The spectacular Humboldt lily is a tall (to 8') stout-stemmed perennial growing from a large underground bulb with 4-8 whorls of 10-20 bright green, oblanceolate, wavy-
margined leaves either spreading or ascending.  The few to many nodding flowers are orange-yellow with dark red blotches.  The three sepals and three petals are very similar, and are rolled back and under.  There are six 2"-long pendent stamens with orange to brown colored anthers and three carpels united to form a single pistil.  This lily prefers shaded woodsy areas often near seasonal moist places in chaparral, oak woodlands and yellow pine forest to 5500', and blooms from June to July.  It ranges from Santa Barbara Co. to the San Jacinto and Santa Ana Mts.  It was named for Baron Alexander von Humboldt.  These pictures were taken in Santa Ynez Canyon in the Santa Monica Mts.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Lilium 2) humboldtii 3) ocellatum.
Pronunciation: LIL-ee-um HUM-bolt-ee-eye os-el-AY-tum.
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.