For over a thousand years in western culture, Lilies have been symbols of women’s power. The ancient Greeks believed that Lilies sprang up from the earth where Hera’s breast milk dripped from heaven. Another ancient myth tells us that Aphrodite, goddess of love, was jealous of the beauty of the Lily and so had a huge golden pistil set in the center of the bloom.

Lilies are the flower of the Virgin Mary and were placed symbolically in art and sculpture to represent her divinity. The association between Lilies and women is a powerful constant throughout the myth and lore of the flower.

Perhaps more important than any other economic or medicinal use of the flower was Dioscorides statement that “being beaten small with honey… cleareth ye faces and maketh them without wrinkles.”
For the next 1800 years, this brought Lilies into every castle and manor house garden to be processed into skin creams for the ladies of the house.

In one of those fascinating coincidences, at the same time, on the other side of the world, Lilies also were associated with women’s power. If an Iroquois woman suspected that her husband was running around behind her back, the magic of the Lily could help. Taking a bath in a tea made from the roots of the Western Red Lily would return the wayward fellow to faithfulness.

The flower was also used to determine fidelity. Set out to dry, if the flowers laid flat, all was well. If they twisted together, this time the wife was getting a little something on the side.

Like Discorides, Native People used the Western Red Lily as a dermatological aid. Boiled bulbs were mashed and applied to all cuts, bumps and bruises.

The plant could pack an extra magical punch when applied to a dog bite: it could make the attacking dog’s fangs fall out.
The nutritious bulb was also eaten like walnut-sized potatoes. Roasted, boiled or mashed, they were a favourite staple food. They were also used to thicken soups, and pounded into meal for making bread.
All this culinary attention for a flower that is also called mnahea hea which means ‘very smelly flower’.

The list of common names for Saskatchewan’s provincial flower is long: Fire Lily, Flame Lily, Freckled Lily, Wood Lily, Orange Cup Lily, Glade Lily, Wild Tiger Lily and Prairie Lily. Some Native People call it ’Mouse Lily’ because mice love to snack on the bulbs. So do moles, gophers and porcupines.

Fortunately, if a few scales fall off the outside of the bulb when it is being nibbled, these may develop into bulbs themselves over time. Patience is needed for any gardener wanting to cultivate the Western Red Lily. If you start this plant from seed, it can take up to nine years for a flower to bloom. This is how long it can take for the seed to develop into a bulb.

But the gardener who’s willing to wait will be well rewarded by this showstopper.
Now we just need to get to work on preserving this dwindling species in the wild!