- Lilium candidum
Taxobox
name = "Lilium candidum"
regnum =Plantae
phylum = Magnoliophyta
classis =Liliopsida
ordo =Liliales
familia =Liliaceae
genus = "Lilium "
species = "L. candidum"
binomial = "Lilium candidum""Lilium candidum", the Madonna Lily, is a plant in the genus "
Lilium ", one of the true lilies. It is native to theBalkans andWest Asia . It forms bulbs at ground level, and unlike other lilies, has a basal rosette of leaves through the winter, which die back in summer. A leafy flower stem, typically up to 1.2 m high, sometimes up to 2 m high, emerges in late spring and bears fragrant flowers in summer. Flowers are white, flushed yellow at the base.It has long been cultivated, but is susceptible to
virus diseases of lilies, and to "Botrytis " fungus. One possible way around to avoid problems with viruses is to grow plants raised from seed. Madonna lilies are depicted on wall paintings at the Minoan palace ofKnossos . Medieval depictions of theBlessed Virgin Mary usually show her clutching these flowers.The Madonna lily was formerly the provincial flower of
Quebec , a reference to the white fleurs de lis on the provincial flag. However, as the Madonna lily is not native to Quebec and grows poorly there, the provincial flower was changed to the blue flag iris, which is native to Quebec.References
The European Garden Flora (1986).Garden Bulbs for the South (1994).
External links
* [http://www.wildflowers.co.il/english/plant.asp?ID=2 Lilium candidum in israelwildflowers.co.il]
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