Japanese Show Lily
Lilium speciosum · Liliaceae
How it looks
Japanese Show Lily (Lilium speciosum) is a white and pink lily that opens wide facing upward, with a deep pink band and black spots down the center of the petals and wavy petal edges. The fragrance is very strong, and the leaves are narrow, long, and sword-shaped, with the plant reaching 32-47 in (80-120 cm).
Deadly — kidney failure
Japanese Show Lily is a true lily (Lilium) and causes kidney failure in cats. Petals, pollen, and leaves are all deadly, and even vase water is dangerous.
If ingested
Contact your nearest vet immediately
- Onset
- 6–24 hours after ingestion (symptoms may be delayed)
- Symptoms
- Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy
- Action
- Go to a 24-hour animal hospital immediately. Don't wait, even if there are no symptoms.
Guide for parents
The Japanese show lily (Rubrum lily) is a true lily (genus Lilium) with striking red-spotted white blooms, and it causes fatal kidney failure in cats. You'll meet it both as a cut flower and in gardens, and every part is dangerous.
It's a true lily, so it's dangerous
The Japanese show lily is in the same kidney-failure group as the lily, the Easter lily, and the daylily. It is a completely different plant from the peace lily, a lily only in name — so confirm first whether yours is a true lily.
How cats get exposed
Petals, leaves, and pollen are toxic, and so is the vase water. Don't bring it indoors as a cut flower, and if it grows in your garden, keep it fully separated from your cat's paths. A cat can be poisoned just by grooming pollen off its fur.
How symptoms progress
Signs begin 6–12 hours after ingestion with vomiting, drooling, and loss of appetite, pass through a "false recovery" window, and kidney damage advances quietly. By 24–72 hours urine output plunges and kidney failure appears — and recovery becomes very hard at that stage.
What to do right now
If your cat touched or ate it, go to a 24-hour emergency vet immediately even without symptoms. Don't try to induce vomiting at home; starting IV fluids within 6 hours of exposure is the key to protecting the kidneys.
Safer flowers instead
If you want flowers around, choose cat-safe roses or gerbera daisies.
Details
- Scientific name
- Lilium speciosum
- Common name
- Japanese Show Lily
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Toxic parts
- All parts
- Compounds
- Unknown (presumed steroidal saponins)
- Source
- ASPCA
Related plants
Same plant family· Liliaceae
Related guides
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