Leopard Lily
Lilium pardalinum subsp. pardalinum
Care
part shade, full sun
very low
Slow; Tolerates a variety of soils including clay and serpentine and acidic soils. Tolerates serpentine soil..
7–8ft tall , 0–0ft wide
Jun-Aug
Deciduous
Prized
Bulbs cooked and eaten as traditional Indigenous food
Sierra Nevada meadows and riparian areas from Madera County to Kern County, 3000-6000 ft elevation.
Care Guide
Planting
Plant your leopard lily in fall or early spring in a spot with part shade to full sun. These bulbs prefer slow-draining soil and will tolerate clay, acidic, and even serpentine soils, so don't amend heavily - just plant where water naturally lingers rather than drains away fast. Space bulbs 12 inches apart since they cluster together on rhizomes and will fill in over time. Your plant will eventually reach 7–8 feet tall, so give it room and stake it if needed as it grows.
After Planting
Water weekly during your first summer after planting, then taper to once per week or less once established - these are low-water plants once their roots are in. Expect blooms in June through August of your first or second year. The plant is deciduous and will die back completely in fall; let it go dormant naturally and don't dig it up thinking it's dead. The biggest mistake is overwatering or planting in fast-draining soil - leopard lilies need moisture to thrive, not the dry conditions of typical ornamental lilies.
Wildlife Supported
Birds
Hummingbirds visit leopard lily flowers for nectar during blooming season
Insects
Fungal disease affecting lily tissues
Occasional use of lily species as larval host in California range
Fungal pathogen; disease pressure increases in wet conditions
Caterpillars feed on lily foliage during development
Larvae develop on lily host plants in Sierra foothills and coastal ranges
Caterpillars feed on lily foliage during larval development April-July
Caterpillars utilize lily plants as host during development