# tiger lily (*Lilium lancifolium*) Tiger lilies are bright orange flowers with beautiful spots. They bloom in summer and attract butterflies and bees, making gardens colorful and lively! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![tiger lily](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426550/objects/2989.jpg) ## Appearance The tiger lily has striking orange petals that curve backward sharply, revealing prominent dark purplish-brown spots, resembling a tiger's coat. Its large, nodding flowers often display long, showy stamens with rusty pollen, making it instantly recognizable. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Liliales - **Family:** Liliaceae - **Genus:** Lilium ## Interesting facts - Each tiger lily flower can have up to six petals, all curving backwards like a fancy hat! - In ancient times, some cultures believed these lilies could ward off evil spirits! - Its pollen is bright orange and sticky, often dusting the faces of visiting bees! - The plant's scientific name, Lilium lancifolium, means 'lance-leaved lily' for its leaf shape! ## Special abilities - **Bulbil Power:** Tiger lily can grow tiny 'bulbils' in its leaf axils, which drop and sprout into new plants, helping it spread easily. - **Pollinator Landing Strip:** Its bright orange, spotted petals curve backward, acting like a landing strip for pollinators, guiding them to the flower's nectar. - **Underground Energy Store:** Tiger lily has deep underground bulbs that store energy, allowing it to survive harsh winters and re-emerge year after year. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-120 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Common Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses on leaves and buds - **Eats:** Cotton Aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — sucks sap from plant tissues ## 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. - [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. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not touch or eat flowers without asking an adult, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify tiger 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 tiger lily? 60-120 cm ### How wide does tiger lily spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on tiger lily? 5-10 cm ### When does tiger lily bloom? Summer ### Is tiger lily edible? Yes ### Is tiger lily toxic? Moderate ### What is tiger lily's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Shaw Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shaw-nature-reserve) — Missouri, US · Botanical Garden - [Greenville Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greenville-zoo) — South Carolina, US · Zoo - [Chokai Quasi-National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chokai-quasi-national-park) — Tohoku, JP · Park - [Makino Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/makino-botanical-garden) — Shikoku, JP · Park - [Mudeungsan National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mudeungsan-national-park) — KR · Park - [National Botanic Garden of Korea](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/national-botanic-garden-of-korea) — KR · Park [View all places to see tiger lily](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/tiger-lily) ## Watch - [Play video: tiger lily](https://www.snappit.app/videos/tiger-lily) - [YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=m1jYJ_-5EUo) ## 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: [Tiger Lily: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tiger-lily)