"Lilium columbianum is a BULB growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in) at a medium rate."
"It is hardy to zone (UK) 5. It is in flower from Jul to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil." [PFAF]
Synonyms
Lilium canadense var. parviflorum.[Turner, Kuhnlein][E-flora]
General: Perennial herb from an egg-shaped, fleshy-scaled, white bulb 3-5 cm long; stems 40-120 cm tall, sturdy, smooth. [IFBC-E-flora]
Leaves: Usually in several whorls of 6 to 9, the upper and lowermost stem leaves often scattered and alternate, lanceolate, 4-10 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide, smooth. [IFBC-E-flora]
Flowers: Inflorescence of several to many, large, showy, nodding flowers in a terminal raceme; flowers yellow-orange to reddish-orange with dark red or purple spots about the centre, bell-shaped, of 6 similar, distinct tepals, the tepals broadly lanceolate, 4-6 cm long, about 1 cm wide, strongly bent back; stamens 6; pistil 1, 3-chambered.
Habitat / Range: Mesic open forests, roadsides, clearings, thickets and meadows in the lowland and steppe to alpine zones; common throughout S BC south of 54degreeN; S to ID and N CA. [IFBC-E-flora]
Ecological Indicator Information: A shade-intolerant, submontane to subalpine, Western North American forb distributed equally in the Pacific and Cordilleran regions. Occurs on moderately dry to fresh, nitrogen-medium soils within boreal, cool temperate, and cool mesothermal climates. Scattered in early-seral communities, occasional in forested communities on water-shedding, often on colluvial. sites. Characteristic of open-canopy, young-seral forests. [IFBC-E-flora]
Status: Native [E-flora]
Edible Uses
Bulbs: The starchy bulbs were cooked and eaten by indigenous peoples. [ETWP] The large bulbs were used by virtually all British Columbia Indigenous Peoples within the range of the plant. [Turner, Kuhnlein] The bulbs were highly prized by various native North American Indian tribes and were used as a staple food.[118,257][PFAF]
Harvesting: "The bulbs were dug at various times: in spring, before flowering, during flowering in early summer, immediately after flowering, or in the fall, after the leaves have died down. In the last case, stakes were sometimes set out around where the flowers were growing, so the bulbs could be located later. Some people say the bulbs are too bitter at flowering time, but become more palatable afterwards." [Turner, Kuhnlein]
Preparation: Raw or cooked [61,105,161,213,257].[PFAF] The bulbs were generally steamed, or boiled, but were also pitcooked. The bulbs, fresh or dried, were cooked in soups, or with meat or fish. Cooked with fermented salmon roe, with meat, or in a "vegetable soup" with other "roots" such as nodding onion, salmon heads, and saskatoon berries. More recently, they have been mixed with gravy, or cooked with flour, sugar, and water to make a type of pudding.[Turner, Kuhnlein] The bulbs were steamed in pits [Turner&Bell1]
Preservation: After cooking, they were usually dried for winter storage.[Turner, Kuhnlein]
Properties: The oval-shaped bulb is up to 5cm in diameter and is used as a vegetable in the same way as potatoes.[85,256] Starchy, with a slightly sweet taste.[85] The flavor of the bulbs is said to resemble sweet chestnuts but with a slight bitterness.[256][PFAF] They are bitter, or peppery tasting, and therefore tended to be used more as a flavouring or condiment. [Turner, Kuhnlein]
Cultivation
"Requires a moist not too heavy well-drained acid loam in light shade[47, 143]. Succeeds in full sun[143]. Plant bulbs 10 - 15cm deep[143]. Early to mid autumn is the best time to plant out the bulbs in cool temperate areas, in warmer areas they can be planted out as late as late autumn[200]. The plant should be protected against rabbits and slugs in early spring. If the shoot tip is eaten out the bulb will not grow in that year and will lose vigour[200]." [PFAF]
Propagation
"Seed - autumnal hypogeal germination[130]. Best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in spring[163]. Stored seed will require a warm/cold/warm cycle of stratification, each period being about 2 months long[163]. Grow on in cool shady conditions. Great care should be taken in pricking out the young seedlings, many people leave them in the seed pot until they die down at the end of their second years growth. This necessitates sowing the seed thinly and using a reasonably fertile sowing medium. The plants will also require regular feeding when in growth. Divide the young bulbs when they are dormant, putting 2 - 3 in each pot, and grow them on for at least another year before planting them out into their permanent positions when the plants are dormant[K]. Division in autumn once the leaves have died down. Replant immediately[200]. Bulb scales can be removed from the bulbs in early autumn. If they are kept in a warm dark place in a bag of moist peat, they will produce bulblets. These bulblets can be potted up and grown on in the greenhouse until they are large enough to plant out[200]. Stem or leaf cuttings[163]." [PFAF]
