Leaf
Ans Gorter, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Martagon lily
Lilium martagon L.
Also known as: Turk's cap lily
Family: Liliaceae
60 cm to 1.2 m tall
Open woodland, mountain meadows, shady gardens, rich soils
Flowering: June – July
Part shade
Hardy to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its petals, strongly curled back, evoke a turban, hence the name 'martagon'.
🍃 Leaves
Whorled in tiers along the stem, bright green
🌸 Flowers
Pendent pink-mauve flowers spotted with purple, petals strongly curled back
🍎 Fruits
Upright capsules containing many flat seeds
🪵 Bark
Upright herbaceous stem, arising from a scaly bulb
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, temperate Asia; present but localised in open woodland and mountain meadows in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Highly scented, spotted pink turban flowers, pollinated mainly by moths (hawk-moths).
✂️ Horticultural uses
Shady beds, open woodland, naturalistic gardens; bulb to naturalise, spectacular summer flowering.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Extremely toxic to cats: even a tiny amount (pollen, leaf, petal, or licked vase water) can trigger acute kidney failure that is fatal within a few days — urgent veterinary consultation is essential in case of ingestion or contact. Mildly irritant to humans if a large amount is ingested.
🌿 Other Liliaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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