Lilium hansonii

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Lilium hansonii
D.T. Moore (1871)
Kurumayuri/クルマユリ / 車百合 (Wheel Lily)

Overview

Section: Martagon
Origin: Northeast Asia, Korea, Japan (Honshū, Hokkaidō), and parts of northeastern China (Manchuria).
Habitat: Deciduous and mixed conifer forests, forest edges, and grassy slopes with humus-rich loam or volcanic soils.
Type: Temperate woodland lily
Status: Locally common and widely cultivated; natural populations stable where forests remain intact.

Introduction

Lilium hansonii is a vigorous and handsome lily of East Asian woodlands, notable for its thick, waxy foliage, large orange flowers, and tolerance for partial shade. It was named in 1871 by D.T. Moore in honor of the Norwegian-born American botanist Dr. Peter Hanson, who introduced the species to cultivation in Europe through material collected from Japan and Korea.

This species is one of the most distinctive and easily recognized members of Section Martagon. It is sometimes confused with L. medeoloides or L. distichum, but its robust stature, broader leaves, and thick-textured flowers set it apart. Its adaptability and durability have made it one of the most popular Asiatic martagons in horticulture.

Description

The bulb of Lilium hansonii is large, solid, and yellowish-white, with tightly packed fleshy scales. Mature bulbs can reach 8 cm in diameter and produce multiple offsets, allowing clumps to expand gradually over time.

The stem is erect, stout, and often reaches 1–1.5 m (3–5 ft) in height. The leaves are numerous, elliptic to lanceolate, glossy, and arranged in several dense whorls, often overlapping to give the plant a lush, tropical appearance.

The inflorescence bears 10–30 nodding, turk’s-cap flowers, deep golden-orange to amber in color, heavily speckled with reddish-brown or maroon. The tepals are thick and leathery, strongly recurved, and sometimes twisted at the tips. The flowers emit a light, spicy fragrance and bloom from late June to mid-July.

The fruit is a three-valved capsule containing numerous flat, light-brown seeds. Germination is delayed hypogeal, requiring a cold period followed by warmth for shoot emergence.

Habitat

In its natural range, L. hansonii grows in cool, temperate woodlands, often on mountain slopes or forest margins with deep, well-drained loam. It prefers soils rich in decayed leaf litter and humus, and is typically found under dappled sunlight or broken canopy.

Populations are frequent in northern Honshū and Hokkaidō, southern Korea, and Manchuria, particularly where snow cover protects dormant bulbs from extreme winter cold.

The species often grows alongside Lilium medeoloides, Polygonatum, Hosta, and other woodland herbs. It tolerates partial shade and can persist for decades in stable forest understories.

Climate

Lilium hansonii is fully hardy in cool to cold temperate climates. It withstands heavy snow and subfreezing winter temperatures, entering dormancy from late autumn until spring.

Summers in its native range are warm and humid, though soils remain aerated and cool due to forest shading. The species does not tolerate extreme summer heat or dry soil and thrives where summer temperatures remain below 30 °C (86 °F) with adequate humidity.

General Information

Lilium hansonii is prized among gardeners for its reliability, hardiness, and distinctive golden flowers. It was among the earliest Asiatic lilies introduced to Western horticulture, arriving in England around 1873, and became an important parent in early hybrid Martagon crosses.

In traditional Korean and Japanese herbal lore, L. hansonii bulbs (called O-gon or Kurumayuri - wheel lily) were sometimes used in food or medicine as a mild tonic, though not as widely as L. lancifolium.

The species’ dense, glossy foliage and rapid early growth distinguish it from the more delicate L. distichum and L. medeoloides. It is highly resistant to cold, disease, and moderate shade, making it ideal for woodland and mixed-border gardens.

L. hansonii crossed readily with L. martagon, the hybrids of which are known as L. x marhan. L x marhan was crossed with L. medeoloides to produce cultivars such as 'Redman'. L x marhan hybrids have been obtained in second generation (F2) crosses with L. martagon album. the dark colored L. martagon var. cattaniae combines well with the yellow coloring of the above lily hybrids. Some other notable descendants are L. x dalhansonii (Powell 1893), Jan de Graaff's 'Paisley Hybrids' and Edgar Kline's 'Painted Lady Hybrids'

Cultivation

Cultivation requirements are straightforward and similar to those of L. martagon and L. medeoloides:

• Soil: Rich, loamy, humus-based soil with sharp drainage. Neutral to slightly acidic (pH 6–6.8).

• Light: Partial shade to light woodland; avoid intense afternoon sun.

• Water: Even moisture throughout the growing season; avoid waterlogging.

• Temperature: Hardy to –30 °C (–22 °F); prefers cool root conditions in summer.

• Planting Depth: 12–15 cm (5–6 in.) deep.

• Germination: Delayed hypogeal; requires alternating cold and warm stratification cycles.

• Maintenance: Avoid disturbing established clumps; divide only when overcrowded (every 7–10 years).

Once established, Lilium hansonii can live for decades, producing dependable annual blooms and naturalizing into large stands under favorable conditions.

References (Selected)

Nakai, T. (1915). Icones Plantarum Asiae Orientalis Vol. 5.

Moore, D.T. (1871). “Description of Lilium hansonii.” Gardener’s Chronicle.

Flora of China, Vol. 24: Lilium spp. (Science Press, Beijing, 2000).

Royal Horticultural Society Plant Finder Database.

McRae, E. (1998). Lilies: A Guide for Growers and Collectors. Timber Press.