Carolina lily is a perennial wildflower and is the Official Wildflower of the State of North Carolina. In NC, it is found in dry upland forests, slopes, and ridges in all areas of the state, although it is rare in the coastal plains. It is a member of the lily family (Liliaceae). The species epithet honors French botanist André Michaux (1746–1802), who documented and studied the flora of North America. This species is in the American Lily group. Plant in well-drained, moist soil with plenty of organic matter worked into it. It needs partial sun of at least 4-6 hours per day to flower. Protect from rabbits and deer. The unbranched stem grows 2 to 4 feet tall with whorled, thick, fleshy leaves. Fragrant orange and yellow speckled flowers with strongly recurved petals occur in summer, and it is the only fragrant native lily east of the Mississippi River. Use Carolina lily in the border or in groups in pollinator, butterfly or native gardens Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Narcissus bulb fly, tulip aphid and potato aphid are potential pests. Deer will browse the plant, and voles will eat bulbs. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Lilium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Whorled
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire; Undulate
Leaf feel
Fleshy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Whorled, thick, fleshy leaves taper to a blunt point. 3 inches long and 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide, broadest above the middle. Margins are entire and often wavy. Undersides paler.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Solitary
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
3-4 inch orange and yellow downward-facing flowers that do not have a central star. The brown speckled petals are strongly recurved and the tips of the petals overlap. Six slender filaments topped by brown anthers protrude from the center of the flower, as does a long style. Flowers occur in groups of 1-3 but can have up to 6 flowers. Blooms July to Aug. and sometimes into Sept.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Fruit is available September-October.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
2-4 feet tall green sturdy stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
VA south to FL and west to TX
Wildlife value
Swallowtail butterflies pollinate the flowers. Deer and rabbits browse the plant.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds