Wuxi---【Yixing Lily】

Calanthe: The bulb is nearly globose in shape, about 3.5 centimeters in height and 4–8 centimeters in diameter； The scales are broadly ovate, 2.5–3 cm long and 1.4–2.5 cm wide, and white in color. The stem is 0.8–1.5 meters tall, with purple stripes and white fluff. Leaves are scattered, oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, 6.5–9 cm long and 1–1.8 cm wide; both surfaces are nearly hairless, with white hairs at the apex, and the margin has papillary protrusions. There are 5–7 veins, and bulbils are present in the upper leaf axils. 3-6 flowers or more ； Bracts are leaf-like, ovate-lanceolate, 1.5–2 cm long and 2–5 mm wide, with a blunt tip and covered in white down ； The pedicel is 6.5–9 cm long, purple, and covered with white fluff ； The flowers hang downward; the sepals are lanceolate, curled backward, orange-red in color with purplish-black spots ； The outer tepals are 6–10 cm long and 1–2 cm wide ； The inner sepals are slightly wider; there are papillary protrusions on both sides of the nectary, along with fringed protrusions as well ； The stamens open in all four directions ； The filaments are 5–7 cm long, pale red in color, and hairless; the anthers are oblong in shape, about 2 cm long ； The ovary is cylindrical, 1.5–2 cm long and 2–3 mm wide ； The style is 4.5–6.5 cm long, with a slightly swollen stigma that is three-lobed. The capsule is narrowly ovate, 3–4 cm long. Flowering occurs from July to August, and fruiting from September to October.

In its natural habitat, the lily is a deciduous plant that enters dormancy during winter, when conditions are harsh with short days and a lack of liquid water. After a brief dormancy in summer, it sprouts in autumn to form a basal rosette of leaves; after overwintering, the stem elongates and flowers. The seeds mature at the end of summer. Lilies prefer a cool and humid environment; places with plenty of sunlight or a slightly shaded setting are more suitable for them. It cannot tolerate drought or extreme heat, and its cold tolerance is somewhat poor. Lilies grow and bloom at temperatures of 16–24°C; growth almost stops when the temperature is below 5°C or above 30°C. Plants begin to grow properly only when the temperature is above 10°C, and growth stops again when it exceeds 25°C. If nighttime temperatures remain below 5°C for 5–7 days during winter, flower bud formation and bud development are severely affected, leading to delayed flowering, or even sterile flowers or cracked flowers. Lilies prefer fertile soil with plenty of humus and depth; they detest hard clay soil the most ； Slightly acidic soil with good drainage is preferred, with a soil pH of 5.5-6.5.

The tubers of Colchicum are rich in starch; they can be eaten as well as used for medicinal purposes； The flowers contain essential oils and can be used as spices. In China, dried lily bulbs can be used to make soups, and various parts of the plant can be used as medicine.

Bulb (lily): Sweet, cold in nature. Nourishes yin and moistens the lungs; clears the heart and calms the mind. Used for chronic cough due to yin deficiency, blood in phlegm, restlessness and palpitations, frequent dreams, and mental confusion. [Tibetan Medicine] Xia Pao Ze: The bulb is used to treat menstrual disorders, as well as diseases related to stranguria and epilepsy (China Tibetan Medicine). 【Mongolian medicine】It has the same functions as Lilium maculatum ( ) in Mongolian medicine.

Composed of nearly a hundred scales fused together, it was regarded by the ancients as an omen of a harmonious marriage that would last a hundred years and of success in all endeavors. Therefore, throughout history many couples have used lilies as the bride’s bouquet on their wedding day. Apart from this auspicious aura, its graceful and delicate appearance is truly enchanting. It has upright stems with leaves similar to those of bamboo, arranged in whorls along the stem. Its flowers are brightly colored and trumpet-shaped, offering an exceptionally graceful appearance; they also emit a subtle fragrance, which has earned it the nickname “Fairy in Cloudy Robes”. Therefore, it remains popular in the international flower market for a long time, enduring without decline

Make a soup with lilies; I’m not used to that taste

We always add sugar here; lilies are naturally bitter.

Anyway, it just has a strange taste to it

Lilies are great; use more of them to make soup for your wife

Anti-aging: Dried lilies have high medicinal value. It has effects such as detoxification, strengthening the spleen and stomach, promoting diuresis and eliminating stagnation, calming the mind, and improving blood circulation. It is used to treat conditions such as chronic cough, hemoptysis, restlessness, and palpitations, and it has a particularly effective effect in treating diseases related to the lung meridians as well as in promoting health and preventing aging. Pharmacological studies have shown that dried lily can increase white blood cell counts, and therefore it has a good therapeutic effect on various types of cancer. Contraindicated for those with external wind-cold invasion. Among them, the Chinese lily has the best effects; it is a lily that can be used both as medicine and food.