Wood Lily (Lilium philadelphicum) is in the lily family family (Liliaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,910 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in July.
Nationally it blooms mainly from June to July, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Wood Lily: observations by month (U.S.)
About Wood Lily
Lilium philadelphicum, also known as the wood lily, Philadelphia lily, prairie lily, or western red lily, is a perennial species of lily native to North America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Wood Lily by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 459 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Michigan | 277 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Massachusetts | 165 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Minnesota | 156 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Wisconsin | 151 | June | Jun–Jul |
| New York | 93 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | 83 | July | Jul–Jul |
| South Dakota | 75 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Colorado | 58 | July | Jul–Jul |
| New Hampshire | 56 | July | Jul–Jul |
| North Dakota | 54 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Montana | 48 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Illinois | 43 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Vermont | 25 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Connecticut | 24 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Tennessee | 22 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Indiana | 20 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Kentucky | 17 | June | Jun–Jun |
| West Virginia | 17 | July | Jul–Jul |
| New Jersey | 15 | July | Jul–Jul |
| New Mexico | 9 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Virginia | 8 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Iowa | 6 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Rhode Island | 6 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Wyoming | 6 | July | Jul–Jul |
| North Carolina | 5 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Ohio | 5 | June | Jun–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (lily family)
Yellow Trout Lily
Checker Lily
White Globe Lily
Leichtlin's Mariposa Lily
Yellow Mariposa Lily
White Fawnlily
Tolmie's pussy ears
Gunnison's Mariposa Lily
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wood Lily?
Nationally, July has the most observations, with the main season from June to July.
Where is Wood Lily most often seen?
The most observations come from Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts.