Fauna
Plant

Turk's-cap Lily

Lilium superbum

Also known as Turban Lily, Swamp Lily, Lily Royal, American Tiger Lily

Turk's-cap lily is the tallest native lily in eastern North America, bearing dramatic pyramids of nodding, recurved orange blossoms in mid to late summer. Each flower features heavily backward-curving tepals spotted with maroon, exposing prominent dangling stamens with rust-colored anthers and a conspicuous green star at the center. Robust underground scaly bulbs store carbohydrates through frozen winters, enabling mature stems to support dozens of blooms that draw swallowtail butterflies and hummingbirds.

NativePerennialWetland
Turk's-cap Lily reference1 / 7
(c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michael J. Papay · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Scarlet Lily Beetle
  • Eastern Chipmunk
ThreatsWhite-tailed deer browsing, wetland drainage, and wild collection
HabitatsWet meadows, moist prairies, bogs, and stream banks
Life spanPerennial (decades via bulb division)
Classification
  1. OrderLiliales
  2. FamilyLiliaceae
  3. GenusLilium
  4. SpeciesLilium superbum
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Highly toxic and potentially fatal to cats if ingested; safe to observe in the wild.
Why it is dangerous
All parts of true lilies contain unidentified nephrotoxins that cause severe, rapid kidney failure in domestic cats.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Recognize by very tall unbranched stems, whorled leaves, and nodding orange blooms with deeply reflexed spotted petals.
What to do
Do not bring any part of the plant indoors if cats are present; wash hands after accidental contact with pollen.
Responsible observation
  • Viewing Season: Look for open blossoms in wet meadows and forest openings from July through August.
  • Pet Safety: Keep felines away from cut flowers, as even ingested pollen grains trigger acute renal failure in cats.
  • Leave Undisturbed: Admire plants where they grow, as digging wild bulbs damages fragile wetland communities.
Related species
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