Wood Lily vs Blue Flax

Blue Flax is a native perennial wildflower known for its blue to violet flowers. Each flower lasts just a single day, but new blooms appear continuously, providing weeks of colour. This extended flowering period provides a reliable display from late spring into summer and attracts a variety of pollinators.

They can self-seed readily, so removing spent blooms helps manage their spread. Birds feed on the seeds, and when cooked, they are edible and are described as having a mild, nutty flavour. The plant grows in loose clumps with slender stems and fine foliage. Young plants are leafy, but as they mature, most leaves are shed.

Blue Flax grows well in a wide range of soils, including poor or sandy conditions, and is drought-tolerant once established. The deep root system helps to stabilize soil and prevent erosion. They are well-suited for pollinator gardens, restoration, naturalization, and xeriscaping projects.

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.

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