Lilium pensylvanicum
A cold-climate lily with upright orange-red blooms
Lilium pensylvanicum is a perennial lily from cold parts of East Asia, including northeast China, Mongolia, Russia, Korea, and northern Japan. It grows up to 70 cm tall, producing one to six upright, dish-like flowers in early summer. The plant is valued for its hardiness and is grown in gardens outside its native range.
- Native to cold regions of East Asia
- Blooms with upright orange-red flowers in early summer
- Known as ezosukashiyuri in Hokkaidō, Japan
- Grows up to 70 cm tall from a round bulb
- Popular in gardens for its hardiness
What does Lilium pensylvanicum look like?
This lily stands between 30 and 70 cm tall, with a sturdy, straight stem and narrow, lance-shaped leaves about 4–5 cm long. Its flowers, which appear in early summer, are upright and shaped like shallow bowls, each with six petals that curve back from the center. The blooms are typically orange to red. Each plant can carry up to six flowers at a time. The bulb is round and about 2 cm across.
Where does Lilium pensylvanicum come from?
Lilium pensylvanicum grows naturally in cold climates of East Asia, including parts of China, Mongolia, Russia, Korea, and northern Japan. The species name is the result of a mistake by botanist John Bellenden Ker, as the plant is not from Pennsylvania. In Japan, it is especially common in Hokkaidō, where it is known as ezosukashiyuri. The Ainu people call it masarorunpe, a word also used for a traditional oil lamp.
When and how Lilium pensylvanicum blooms
This lily blooms in June and July, with seeds ripening from August to September. It prefers areas with cold winters and needs frost to thrive. The plant is not demanding, tolerating a range of soils, but does not do well in dry conditions. It is often grown from bulbs, which are planted in gardens in Europe and America as well as in its native regions.
How Lilium pensylvanicum is used
Lilium pensylvanicum is grown for its attractive flowers in gardens and is also found wild in its native habitats. In Japan, photographers visit places like the Notsuke Peninsula in July to capture its flowering. The plant is not noted for ceremonial or medicinal use in the sources, but it is appreciated for its beauty and hardiness.
Kinds of Lilium pensylvanicum
The species is known by different names in various regions. In Japan, ezosukashiyuri is especially associated with Hokkaidō and some local towns. The Ainu language name, masarorunpe, links the flower to traditional culture. No specific cultivars or varieties are detailed in the sources.
What Lilium pensylvanicum means
Lilium pensylvanicum is a familiar wildflower in northern Japan, where it draws visitors and photographers during its blooming season. The plant’s name in Ainu culture is shared with a traditional oil lamp, showing a cultural connection. Its main value is as a hardy garden flower and a symbol of the northern landscapes where it grows.
Questions people ask about Lilium pensylvanicum
Where does Lilium pensylvanicum come from?
This lily is native to cold parts of East Asia, including northeast China, Mongolia, Russia, Korea, and northern Japan, especially Hokkaidō.
What does the flower look like?
It has upright, dish-shaped blooms with six petals that curve back, usually orange to red in color. Plants can reach up to 70 cm tall and carry several flowers at once.
How is Lilium pensylvanicum used?
It is mostly grown in gardens for its attractive flowers and is also found wild in its native regions. In Japan, it draws many photographers during its blooming season.
What does the name mean?
The scientific name is due to a naming error and does not refer to Pennsylvania. In Japan, it is called ezosukashiyuri, and the Ainu call it masarorunpe.
When does it flower?
It blooms in June and July, with seeds maturing from August to September in East Asia.
Good reading and sources
- USDA Plants DatabaseUS Department of Agriculture, Article
- Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
- Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
- Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database
- Lilium pensylvanicum on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Lilium pensylvanicum", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
Others in the family Liliaceae
The whole family
TulipTulipa
Spring-blooming bulbs with showy, cup-shaped flowers in many colours
🇳🇱 Netherlands and 7 more · Wildflower
LilyLilium
Tall bulb flowers with large, colourful blooms in many gardens and cultures
Lilium · Wildflower
Lilium speciosum
A late-summer lily with fragrant white to pink flowers from East Asia
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Wildflower
Lilium davidii
A tall Asian lily with edible bulbs and orange recurved flowers
🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Wildflower
More from China
All the flowers of China
PeachPrunus persica
A flowering fruit tree from China, grown for its pink blossoms and sweet fruit
🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree
Common sunflowerHelianthus annuus
A tall annual plant grown for its large yellow flower heads and edible seeds
🇨🇦 Canada and 4 more · Wildflower
PomegranatePunica granatum
A shrub with bright red flowers and a fruit full of edible seeds
🇮🇷 Iran and 9 more · Flowering shrub
BirchBetula
Slender trees with papery bark found across the northern world
🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower