臺灣百合為臺灣原生特有種植物，為原生球根植物中最具特色的物種之一，臺灣百合在形態上具高度變異性，在種間分類與種內變種認定尚存爭議。其植物形態易受環境影響，不同族群間株高有10倍以上差距，葉長寬比值為區分臺灣百合與鐵炮百合的穩定性狀。臺灣百合廣布於臺灣全島低地到3,500m高山之草坡、路邊及岩石峭壁。臺灣百合種子發芽習性屬快速發芽的子葉地上型，由種子萌芽到開花僅需一年，故具有早熟性，其種子萌芽後會發生大量簇生鱗片葉，可耐高溫在夏季期持續生長，簇生期莖頂感受涼溫後可進入抽莖期，進而進入生殖生長期而開花。臺灣百合具有自交親和性及種子豐產的特性，與鐡炮百合雜交育成新鐵炮百合，運用於百合切花生產。臺灣百合有別於一般百合商業品種的生育習性，且對環境適應具高度塑性，在百合球根休眠生理機制，有值得持續深入開發與研究之價值。

Lilium formosanum Wallace is endemic to Taiwan, where it is considered one of the most special native bulb plants. This species has numerous morphological variants; therefore, their interspecific taxonomy and intraspecific varieties remain debatable. Depending on its habitation environment, the plant height of this species can vary by 10 times or more. The aspect ratio of its leaves can range from 18 to 20 and this widely recognized characteristic is used for discriminating between L. formosanum and L. longiflorum. L. formosanum is distributed on glassy slopes, roadsides, and rocks all around Taiwan at all altitudes—lowlands to 3500-m-high mountains.The seed of L. formosanum propagates through epigeous germination, which facilitates the process of rapid seedling formation to flowering within 1 year. The rosette seedling bears multiple bulb leaves, sustains at high temperatures, and demonstrates growth during summer. The stem of the rosette seedling elongates in cool climates and then flowers in spring or summer. Due to its self-compatibility and seed abundance, L. formosanum was crossed with L. longiflorum to breed the cultivar L. x formolongi for cut flower production. Thus, L. formosanum has unique growth characteristics and high environmental adaptability compared with commercial lily cultivars and thus warrants further investigation and development.