Description

The tiger lily grows in moist areas in much of California’s mountainous regions north of Los Angeles. It prefers steady moisture, and so is more common in the northern portions of the state. Following winter dormancy, the bulb will send up a whirl of low-growing, grass-like leaves. If the bulb is small this may be the extent of the growth for the year as the bulb stores up energy. Once the bulb reaches sufficient size it sends up one or more stalks of lance-shaped leaves. One to several pendent flowers appear on each stalk with their characteristic turk-cap structure. The flower then fades and a seed pod is produced as the plant slowly enters dormancy. In the garden, steady moisture is essential, since a desiccated bulb will often rot away, even if water is provided. At the same time, it is possible to provide excess moisture. The bulb cannot be submerged in water, for instance. Tiger lily will expand into quite a patch over time as additional bulbs form on the rhizome.