Lilium pumilum

Lilium pumilum

(de Candolle, 1812)
Siberian Coral Lily / Turk’s-Cap Lily

Overview

Section: Sinomartagon (Northern Manchurian–Amurian steppe-forest lineage)
Distribution: Northeastern China (Manchuria), Russian Far East (Amur, Primorye, Khabarovsk), Korean Peninsula, Mongolia (localized), Japan (historic introduction / confusion)
Habitat: Montane grasslands, forest margins, birch–conifer ecotones, steppe-tundra glades, and river terraces 600–2,200 m
Type: Northern temperate Turk’s-cap lily adapted to continental climates and open habitats
Chromosome number: 2n = 24 (diploid)
Status: Locally common but regionally threatened by land conversion, livestock pressure, and over-collection

Introduction

Lilium pumilum, one of the oldest and most culturally referenced lilies in East Asia, and easiest to grow in cultivation, is a diminutive, fiery-flowered species native to the cold continental margins of northeastern Asia. First described by de Candolle in 1812, it represents the northernmost natural expression of the Sinomartagon lineage, adapted to freezing winters, short summers, and open sun-washed slopes. It is known in China as 岭甘 (ling gan) and has long been used in folk medicine for its edible bulb, a property shared with its southern relatives L. davidii and L. lancifolium.

The species combines alpine delicacy with prairie toughness: a compact stature, fine foliage, brilliant turk’s-cap blossoms, and a remarkable capacity to withstand drought, wind exposure, and deep winter cold. It has played a foundational role in horticulture as one of the primary genetic donors to early Asiatic hybrid lilies.

Description

The bulb is small to medium, 2–4 cm in diameter, ivory-scaled, ovoid to conic, and often slightly rhizomatous at the base, allowing slow lateral migration. The stem ranges 30–90 cm tall, exceptionally compact for a wild Turk’s-cap lily, slender, green or occasionally flushed red-brown.

Leaves are numerous, narrow-lanceolate, 3–9 cm long, alternate to slightly whorled, forming a fine vertical texture suited to grassy habitats.

Flowers are nodding, turk’s-cap, 3–5 cm across, typically bright scarlet-orange to coral red, often without fragrance, though faint sweetness may be present in certain northern forms. Spotting is delicate and evenly distributed near the tepal bases. Flowers appear singly or in loose racemes of up to 8–12 blooms on vigorous specimens. Stamens are exserted, pollen orange; the ovary is narrowly fusiform.

Flowering occurs from June to August, depending on latitude and altitude. Seeds germinate delayed-hypogeal, a trait aligning with its cold stratification ecology.

Habitat & Ecology

Lilium pumilum occupies open, sunny, cold-temperate biomes across northeastern Asia. Typical settings include:

  • Forest–steppe edges dominated by Larix, Betula, and Pinus sylvestris

  • Grassy alpine glades and meadow edges

  • River terraces and glacial moraines

  • Secondary grasslands following historical fire cycles or grazing

Soils are generally loamy to sandy loam, slightly acidic, with high organic turnover and winter snow insulation. Climate is highly continental: long freezing winters, short but intense summers, strong diurnal temperature swings, and periodic drought.

Its persistence in cultural landscapes reflects tolerance for disturbance, but conversion to agriculture and grazing pressure now limit many populations.

Relationships & Genetics

Molecular studies (Gao et al. 2015; Kim et al. 2019; Duan et al. 2022) consistently position L. pumilum as a northern sister lineage to the core Sino-Himalayan Sinomartagon clade. It shares ancestry with L. dauricum and L. cernuum yet is distinct in:

  • More drought-tolerant steppe ecology

  • Compact stature

  • Reduced pigmentation patterns

  • Greater cold endurance

Chloroplast haplotypes reflect Pleistocene glacial cycling across Northeast Asia, with refugial persistence likely in Manchurian valleys and re-colonization northward following retreat of ice-age steppes. Diploid 2n = 24 cytology is stable and conservative, indicating ancient divergence rather than hybrid origin.

This species forms a key genetic bridge between Sino-Himalayan montane lilies and Northeast Asian steppe taxa, an essential anchor in the broader Sinomartagon radiation.

Phylogenetic Placement (Simplified)
Section Sinomartagon
│
├── Northern Manchurian–Amurian Lineage
│ ├── L. pumilum
│ ├── L. dauricum
│ └── L. cernuum
│
└── Sino-Himalayan Complex (southward radiation)
├── L. davidii
├── L. duchartrei
├── L. lankongense
└── L. nanum and alpine allies

Cultivation

Lilium pumilum is among the hardiest lilies, thriving where summers are cool to warm and winters severe. It prefers:

  • Full sun to light meadow shade

  • Sharp-draining, humus-rich, slightly acidic soil

  • Cold winter dormancy and snow cover or mulch

  • Good air movement to avoid fungal stress

It dislikes stagnant summer heat, saturated soils, and heavy competition. In the right conditions, it naturalizes gracefully and has long been favored in meadow gardens and rock gardens. Propagation by seed is reliable; scaling yields moderate increases.

Infraspecific Variation and Horticultural Forms

Although no formal subspecies of Lilium pumilum are currently recognized in modern taxonomic treatments, notable regional and cultivated variants exist and merit mention due to their stability across generations and historical horticultural significance. The species displays a wider chromatic and morphological spectrum than often reported, particularly in the northern and central portion of its range.

Yellow and pale forms have been observed in the wild, most significantly in the southern Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia, where the distinguished botanist Marina Baranova documented both yellow and white-flowered plants growing sympatrically with typical scarlet L. pumilum. These populations suggest the presence of naturally occurring pale morphs in the northern steppes, potentially representing relic genetic variation preserved in climatically buffered micro-habitats.

In cultivation, several named forms have arisen that reinforce this pattern of recessive color persistence. E. H. Wilson noted a flore-albo (white-flowered) horticultural strain as early as 1925, reportedly in German gardens. In the American northwest, a striking golden-yellow selection known as ‘Golden Gleam’ was introduced from Oregon Bulb Farms; its ability to come true from seed strongly implies underlying genetic integrity rather than hybrid origin. Eddie McRae, at Lava Nursery in Parkdale, Oregon, raised a further refined strain ‘Golden Gleam Select’, choosing from the best seedlings and fixing desirable traits through repeated selection and sib-crossing.

Another notable yellow form, ‘Yellow Bunting’, was first described by Frank Skinner and originally considered hybrid in origin. Subsequent observation, however, demonstrated that it breeds true from seed, indicating that it too represents a recessive color morph of L. pumilum.

The recurrence of true-breeding pale and yellow morphs, whether in isolated steppe populations of Siberia or in controlled horticultural lines, suggests the presence of stable, heritable variation within the species. While insufficient evidence currently exists to warrant formal taxonomic division, these forms provide valuable insight into the genetic diversity of L. pumilum and may represent cryptic ecotypes or recessive allelic lineages preserved through climatic refugia and cultivation. Future molecular work may yet validate these as distinct infraspecific entities.

Breeding & Horticultural Significance

Lilium pumilum has played an essential role in the development of early and modern Asiatic hybrids, contributing compact stature, vibrant orange–scarlet pigmentation, strong stems, cold tolerance, and admirable disease resistance. It hybridizes readily with other Sinomartagon taxa, and many of its derivatives have proven pivotal in bridging northern continental and Sino-Himalayan lineages.

Notable primary crosses include L. pumilum with L. amabile, L. callosum, L. cernuum, L. concolor, L. dauricum, and L. davadii. Among these, the celebrated L. × intermedium (L. pumilum × L. concolor var. pulchellum; Comber, 1940) is a benchmark hybrid that helped define the early aesthetic and genetic pathways of Asiatic lily breeding.

Several garden selections further underscore L. pumilum’s enduring impact. James Taylor’s cultivar ‘Goldcrest’, derived from an Asiatic hybrid crossed with L. pumilum ‘Golden Gleam’, showcases the species’ refinement in modern lines. Other significant crosses include Norma Pfeiffer’s 1976 hybrid of L. pumilum × L. amabile and Fritz Edwald’s 1975 cross with L. bulbiferum. Ruth Clas’ cultivar ‘Scamp’ (L. pumilum × L. dauricum ‘Golden Chalice’) likewise displays the fiery brilliance and vigor inherited from L. pumilum.

The species has also been central to advanced breeding programs. Chris Roth notably explored the intersection of L. pumilum and L. davadii, and his work informed subsequent generations of the Stenographer hybrids. In parallel, Leonard Marshall employed L. pumilum in crosses with selected Rainbow Hybrids (‘Tabasco’ × L. dauricum), subsequently introducing these into virus-tolerant upright clones with broad color expression, resulting in sophisticated, fragrance, and form-enhanced lines. Marshall also produced the influential 1969 cross of L. pumilum × L. cernuum, which contributed to compact, vivid early-generation hybrids.

The hybrid of L. concolor × L. pumilum produced the well-known cultivar ‘Fireworks’ (‘Matchless’ × (L. concolor × L. pumilum)) and ‘Roman Candle’ (‘Pirate’ × (L. concolor × L. pumilum)), both valued for their vivid color and upright vigor. Perhaps most distinguished among later developments is the ‘Viva’ strain, bred by noted lily geneticist Judith Freeman, ultimately derived from a lineage including L. pumilum × L. leichtlinii var. maximowiczii ‘Unicolor’. These lines cement L. pumilum’s position as one of the fundamental wild progenitors of the Asiatic lily group.

Through these hybrid ventures, Lilium pumilum has left an outsized legacy in ornamental horticulture. Its genetic influence continues to shape new Asiatic lily strains prized for elegance, brilliance, and resilience.

Conservation

Formerly widespread, it now faces decline due to:

  • Agricultural land conversion across Manchuria and Korea

  • Overgrazing in steppe belts

  • Bulb harvesting for medicinal and culinary use

  • Climate warming reducing snowpack stability

Conservation priorities include seed banking, habitat protection, and monitoring of marginal populations in Mongolia and the Amur region.

Works Cited

de Candolle, A.P. (1812). Regni Vegetabilis Systema Naturale.
Elwes, H.J. (1877–1880). A Monograph of the Genus Lilium.
Woodcock, H.D. & Stearn, W.T. (1950). Lilies of the World.
Flora of China, Vol. 24 (2000). “Lilium pumilum.”
Gao, Y.-D., Harris, A.J., & He, X. (2015). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 87.
Kim, J.-H. et al. (2019). Plant Syst. Evol.
Duan, Y. et al. (2022). Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 198.
McRae, E. (1998). Lilies. Timber Press.
LSF Field Notes & Herbarium Records (2024).