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Martagon Lily

Martagon Lily

Lilium martagon

Identify the Martagon Lily from a photo and log your finds with Florapass.

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How common: Common

Alien species

Martagon Lily is a tall, long‑lived lily with drooping, turban‑shaped, spotted flowers. Native across much of Eurasia, it is widely grown in gardens and often lingers around old parks and estates. It is most at home in light shade on warm, not too dry, lime‑rich ground.

Did you know?

  • Grown in the Nordic countries since the 1600s.
  • Often self‑seeds and may appear around old gardens.

About the species

Identification

Stately plant 70–150 cm tall from a bulb. Stem stiff, often with reddish speckles, leafy in the middle. Lower leaves form rings of 4–9 around the stem; upper leaves are more scattered. Leaves oval, about 10 cm long. A loose cluster bears 5–10 nodding flowers. Petals curl strongly back, giving a turban look; colours range from pale pink to deep red or white, always spotted with purple or brown. The long pollen‑tipped parts are red‑yellow to purple. Fruits are upright, six‑ridged pods. From other lilies, the many hanging, curled flowers plus leaf rings stand out; no small bulbils in the leaf joints. Flowers in Finland in June–July.

Plant group

Herbaceous plants

Habitat

yards and roadsides

Flowering

Jun–Jul

About the habitat

Light shade in woods, thickets and mountain meadows; prefers warm, not very dry, lime‑rich soils; found up to high elevations. Planted ornamental; often a garden remnant or escape, established in parks and city woods of southern Finland.

Sources

Photo: Lev Lamberov, CC BY 4.0 https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/5938455926

Text: Pinkka: Puutarhakasvitiede 1 - Perennat ja ryhmäkasvit, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.40011

Text: Pinkka: A Pohjolan kasveja - Laburnum-Luzula, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.40011

Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varjolilja

See also