Types of Lilies: A Complete Guide to Lily Divisions and Species

True lilies (Lilium spp.) are among the most diverse and spectacular garden flowers. With 9 main hybrid divisions and dozens of species, there's a lily for every garden style. This guide breaks down the classification, key characteristics, and cultivation needs of each group.

Understanding Lily Classification

The Royal Horticultural Society organizes garden lilies into 9 divisions based on parentage and flower form. Only plants in genus Lilium are "true lilies"—daylilies (Hemerocallis), water lilies (Nymphaea), and calla lilies (Zantedeschia) belong to other families.

The 9 Lily Divisions

Division I: Asiatic Hybrids

• Parents: Asian species (L. davidii, L. lancifolium, etc.)
• Flowers: Upward/outward-facing, 4–6 inches, wide color range (no blue), mostly unscented.
• Bloom: Early summer (June–July).
• Height: 2–4 feet.
• Care: Easiest lilies; full sun, well-drained soil. Very cold-hardy.

Division II: Martagon Hybrids

• Parents: L. martagon and relatives.
• Flowers: Small, Turk's-cap (strongly recurved), heavily spotted; whorled leaves.
• Bloom: Early summer.
• Height: 3–6 feet.
• Care: Prefers dappled shade, alkaline to neutral soil. Slow to establish but long-lived.

Division III: Candidum (Euro-Caucasian) Hybrids

• Parents: L. candidum (Madonna lily) and allies.
• Flowers: Trumpet-shaped, fragrant; white to yellow-orange.
• Bloom: Early–midsummer.
• Care: Semi-alkaline soil; plant shallow (1 inch deep). Cold-hardy.

Division IV: American Hybrids

• Parents: Western US species (L. pardalinum, L. parryi, etc.).
• Flowers: Turk's-cap or funnel-shaped; fiery reds, oranges, yellows.
• Bloom: Early–midsummer.
• Height: 4–8 feet.
• Care: Acidic soil, partial shade, cool roots. Challenging but spectacular.

Division V: Longiflorum Hybrids

• Parents: L. longiflorum (Easter lily) and L. formosanum.
• Flowers: Large, pure white trumpets, intensely fragrant.
• Bloom: Midsummer (forced for Easter commercially).
• Care: Alkaline soil tolerated; good as pot plants. Not reliably hardy below zone 7.

Division VI: Trumpet & Aurelian Hybrids

• Parents: L. regale, L. leucanthum, L. sargentiae etc.
• Flowers: Huge trumpets (6–10 inches), fragrant; white, yellow, pink, apricot.
• Bloom: Midsummer.
• Height: 4–6 feet; may need staking.
• Care: Full sun, well-drained soil. Aurelian strains more heat-tolerant.

Division VII: Oriental Hybrids

• Parents: L. auratum, L. speciosum, L. rubellum.
• Flowers: Enormous (8–10 inches), flat/recurved, intensely fragrant; white, pink, crimson, often with gold bands/spots.
• Bloom: Late summer (August–September).
• Height: 3–5 feet.
• Care: Acidic, humus-rich soil; partial shade in hot climates; consistent moisture. More demanding but rewarding.

Division VIII: Interdivisional Hybrids (Orienpets, LA, LO, etc.)

• Crosses between divisions (e.g., Oriental × Trumpet = Orienpet/OT hybrids).
• Combine best traits: fragrance, size, heat tolerance, vigor.
• Increasingly popular for garden and cut flower use.

Division IX: Species Lilies

• Wild lilies; parents of all hybrids. Over 100 species.
• Variable requirements; some easy, some highly specialized.
• Great for naturalizing, rock gardens, collectors.

Quick Selection Guide

Want...	Choose
Easiest care, early color	Asiatic hybrids
Shade tolerance, elegant form	Martagon hybrids
Fragrance, huge flowers, late season	Oriental hybrids
Heat tolerance, fragrance, size	Orienpet (OT) hybrids
Native habitat, naturalizing	Species lilies

With this roadmap, you can select lilies that match your climate, soil, and aesthetic—ensuring years of magnificent blooms.