turk's cap lily
turk's cap lily Lexical Profile
• noun
North American A tall, summer-blooming lily native to the eastern and central United States, characterized by large, nodding orange to red flowers with dramatically swept-back petals that resemble a turban.
"During our hike through the Appalachian wetlands, we spotted a beautiful Turk's cap lily blooming among the tall grasses."
A bulbous flowering plant native to Eurasia, producing numerous downward-facing, purplish-pink flowers with strongly reflexed petals.
"The English cottage garden featured several varieties of the Eurasian Turk's cap lily, adding vertical interest to the shaded perennial borders."
Word Nuance & Usage
The common name "Turk's cap lily" is applied to different botanical species depending on the region: primarily Lilium superbum in North America, and Lilium martagon in Europe and Asia.
Word Origin & Etymology
Named for the distinctive shape of its blooming flowers, whose dramatically reflexed (swept-back) petals were thought to resemble a traditional Turkish turban.