Washington Lily

Bulbs subrhizomatous to ± ovoid, 2.7–10 × 4.4–13.4 cm, 0.2–0.9 (–1.4) times taller than long; scales unsegmented or notched with 2(–3) poorly defined segments, sometimes 2-segmented, longest 3.3–11.9 cm; stem roots absent. Stems to 2 m, often glaucous. Buds rounded in cross section. Leaves in 1–8 whorls or partial whorls, 3–16 leaves per whorl, horizontal and drooping at tips to ascending, occasionally nearly clasping stem, 3.7–12.3 × 0.9–4.7 cm, 2–6.5 times longer than wide; blade oblanceolate, sometimes obovate, rarely elliptic, margins undulate or not, apex acute, often widely so; veins and margins ± smooth abaxially. Inflorescences racemose, 1–33-flowered. Flowers opening before dusk, ± horizontal, slightly bilaterally symmetric, strongly fragrant; perianth ± funnelform; sepals and petals recurved 2/3–3/4 along length from base and scarcely overlapping to form tube, lower usually less recurved than upper and forming landing platform, white, often aging deep pink or lavender, often with short yellowish stripe extending from basal median nectaries, often with fine magenta spots concentrated basally, not distinctly clawed; sepals sometimes purplish abaxially, not ridged abaxially, (6.1–)6.7–11.3 × 0.9–1.7 cm; petals noticeably wider than sepals, oblanceolate and often very wide distally, (6.1–)6.6–11.2 × 1.1–2.4 cm, apex widely acute, obtuse, or rounded; stamens barely exserted; filaments barely spreading, diverging 2°–8° from axis; anthers off white or cream, becoming pale pink or yellow, 0.8–1.5 cm; pollen yellow or cream; pistil 7.5–10.4 cm; ovary 1.7–3.4 cm; style pale green; pedicel 4.8–15 cm. Capsules often with 6 longitudinal ridges, 2.7–5.8 × 1.6–2.9 cm, 1.3–2.3 times longer than wide. Seeds 123–231.

Lilium washingtonianum is a North American plant species in the lily family. It is also known as the Washington lily, Shasta lily, or Mt. Hood lily. It is named after Martha Washington and not the state of Washington; in fact, as the northern range of the plant is near Mount Hood in Oregon, it does not naturally occur in the state of Washington.

Lilium washingtonianum is native to the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada of western North America. Its range is limited to the states of California and Oregon.