Common name: Garden Lily
Family: Liliaceae
Height x width: 2-6' x 6-12"
Growth rate: moderate to fast
Foliage: linear or lanceolate, whorled, horizontal or with recurved tips, parallel veins, petioles short or absent
Flowers: usually in terminal raceme, occasionally solitary, 4-12" wide, 6 tepals (petals and sepals); erect or cup-shaped, horizontal or funnel-shaped, pendulous or bell-shaped; white, yellow, orange, red or maroon; interior often spotted
Hardiness: hardy bulb, zones 3-9 (depending on species)
Soil: well-drained, fertile, mulch to keep soil cool
Light:sun, tolerates part shade
Pests and problems: bulb rot, botrytis blight and spots, viruses, aphids (none usually serious or widespread)
Landscape habit, uses: borders in mid to background or between other plants, cut flowers, containers
Other interest: native to northern temperature hemisphere; old Latin name from Greek leirion for lily.
Other culture: generally 5 types of lily bulbs depending on species:
1. concentric, growing point with overlapping scales
2. subrhizomatous, growing horizontally in one direction
3. rhizomatous, forming extensive mats
4. stoloniferous, developing new bulbs on horizontal stolons where they join (apices)
5. stoloniform, developing horizontal stems before shoots appear above ground
Basal-rooting bulbs can be planted near the surface; those rooting along the stem should be planted twice as deep as they are wide.
Avoid allowing bulbs to dry out before planting; prepare planting area prior.
Propagation: bulblets formed off mother bulb, bulbils formed in leaf axils of some asiatic species sown immediately in fall upon harvest, scales removed from mother bulb and planted, seeds which will take several years to flower
Species:
About 100 species and many cultivars in each; extensively bred genus. The origin or native provenance helps determine the appropriate ecological garden habitat.
European species (Eur.) and hybrids require rich soils with plenty of organic matter.
Asiatic species and hybrids which are stem rooting should be planted 8-10" deep to allow for this.
North American species (NAmer.) and hybrids often have stolons
or rhizomes so prefer a well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter
such as from peat moss, shredded leaves and similar.
| Species | native | zone¹ | color | shape | bloom | height |
| amabile | Asia | 5 | red, black spots | nodding | early-mid | 2-3' |
| auratum | Asia | 6 | white, yellow band | bowl | late | 2-4 |
| bolanderi | NAmer. | 5 | red, dark spots | trumpet | mid | 3-5 |
| bulbiferum | Eur. | 5 | red-orange | cup | early-mid | 3-4 |
| canadense | NAmer. | 4 | golden | nodding | early | 2-4 |
| candidum | Eur. | 6 | white | trumpet | early | 2-4 |
| chalcedonicum | Eur. | 5 | scarlet | nodding | mid | 2-4 |
| columbianum | NAmer. | 5 | yellow-red | nodding | mid | 6-7 |
| formosanum | Asia | 5 | white | trumpet | late | 4-6 |
| grayi | NAmer. | 5 | red, yellow inner | cup | mid | 3-5 |
| henryi | Asia | 5 | light orange | nodding | mid-late | 4-6 |
| humboltii | NAmer. | 5 | yellow-orange, spots | nodding | mid | 5-7 |
| kelloggii | NAmer. | 5 | pink-white, spots | nodding | mid | 1-4 |
| maculatum | Asia | 4 | orange | upward | early | 2-3 |
| maritimum | NAmer. | 4 | red-orange, spots in | nodding | mid | 1-2 |
| martagon | Eur. | 4 | purple-red | nodding | early-mid | 3-4 |
| monadelphum | Eur. | 5 | yellow, lilac spots | nodding | early-mid | 4-5 |
| pardalinum | NAmer. | 5 | orange-red, spots | nodding | mid | 6-9 |
| philadelphicum | NAmer. | 4 | orange-red | erect | early-mid | 2-4 |
| pomponium | Eur. | 4 | scarlet | nodding | mid | 2-3 |
| pumilum | Asia | 5 | coral-red | nodding | early-mid | 1-2 |
| pyrenaicum | Eur. | 3 | yellowish, red spots | nodding | mid | 1-4 |
| regale | Asia | 5 | white | trumpet | mid-late | 4-6 |
| speciosum | Asia | 6 | white, red spots | nodding | mid-late | 4-5 |
| superbum | NAmer. | 3 | orange | nodding | mid-late | 4-7 |
| washingtonianum | NAmer. | 4 | white, purple spots | bowl | mid | 3-5 |
¹zone refers to USDA cold hardiness zone
Cultivars:
Most lilies planted in gardens are easily grown hybrids generally of three broad groups:
1. asiatic which are usually lower with clustered terminal upright flowers, leaves spaced around the stem rather thickly
2. oriental which are taller with often few to solitary larger flowers spaced near the top, with larger and thicker and fewer leaves
3. martagon which are in between in height (about 3' tall) and flowers are often on long stalks, hang down, and have quite recurved (curved back) petals; leaves are whorled
Asiatic and Martagon types tend to be more hardy. Several oriental types
have a permeating scent. Species lilies are less popular and seen in commerce,
have been mainly used for breeding hybrids, and are often quite particular
in their cultural requirements.
The hundreds of hybrids have been classified officially by the North
American Lily Council and Royal Horticulture Society into 7 classes based
on species and growth habits:
| Class | rooting | flowering |
| 1. lancifolium types | stem | early-late summer |
| 2. Turk's cap types | stem | mid summer |
| 3. from European species | base | mid summer |
| 4. from N. American species | stem | mid summer |
| 5. from Easter and Formosa lilies | stem | mid summer |
| 6. from several Asiatic species | stem | mid summer |
| 7. from Japanese species | stem | mid-late summer |
The following are only some of the more noteworthy and available hybrids.
| Cultivar, series | Class | flowering | color, other |
| 'African Queen' | 6 | mid | orange, trumpet shaped |
| 'Ares' | 3 | mid | bright red-orange |
| 'Artemis' | 3 | mid | pale pink to yellow orange |
| Backhouse hybrids | 2 | mid | ivory, yellow, pink, burgundy |
| Bellingham hybrids | 4 | mid | yellow-orange, red/brown spots |
| Bellmaid hybrids | 4 | mid | yellow/orange tint, fading red |
| 'Black Butterfly' | 1 | early-mid | red-violet, pendent |
| 'Black Dragon' | 6 | mid | dark red, white inside, trumpet |
| 'Bright Star' | 6 | mid | ivory-orange, recurved |
| 'Casablanca' | 7 | mid-late | white, bowl shape |
| 'Connecticut King' | 1 | early | yellow, upward facing |
| 'Citronella' | 1 | early-mid | yellow, black spots, pendent |
| 'Connecticut Yankee' | 1 | early-mid | red-orange, pendent |
| 'Corsage' | 1 | early-mid | pink, purple spots, yellow outside |
| 'Cote d'Azur' | 1 | early | pink, upward facing |
| 'Empress of Japan' | 7 | mid-late | white, yellow bands, purple spots, bowl |
| 'Enchantment' | 1 | early | red, upward facing |
| Fiesta hybrids | 1 | early-mid | yellow to red, pendent |
| 'Fire King' | 1 | early-mid | red-orange, purple spots |
| 'First Love' | 6 | mid | yellow, pink edge, green throat, bowl |
| 'Formobel' | 5 | mid | white, yellow throat |
| 'Formolongi' | 5 | mid | white |
| 'Golden Showers' | 6 | mid | brown, yellow inside, flat |
| 'Golden Splendor' | 6 | mid | yellow, purple stripes, trumpet |
| 'Golden Sunburst' | 6 | mid | yellow, outer green veins, recurved |
| 'Green Magic' | 7 | mid-late | white, trumpet shaped |
| Harlequin hybrids | 1 | early-mid | salmon shades, pendent |
| 'Heart's Desire' | 6 | mid | yellow-white, bowl shaped |
| 'Imperial Pink' | 7 | mid-late | pink, flat |
| 'Imperial Silver' | 7 | mid-late | white, purple spots, flat |
| 'Jamboree' | 7 | mid-late | deep red, spotted, white edge, recurved |
| 'Journey's End' | 7 | mid-late | deep red, edged white, recurved |
| 'Marhan' | 2 | mid | orange/red spots, yellow/purple spots |
| 'Mont Blanc' | 1 | early | white, upward facing |
| 'Pink Perfection' | 6 | mid | purplish pink, trumpet |
| 'Pink Solace' | 7 | mid-late | pale pink ages red, green inner, recurved |
| 'Prelude' | 3 | mid | red orange, darker tips |
| 'Sterling Star' | 1 | early-mid | cream, brown spots |
| 'Summer Song' | 6 | mid | yellow, flat |
| 'White Henryi' | 6 | mid | white-orange, recurved |
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