''Lilium auratum'' (, literally "mountain lily") is one of the true lilies. It is native to

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

and is sometimes called the golden-rayed lily or the goldband lily.

Description

The flower colour is typically white with gold radial markings and orange spots, but variations in flower colour and markings are known. For example, the variety ''platyphyllum'' which bears a gold stripe along the

tepals A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of ve ...

but lacks spots. The strongly scented flowers are the largest of any lily species and the largest plants, which can reach , can carry up to twenty of these. It has been used widely in breeding and many of the more spectacular modern cultivars are derived in part from this species. Lilium auratum - pollen

Cultivation

This lily does well in plain or acidic soil; rich or fertilised soil will kill the plant. Bulbs should be planted in a hole three times their size in both depth and width in a well-drained area. The best position for this plant is one where its top will receive sunlight while its base remains shaded. This lily can be cultivated by seed, but for faster reproduction scaling is recommended. Its life span (around 3 or 4 years) is significantly less than that of its descendants, so reproducing this plant is important for gardeners.

Chemistry

''L. auratum'' contains phenolic glycerides such as 1,2-O-diferuloylglycerol, 1-O-feruloyl-2-O-p-coumaroylglycerol, 1-O-p-coumaroyl-2-O-feruloylglycerol, 1-O-feruloylglycerol, 1,3-O-diferuloylglycerol, 1-O-feruloyl-3-O-p-coumaroylglycerol and 1-O-p-coumaroylglycerol.

Export history

The Englishman who was the earliest collector of lily bulbs in Japan was arguably young John Gould Veitch of

Veitch Nurseries The Veitch Nurseries were the largest group of family-run plant nurseries in Europe during the 19th century. Started by John Veitch sometime before 1808, the original nursery grew substantially over several decades and was eventually split into ...

, and in 1862 he sent to England the golden rayed lily, ''L. auratum'', which became touted as the "aristocrat of lilies". It was allegedly in 1867 that a man named John Joshua Jarmain operating from Yokohama became the first commercial exporter of Japanese lilies, though the species of lily is not clarified. The mint exporter Samuel Cocking of Yokohama also exported lilies from the early 1800s, presumably of the ''L. auratum'' species, which is the local of

Kanagawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-dens ...

Prefecture. Isaac Bunting, another purveyor of plants offered ''L. auratum'' for sale, as seen in his 1885 catalog.

Edibility

''L. auratum'' is one of several species traditionally eaten as lily bulb () in Japan, usually saving the bulbs for eating until they have grown large. The bulb is still used as food, but while wild foraged ''L. auratum'' was formerly a major source entering the market, this has largely been displaced by farm-grown ''kooni-yuri'' or ''Lilium leichtlinii''. The bulbs are also eaten in Chinese cuisine.

Toxicity

Any part of the ''Lilium'' species may exhibit toxicity to cats, but it is not noted among "lilies" of particular concern for felines according to a Japanese veterinary source.

Explanatory notes

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * * {{Authority control auratum Taxa named by John Lindley Flora of Japan