# Humboldt's Lily (*Lilium humboldtii*) Humboldt's Lily is a beautiful flower that grows in California. It has bright yellow petals with lovely spots and can be found in meadows and forests, bringing joy to all who see it. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Humboldt's Lily](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lilium_humboldtii.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lilium_humboldtii.jpg) ## Appearance The Humboldt's Lily is a tall, striking plant with whorls of bright green leaves. It has numerous large, pendant flowers featuring strongly reflexed (curled back) orange-yellow petals adorned with prominent reddish-brown spots. Its showy blooms emerge from a sturdy green stem. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Liliales - **Family:** Liliaceae - **Genus:** Lilium ## Interesting facts - Each mature plant can proudly display dozens of stunning flowers at once! - Its bulb can be found incredibly deep, sometimes 30 cm underground! - Its petals curl back so far, they almost touch the stem! - Named after explorer Alexander von Humboldt, a truly inspiring scientist! ## Special abilities - **Deep Root Rescuer:** Humboldt's Lily has deeply buried bulbs that help it survive dry spells by storing water and nutrients underground. - **Spotlight Seeker:** Its impressive height allows it to reach for sunlight, making its vibrant flowers visible even in dense forest undergrowth. - **Pollinator Beacon:** The lily's distinct spotted, recurved petals are a visual and scent signal, perfectly designed to attract specific insect pollinators. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-250 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 6-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Western Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Western Tiger Swallowtail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-tiger-swallowtail) (*Papilio rutulus*) — feeds on nectar from flowers - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — may browse on foliage and flowers - **Eaten by:** [Botta's Pocket Gopher](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bottas-pocket-gopher) (*Thomomys bottae*) — consumes underground bulbs ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Tube Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tube-flower): A tube flower has petals fused together at the base, forming a distinct tubular structure that typically holds nectar deep within. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but do not pick flowers, so they can keep growing for everyone to enjoy. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Humboldt's Lily? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Humboldt's Lily? 100-250 cm ### How wide does Humboldt's Lily spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Humboldt's Lily? 6-10 cm ### When does Humboldt's Lily bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is Humboldt's Lily edible? No ### Is Humboldt's Lily toxic? Mild ### What is Humboldt's Lily's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Arroyo Conejo Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arroyo-conejo-open-space) — California, US · Park - [Point Dume State Beach](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/point-dume-state-beach) — California, US · State Park - [Jungleland USA](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jungleland-usa) — California, US · Zoo [View all places to see Humboldt's Lily](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/humboldts-lily) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Humboldt's Lily: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/humboldts-lily)