Travelers by rail between New York
and Boston know how gorgeous are the low meadows and marshes in
July or August, when its clusters of deep yellow, orange, or
flame-colored lilies tower above the surrounding vegetation. Like
the color of most flowers, theirs intensifies in salt air.
Commonly from three to seven lilies appear in a terminal group;
but under skilful cultivation even forty will crown the stalk
that reaches a height of nine feet where its home suits it
perfectly; or maybe only a poor array of dingy yellowish caps top
a shriveled stem when unfavorable conditions prevail. There
certainly are times when its specific name seems extravagant.
Its range is from Maine to the Carolinas, westward to Minnesota
and Tennessee. A well-conducted Turk's cap is not bell-shaped at
maturity, like the Canada lily: it should open much farther,
until the six points of its perianth curve so far backward beyond
the middle as to expose the stamens for nearly their entire
length. One of the purple-dotted divisions of the flower when
spread out flat may measure anywhere from two and a half to four
inches in length.
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