Harebell vs Wood Lily - TreeTime.ca

Harebell vs Wood Lily

Lilium philadelphicum

Campanula rotundifolia

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Wood Lily
Harebell

Wood Lily is a native perennial wildflower known for its vibrant, trumpet-shaped blooms in shades of orange to red. Its showy flowers appear mid-summer and are highly visible in meadows and prairies. The upward-facing flowers are an important nectar source for many pollinators, including native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Unlike most lilies, the Wood Lily’s flowers face upward rather than nodding. It is slow to establish and may take years before flowering, but once mature, it requires little maintenance. It is well-suited for pollinator gardens, naturalisation projects, prairie restoration, and open woodland plantings.

Wood Lily is the provincial flower of Saskatchewan and North America’s most widespread lily. Despite its wide natural range, populations have been declining. Habitat loss, overgrazing by deer, and unsustainable picking have reduced both its abundance and density across many regions. These pressures highlight the importance of protecting and restoring this once-common wildflower.

Harebell is a native perennial wildflower known for its bell-shaped, blue-violet flowers. The noddling blooms occur in clusters at the top of slender stems. Blooming in bursts from summer to fall, the flowers attract pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Regular deadheading encourages additional blooms, extending its floral display through the season. Harebell prefers areas with cooler summer climates and does poorly in those that get too hot and humid. It is well suited for native wildflower gardens, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects.

Wood Lily Quick Facts

Harebell Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: none

Toxicity: toxic to cats

Flowers: bright orange to red with dark spots
Flowers: bluish-purple; bell-like
Bloom time: early to mid summer
Bloom time: summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: prairie wood lily, red lily, red wood lily
Other Names: bluebell, bluebell bellflower, bluebell of scotland, common harebell, cuckoos shoe, ladys thimble, scotch bluebell, scottish bluebell, witches thimble