Lilium mackliniae, the Shirui lily or Shirui Kashong Timrawon, is a rare Indian species of plant found only in the upper reaches of the Shirui hill ranges in the Ukhrul district of Manipur, India, at an elevation of above sea level. It is located near the boundary of Myanmar to the east, Shirui village in the west, Choithar village in the south and Sihai village in the north.
This shade-loving lily has pale bluish-pink petals but has seven colours when observed through a microscope. In the wild, it flowers in the monsoon months of June and July. They are seasonal flowering plants and at their best in May and June when it blooms. The peak season of its bloom is May 15 to June 5. The height of the plant is and has one to seven flowers per plant.
Description
Flower
They blossom in Spring specifically May 15 - June 5. The plants are .3-.91m (1–3 ft) in height with 1-7 flowers per plant. It has pale blue-pink petals, but when observed through a microscope has seven colors.
Cultivation
The flowers can be cultivated in various ways. They grow well in humus soil that remains moist and is sheltered from direct summer sunlight. They can be grown as bulbs and seeds.
The seeds need to be covered with compost about 5 mm deep and need to be in a cool, but well-lit space. Artificial heat can prevent germination and they only germinate in the spring after they have been chilled or frozen in the winter. They can be grown in small pots and then repotted or planted outside. Another legend is that the daughter of goddess Philava named Lily protects these hills. The third story is that the two lovers jumped from the cliffs to their death and thus came the flower. The flower is called Kashong Timrawon traditionally and is believed to represent kindness, protection, prosperity, and a happy life. The discovery received the Prestigious Merit Prize in 1948 by Royal Horticultural Society Flower. As such there have been multiple efforts made in order to help revitalize the flower. First in 1982, The Siroi National Park was established and covered an area of .41 km<sup>2</sup> of where the lily naturally grows.
On 13 October 2013, Shajin Jinks, the head of the Department of Environment and Heritage of Goa, led an expedition to the Shiroi Hills to raise awareness to protect this endangered heritage. The Shirui Lily Festival has been started in May 2017, for the first time in history, to increase awareness of the rare flower and its value to the world. The festival is going to be celebrated every year in Ukhrul town as well as Shirui village in Manipur. The Shirui Lily festival returned to Manipur on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, after a two-year hiatus caused by the protracted conflict in the state. This marked the first significant tourism festival hosted by the state since the conflict began in May 2023, making safety concerns and elaborate security arrangements an integral part of this year's preparations.