Lilium humboldtii subsp. humboldtii

Humboldt lily, Humboldt Lily

Family: Liliaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

Humboldt lily is a California native perennial found in southern California Ranges and northern Sierra Nevada Highlands in yellow-pine forest and chaparral openings at elevations of 600 to 1,100 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces striking orange flowers with distinctive magenta spots, the blossoms emerging from bulbs with off-white scales sometimes speckled with purple. Growing to approximately one meter tall with an upright unbranched stem, it emerges from a distinctive bulb with uniquely colored scales. Its leaves are narrow and lance-shaped, arranged in whorls along the stem, providing a striking green backdrop to the vibrant flowers. The large, dramatic lily features pollen in rich rusty-orange or red-brown tones, creating a bold and eye-catching display in its forest and chaparral habitats.

Habitat: Yellow-pine forest, chaparral openings

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: (200)600-1100 m

Bioregions: s CaRH, n SNH.

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.