Survey reveals rich wild lily diversity in Yichang
2026-01-13 19:01:15
By Chen Zai
A six-month survey has found that Yichang is home to eight species of wild lilies, including one under national secondary-level protection.
A six-month survey has found that Yichang is home to eight species of wild lilies, including one under national secondary-level protection.
According to the survey, eight species of wild lilies are distributed across Yichang.
According to the survey, eight species of wild lilies are distributed across Yichang.
According to the survey, eight species of wild lilies are distributed across Yichang.
The survey results indicate that the city currently hosts eight species of wild lilies distributed across 13 counties and districts, with one species classified as a nationally protected Class II species.
Based on the survey findings, the Yichang Three Gorges Dalaoling Nature Reserve is advancing a horticultural cultivation and application research project on the Yichang Lily. Alongside mapping the distribution of wild lilies throughout the city, the project conducts conservation and cultivation experiments to develop ornamental and hybrid lily varieties with both aesthetic and medicinal value.
Yichang is a major distribution area for Lilium species in China. Lilium leucanthum, also known as the Yichang Lily, is a native flower species named after the city and valued for its medicinal, culinary, and ornamental uses. In 2003, it was featured in a China Post special stamp series titled Lilies. The survey has found that the Yichang Lily makes up 50 percent of the total wild population.
China Post issued a special stamp series titled Lilies on March 5, 2003, featuring the Yichang Lily (Lilium leucanthum), a local Lilium species named after Yichang City.
In September 2011, the Yichang Lily and wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) were jointly selected as the city’s official flowers due to their popularity among local residents.
The survey was jointly conducted by the Yichang Forestry and Gardening Bureau, the Yichang Three Gorges Dalaoling Nature Reserve Management Bureau, and the Yichang Forest Seedling Promotion Center.
Zheng Yan contributed to this story.
