Pearly Everlasting vs Wood Lily - TreeTime.ca

Pearly Everlasting vs Wood Lily

Lilium philadelphicum

Anaphalis margaritacea

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Wood Lily
Pearly Everlasting

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.

Pearly Everlasting is a native perennial wildflower known for its clusters of white, papery flowers with yellow centres. These long-lasting blooms appear throughout summer, and the silver-grey foliage adds contrast to the landscape. Its nectar supports a variety of pollinators and serves as a host plant for painted lady caterpillars.

Pearly Everlasting is also used in dried flower arrangements. It is well-suited for pollinator gardens, naturalization, ecological restoration, and low-maintenance landscapes.

Wood Lily Quick Facts

Pearly Everlasting Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: seeds - low
Spreading: rhizomes - medium

Toxicity: toxic to cats

Foliage: wooly hairs
Flowers: bright orange to red with dark spots
Flowers: white, papery, with yellow centers
Bloom time: early to mid summer
Bloom time: summer
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, PE
Other Names: prairie wood lily, red lily, red wood lily
Other Names: western pearly everlasting