Twinflower vs Wood Lily - TreeTime.ca

Twinflower vs Wood Lily

Linnaea borealis

Lilium philadelphicum

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Twinflower
Wood Lily

Twinflower is a native, trailing evergreen ground cover known for its delicate flowers that grow in nodding pairs. These pale pink blooms are described as being sweetly fragrant, attracting native bees and other pollinators.
Growing in cool, moist, acidic soils, the trailing stems form roots as they spread and start to form mats across the forest floor. Due to its woody stem, it is technically classified as a shrub and often referred to as a subshrub or dwarf shrub. This species is well-suited for naturalization, restoration, and conservation projects.
Twinflower (Linneae borealis) was named in honour of Carl Linnaeus, who adopted it as his personal emblem.

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.

Twinflower Quick Facts

Wood Lily Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2b
Height: 0.1 m (0.4 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: creeping or trailing, ground cover
Growth form: upright
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low
Spreading: seeds - low


Toxicity: toxic to cats
Fall colour: reddish tinge
Flowers: Pink, bell-shaped, fragrant pairs
Flowers: bright orange to red with dark spots
Bloom time: summer
Bloom time: early to mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC
Other Names: northern twinflower, pink bells
Other Names: prairie wood lily, red lily, red wood lily