Flower profile
Turk's-cap lily
Lilium superbum
Turk's-cap lily (Lilium superbum) is a flowering plant in the Liliaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–August across the U.S.
Turk's-cap lily is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–August.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: North Carolina, Rhode Island
Quick look
Lilium superbum is a species of true lily native to the eastern and central regions of North America. Common names include Turk's cap lily, turban lily, swamp lily, lily royal, or American tiger lily. The native range of the species extends from southern New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York, west to Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas, and south to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.
- It belongs to the Liliaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 23 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to North Carolina and Rhode Island. NatureServe
- In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–August. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,832 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #104 among the 192 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 205 research-grade sightings of it in Rhode Island, ranking #81 among the 164 flowers on our Rhode Island list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | Native | July–August | 1,832 |
| Rhode Island | Native | few records (37) | 205 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- North Carolina
- Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
- Rhode Island
- Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Rhode Island. RI rare plants 2016
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AR (S1), FL (S1), IL (S2), KY (S1), LA (S1), MO (S1), NH (SH), SC (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
ASPCA's entry “Lily” (Lilium species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to cats, but non-toxic to dogs and horses. Signs include: Cats: kidney… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records turk's-cap lily in 23 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Clay, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey.
Rhode Island counties with USDA records: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington.
Names, range and relatives
Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Lilium gazarubrum, Lilium mary-henryae.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 293 counties across 23 states; the most are in Virginia (62), Pennsylvania (50), Mississippi (18).
Other Lilium on Bloomipedia (4): Columbia lily, Wood lily, Canada lily, Carolina lily.
More from the Liliaceae family (32 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Yellow trout lily, Cucumber root, Bluebead lily, White fawnlily, Checker lily, White globe lily, Glacier lily, Yellow mariposa lily.
More North Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile LISU.
- iNaturalist, Lilium superbum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Lilium superbum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Lilium superbum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Doug Brush via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.