Lilium martagon var. album

The white Turk's cap lily is a natural variety of Lilium martagon, highly sought after by enthusiasts of unusual plants, and protected in the wild. It produces immaculate white flowers with a curious turban-like shape, both wild and delicate. Its flowers, with their unique fragrance, appear on tall stems in long clusters. It is a great addition to wild gardens or large flowerbeds. It doesn't mind limestone and is hardy and resistant.

Lilium martagon var. album belongs to the Liliaceae family. Although rare, it has a wide distribution range, extending from Europe to the northern regions of Asia Minor and eastwards to Mongolia. It is a bulbous, deciduous perennial plant and this species can reach 150 cm (59in) high when in bloom, with a spread of 45 cm (18in). The flowering period is from June to August, depending on the climate. Numerous pure white flowers bloom along the stems, emitting a sweet scent in the evening. Curved petals and long orange stamens emerge from these astonishing lanterns. They are visited at night by butterflies such as the Hummingbird Hawk-Moth (Macroglossum stellatarum), which hover in front of the flower, like hummingbirds. The foliage is light green, with spatulate leaves.

You can grow these lilies with non-invasive perennial plants as they prefer to have their feet in the shade, and the other plants will help prevent the stems from bending in the wind. This lily is ideal for borders, cool rockeries, and of course, bouquets. It is a quintessential botanical lily, one of those exceptional plants that every collector likes to have in their garden. Picking it is strictly prohibited in the wild. It has given rise to a line of equally remarkable hybrids.