The orange-colored fire lily is the most widely found species of wild lily in Europe. It is an exception among the many highly perfumed species of lily in that it does not give off any scent. It is pollinated by butterflies that settle on the petals as they go about their work. 

The fire lily is the object of some fascinating legends. In Switzerland, for example, people believed that the flower attracted lightning if kept indoors. The bulbs, however, were associated with positive attributes. As for the petals, they were used to produce an orange-red pigment for painting.