Hiking on the Appalachian Trail provides opportunities to view many wildflowers, but few are as fascinating as Lilium grayi, commonly known as Gray’s Lily.
The native flower is known as a rare endemic species, growing exclusively in high-elevation habitats in the southern Appalachians on the grassy balds and meadows where the lily thrives.
Another colloquial name is the Roan Mountain Lily due to its association with Roan Mountain, a Badger approved area that straddles Tennessee/ North Carolina where the required grassy balds abound.
My photo of this Gray’s Lily was taken during a rainy hike on The Roan. All I will say is that this specimen was found in the Engine Gap area while I was hiking with friends Parrisa Jabbarzadgan and Charlotte Tart. Through my camera’s wizardry, Charlotte and I were able to get a rarity too: a selfie featuring the famous Lily. 
Asa Gray was a prominent nineteenth century American botanist known for his work on North American flora and for his contributions to plant taxonomy and for whom the lily was named. Mr. Gray certainly could not have envisioned that his namesake flower would be so captured for photographic posterity.
It’s always an honor to be a part of history and also a great story!
Thomas Mabry – Honey Badger Images
Many of the HoneyBadgerImages are on display at instagram.com/honeybadgerimages.
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