'L. columbianum' (Lilium)

With the widest range of the Western North American species, Lilium columbianum can be found from Northern California to British Columbia. Some of the most spectacular colonies of this dry land native can be found along the Redwood Highway in Northern California. A nearly impossible subject in the garden, it is best to simply enjoy it in its native realm. Though classified as "dry Land", we found one area in N. California where plants littered the edges of a stream bed with most bulbs covered by running water.

Inset is of photo taken of colony of Lilium columbianum found along the Coastal Redwood Highway SR101 in Northern California. There are numerous stands of Lilium columbianum that were bypassed in the mid 90's with a new, and much straighter highway that went over the mountain rather than around it, hugging the Pacific Coast. Before the bypass, stopping on this busy road was to risk life and limb. It is narrow and the big rigs traveling that desolate area had drivers that only knew "petal to the metal".