How to Grow Lilies: Oriental, Asiatic, and Favorite Varieties for Beginners

Lilies are elegant, romantic, fragrant—and surprisingly easy. Whether you love the perfume of Orientals or the bright, tough Asiatics, these bulbs belong in every garden. Here’s a straightforward guide to growing lilies successfully.

Oriental vs. Asiatic Lilies

• Oriental: Large, heavily scented flowers (e.g., ‘Casablanca’, ‘Stargazer’). Bloom midsummer, 4–6 feet tall. Prefer afternoon shade, cooler roots. Less cold-hardy.
• Asiatic: Unscented, but earlier (late spring), hardier, heat-tolerant. 3–5 feet, warm colors (yellow, orange, red) plus pinks/whites. ‘Strawberry Shortcake’ is a lovely pink Asiatic.

Universal Growing Tips

• Plant bulbs soon after purchase—they dry out easily.
• Stagger varieties for succession bloom (each blooms 2–3 weeks).
• Plant fall or early spring; fall planting gives earlier, better flowers.
• Depth: 4–6 inches (deeper for Orientals to keep roots cool).
• Well-drained soil is essential—soggy soil causes rot.
• Underplant with low, shallow-rooted perennials (e.g., Geranium ‘Rozanne’) to shade roots and hide bare stems.
• Water moderately until flowering, then reduce until foliage yellows.
• Deadhead spent blooms to the stem.
• Leave foliage until fully yellow—it feeds next year’s bulb.
• Fertilize twice per season with balanced liquid feed; not heavy feeders.
• Containers work well—choose pot size/depth matched to mature height. Dwarf varieties available.

Top Beginner Varieties (from Wayside Gardens)

Oriental Lilies

‘Casablanca’

Quintessential white lily: 10-inch fragrant blooms, 5 feet tall, July–August. May need staking.

‘Dizzy’

White with deep pink stripes, 10-inch blooms, intense fragrance, 5 feet. Gets better each year.

‘Roselily Natalia’

Double petals, pollen-free (allergy-friendly), 20-day vase life, slight fragrance. Up to 8 feet—may need staking.

Asiatic Lilies

‘Salmon Star’

Peachy-coral, 30–36 inches, midsummer bloom. Gentle color, compact.

‘Red Twin’

Deep reddish-orange, unique double-flower form (small flower inside larger), 40 inches, late spring. Showstopper.

‘Fata Morgana’

Yellow, upright clusters, 2–3 feet, early summer. Great for containers, long-lasting cut flowers.

Plant a few this fall, and enjoy years of increasing beauty and fragrance.