'L. occidentale' (Lilium)

One of the rarest of the Oregon/California border natives, Lilium occidentale can be found growing in dry sphagnum bogs. Its small, Turk's Cap flowers are orange-red blending to yellow-green centers. The spots on these lightly scented flowers are brown black. Very difficult in the garden, successful growers have found that it produces much larger flowers under cultivation than it does in its native landscape.

Photo inset is of Lilium occidentale hybrid.

Once while photographing this rare species in a bog near the Oregon-California border, we were buzzed several times by a DEA plane looking for pot growers until we stood up pointing to our now held highly aloft cameras. The pilot on his next past gave us a wing wave and proceeded south continuing his patrol. Lesson learned? If you are going to grow pot in a dry bog in Northern California, carry a camera large enough to be seen from the air.