JAMESTOWN LILY
(ATAMASCO)

As the name implies, the Jamestown lily is found in numbers on Jamestown Island, but it grows sparsely throughout the remainder of Virginia. Even though some specimens are found in the Dismal Swamp, the plant must be considered rare.

A six-petaled flower, it is white to pink in color, with a stem that grows up to thirteen inches high. The narrow leaves are bright green with sharp markings. The flower blossoms from the latter part of April into June.

Atamasco was the Indian name for the lily, but early colonists renamed it after their settlement. It may be seen on the Jamestown Island drive in the lowlands near Black Point and in the damp wooded area near the painting depicting the growing tobacco. Because of its scarcity, the National Park Service strictly enforces the prohibition against picking the blooms or disturbing the plant in any way.

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