Lilies: The Great Garden Plants for Beauty, Fragrance, and Cut Flowers
Lilies are among the truly great garden plants. Their beauty, diversity, extended bloom season, exquisite fragrance, graceful stature, and reliable disposition reflect hundreds of years of selective breeding in Lilium. Your garden shouldn't be without Lilies—whether acres of mixed borders or a few pots on a city balcony. Lilies prefer cool soil, so shade their feet with low companions like Ferns, Geraniums, or Hellebores. Shipped as bulbs.
Lily Types
- Oriental and Orienpets: Oriental Lilies famous for perfume and late-summer bloom. 'Star Gazer' (crimson-and-white) popular cut flower for 25 years. 'Casa Blanca' (pure white, 4+ ft stems) lights up summer evenings. Crosses with Trumpet Lilies created Orienpets—hybrids combining best of both, filling the bloom-time gap.
- Asiatic Lilies: Early-blooming hybrids of Asiatic species—colorful, vigorous. Colors from softest pastels to fiery reds/oranges. Blooms: simple open bowls to exquisitely recurved flowers. Sturdy stems seldom exceed 4 ft—never need staking. Straight stems, heavy bud count = superb cut flowers. Plant single-color patches for borders; large drifts of Naturalizing Lily Mixtures for long-running show at garden's edge.
- Trumpet Lilies: Lovely trumpet-shaped flowers on long graceful stems; intoxicating scent perfumes entire garden.
Lily Care Summary
- Light/Watering: Most prefer full sun but flower in partial shade (helps retain color). Some species prefer afternoon shade; require it in hottest climates. Regular watering, especially during summer drought.
- Fertilizer/Soil/pH: Won't survive poorly drained soils, especially winter. Some form roots along buried stems—appreciate organic matter side-dressing. All benefit from summer mulch to keep roots cool. Light, loamy, well-drained soil, pH ~6.0 ideal. Plant bulbs 3x as deep as bulb height, except L. candidum and cultivars (1 inch soil only). Feed early spring as growth emerges and again as flowers open. If soil test shows low potassium, supplement with muriate of potash or high-potassium fertilizer for optimum bulb/root growth.
- Pests/Diseases: Northeast: watch for Lily leaf beetle (feeds on foliage, buds, flowers in larval/adult forms). Adult: <½ inch, scarlet body, black head/appendages. Larvae: lumpy slug-like, orange/brown/greenish-yellow with black heads; pile excrement on backs. March–June: check leaf undersides for orange eggs; destroy. Handpick if few plants; Neem products effective on young larvae, deter adults; imidacloprid insecticides control but avoid when bees active. Aphids may transmit Lily mosaic virus (yellow streaking/mottling)—mainly problematic in species. Watch for aphids; rinse off with forceful spray.
- Companions: Shallow-rooted plants keep Lily roots cool. Lovely rising from deep green Ferns; many flower with Roses, Peonies, Clematis.
- Reflowering: Remove faded flowers to avoid seedpods (directs energy to bulb). When all flowers pass, cut stem directly below blooms, leaving max foliage to feed bulb. For cut flowers, keep stems short for same reason.
- Dividing/Transplanting: Bulbs dormant late fall—best time to move/divide. Handle fleshy bulbs carefully; replant same depth in well-drained, friable soil. Smaller offsets: replant at 3x their height.
- End-of-Season Care: After foliage dies back, cut stems at ground level or leave few inches as markers. Remove all old foliage.
Calendar of Care
Early Spring: Light balanced fertilizer or compost/organic side-dress when growth appears. Check potassium if plants weak. Water if unseasonably dry.
Mid-Spring: Northeast: watch for Lily leaf beetle. March–June: check leaf undersides for orange/red eggs; destroy. Handpick larvae/adults or treat with Neem/imidacloprid. Watch for aphids; wash off or spray insecticidal soap. Mulch as soil warms.
Late Spring: Taller forms may need staking.
Summer: Water well during dry spells. Remove faded flowers; when blooming finished, cut stem below last bloom to leave foliage.
Fall: Cut foliage back, remove from garden. Divide/transplant after foliage dies back late fall.
