bamboo lily
Lilium japonicum Thunb. ex Houtt.
Lilium japonicum, known as bamboo lily, is a flowering plant in the Liliaceae family. Native to central and southern Japan, it is a cold-hardy bulbous geophyte that grows to 50–100 cm tall. It often grows near Sasa bamboo, resembling it in stem and leaf structure. The species is used in Shinto religious practices.
Description
Lilium japonicum Thunb. ex Houtt. is a member of the Liliaceae family and is native to Japan. It is commonly associated with Sasa bamboo due to similar stem and leaf morphology. The plant is cold-hardy and grows as a bulbous geophyte, reaching heights of 50 to 100 cm. It is known by the common name bamboo lily in English and has cultural significance in Shinto rituals. The species was formally described in 1780. Original specimens are preserved in the Japan herbarium in G-PREL, with a duplicate in UPS-THUNB.
Other common names
Japanese lilybamboo lily
Distribution
Japan
Synonyms
Lilium makinoi
