Lilium parryi

July 10th, 2011

I found a treasure while hiking the other day. In a moist creek fed canyon bottom I spotted a native Lemon Lily (Lilium parryi). In nearly 3 years of exploring this forest, this was the first Lemon lily I have ever seen. It looks too beautiful to be a wild plant, and smells like a sweet lemon. Unfortunately, it is a rare species that the forest service is monitoring, being nearly extinct in Arizona and San Deigo county. Wildfire, watershed diversion, drought, off road vehicles, and illegal harvesting have caused this species to decline very rapidly. The San Gabrielle and San Bernardino ranges are its last hold out… Finger’s crossed.