The Lilies of the Monocot Border

There’s always something blooming at BBG, and the past two weeks have been the Monocot Border’s time to shine. The border is part of BBG’s Plant Family Collection and highlights monocots, or plants that have one cotyledon (the first leaf produced on a seedling). Monocots generally have leaves with parallel veins and flower parts in threes or multiples of three—three or six petals and three or six stamens (the male parts of the flower), for example. There are almost 60,000 plant species categorized as monocots, including orchids, grasses, onions, bananas, lilies, irises, and arums. Of all the monocots showcased in the border, the most spectacular at the moment is the lily (Lilium) collection. Blooming now are several types of lilies, including trumpets, Orientals, daylilies, and even the beautiful and unusual pineapple lily (Eucomis commas).

To see and smell hundreds of varied lily blossoms is an indescribably beautiful experience, and visitors who unsuspectingly come upon the bed during their visit linger to marvel at the colors, textures, and scents of so many lilies in one place.

You can view a small selection of the lilies in bloom in the slideshow below, but it’s definitely worth a trip to the Garden to see the collection in person.

To see what else is in bloom at BBG, visit Plants in Bloom.