'L. ponticum' - Species or Wild Lily

This native of Turkey and the Kasbek area of Georgia, and also known as L. georgicum, plant explorers have confused this beautiful rarity with L. monadelphum and L. szovitsianum also found in this general area. While Ed McRae felt that L. ponticum was a subspecies of L. pyrenaicum just like L. albanicum, other references differ giving L. ponticum its own status as a species unto itself.

Found on rocky slopes in nature that are chalky, it has been reported to not be particularly difficult in more acidic soils. Successful crosses with L. pyrenaicum and L. szovitsianum were made by Dr. Christopher North of Scotland using embryo culture.

Our thanks for Alan Mitchell of Scotland for this photo and a well deserved pat on the back for his success in flowering L. ponticum.