As I was birding at a nearby garden, partially hidden behind a mass of three-foot tall native plants, I found an unexpected delight: a Michigan lily!
Found in wetlands and prairies around the Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi Valley, and some southern US states, Michigan lily (Lilium michiganense) is a native plant with striking upside-down orange-red flowers. It can grow up to five feet tall.
This weekend is the first time I’ve seen it growing in the wild.
My Experience Growing Michigan Lily
Three years ago, I planted two Michigan lilies in my yard. Sadly, one plant didn’t make it through the winter.
The next year, the other plant was smashed by my neighbor’s ball when they threw their ball over our shared fence.
I didn’t expect my lily to survive.
The next year, I was glad to see new growth on it in the spring. A couple weeks later, a squirrel chewed the lily to the ground.
This year, it’s grown about eight inches tall with three whorls of leaves. At least it’s growing!
