MICHIGAN LILY Lilium michiganense

A beautiful red-orange lily that is frequently visited by butterflies, including the Swallowtail! Flower petals are spotted, and curve backwards. Several flowers are produced on each plant. Plant in a mainly sunny location. It grows in regular or moist soil. Sometimes the Michigan Lily and Turk's Cap Lily names are used interchangeably, but each is a different species.

Type: Hardy perennial

Hardiness zones: 4-8

Height: 60-80cm

Location: Sun or part

Bloom time: Summer

Seeds per pack: 3

Note: This plant species is known to have toxicity. Ingestion of these seeds or this plant can cause illness such as vomiting or diarrhea.

Germination: As with many perennial seeds, these seeds require a period of moist cold to help them break dormancy. This is done by giving them a cold 'winter' period (artificial or natural), and then a warming to simulate 'spring', and time to grow! Here's how this can be done:

Obtain a planting container that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Place the seeds just under the surface of your growing medium, and water. Place your container in a cold area (but not freezing, perhaps a refrigerator) for 6 weeks. Once the cold period is completed, place the container at room temperature for them to germinate. Be sure to keep the soil moist during this entire germination period. Seedlings will sprout a few weeks, or occasionally several months, after the warming period.

If you are planting your seeds in late winter or spring, these seeds can be planted outdoors while it is still cool out (once the ground is workable and unfrozen), to receive the cold period naturally in the garden.