Dark maroon dots the petals. Long, slender filaments and anthers covered with rusty pollen hang several inches below.

Beneath the Blooms

• Carolina lily grows from a perennial bulb. Each 3- to 4-foot stem can carry up to six brilliant nodding blooms. One to three blooms per stem is more common. Two to four horizontal whorls of leaves appear along each stem, with the whorls concentrated near the stem's midsection. Three to 10 fleshy, 3-inch long leaves make up each whorl. Long before Carolina lily blooms, when the stems are still just inches high, these distinctive whorled leaves and their arrangement simplifies identifying the lily.

Timing the Chase

• Hardy from USDA zones 6 through 10, Carolina lily's bloom time spans several months over its native range. From Virginia to Florida and west to Texas, this wildflower may be found in bloom as early as May and as late as October. In North Carolina, the Carolina lily normally reaches its height of bloom during July and August. The flower is found from the mountains in the West, through the Piedmont plateau and in sparse populations along the North Carolina coast.

Finding the Flowers

• When in search of the Carolina lilies in North Carolina, don't overlook roadsides, bluffs and open woods. These lilies grow in North Carolina's mountains, its Piedmont and to lesser degrees along its coast. Except in Florida, where the plant is endangered, healthy population levels still exist. Carolina lily can tolerate drought and heat and overly moist soils for a time. But it prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil found in sunny, dry, upland areas near dry woods. Though Carolina lily can be found in shade, too little sun results in slow growth and no flowers. When looking for these lilies, keep an eye out for their pollinators. Carolina lilies are pollinated by large swallowtail butterflies, including the eastern tiger swallowtail.