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Ranunculaceae
Mount Cook Lily
Ranunculus lyallii
Alpine purity and resilience.
- Family
- Ranunculaceae
- Genus
- Ranunculus
- Native to
- New Zealand
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- herbaceous
- Height
- 2-3 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun to partial shade
- Soil
- moist, humus-rich, well-drained
- Water
- high
- Hardiness
- 7-9
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Despite being called a lily, it is actually the world's largest buttercup, with flowers up to 3 inches across.
- It is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand, growing in alpine meadows near Mount Cook.
- The massive, shield-shaped leaves can grow up to 12 inches in diameter and are completely waterproof.
- It is notoriously difficult to cultivate outside its native alpine habitat, requiring cool, moist conditions year-round.
- The plant was named after Scottish naturalist David Lyall, who collected specimens during an Antarctic expedition in the 1840s.
Color meanings
0
purity
1
mountain strength
2
rare beauty