'Lilium pyrophilum'
(The Sandhills Lily)
(Species / Wild Lily)
This is yet another endangered lilium species. Native to North and South Carolina as well as the southern portion of Virginia, in what is known as the 'Sandhills Region, it gets its name "Pyro" as it grows in areas that are regenerating following a fire. It is reported by Pontus Wallsten who took these photos that it does not need fire though for germination. Stock is from a single bulb collected in North Carolina and is self sterile and he reports that propagation of this garden subject for the time being is only by scaling. It is interesting in that the flowers deepen in color as they age so no two flowers on a stem are exactly alike in color.
Flora of North American reports that "the most ecologically intact populations occur on military bases in the Carolinas that are carefully managed to ensure the frequent fires that promote this fire-dependent lily; many of these fires are initiated by exploding ordnance". Until recently, L. pyrophilum was often confused with L. michauxii and L. superbum in that their natural ranges overlap.
Photo copyright Pontus Wallstén of Switzerland. Used with permission. Pontus has an excellent book titled 'The Lily Species and their bulbs' and he can be contacted by email at pontus.wallsten@bluewin.ch for more information. He also offers some rare species lilies in limited quantities that are shipped from his nursery in Switzerland.
This page is for reference only, not as an offer to sell species bulbs or seeds.
This is yet another endangered lilium species. Native to North and South Carolina as well as the southern portion of Virginia, in what is known as the 'Sandhills Region, it gets its name "Pyro" as it grows in areas that are regenerating following a fire. It is reported by Pontus Wallsten who took these photos that it does not need fire though for germination. Stock is from a single bulb collected in North Carolina and is self sterile and he reports that propagation of this garden subject for the time being is only by scaling. It is interesting in that the flowers deepen in color as they age so no two flowers on a stem are exactly alike in color.
Flora of North American reports that "the most ecologically intact populations occur on military bases in the Carolinas that are carefully managed to ensure the frequent fires that promote this fire-dependent lily; many of these fires are initiated by exploding ordnance". Until recently, L. pyrophilum was often confused with L. michauxii and L. superbum in that their natural ranges overlap.
Photo copyright Pontus Wallstén of Switzerland. Used with permission. Pontus has an excellent book titled 'The Lily Species and their bulbs' and he can be contacted by email at pontus.wallsten@bluewin.ch for more information. He also offers some rare species lilies in limited quantities that are shipped from his nursery in Switzerland.
This page is for reference only, not as an offer to sell species bulbs or seeds.
