The lily is an iconic plant, with a rich history. It carries with it a rich symbolism, representing countries, regions, regimes, and religious beliefs throughout history and around the world. Other than their beauty and iconic status, our favorite thing about lilies is their accessibility—they’re fairly easy to grow at home and they adapt well to a number of different types of garden. So if you’ve ever been struck by the beauty of a lily in a garden or flower arrangement, this might be the article for you. Let’s dig in and learn a bit more about growing and caring for lilies and how you can bring their beauty into your own garden.
A quick safety note: Many popular species of lily are toxic to both humans and cats, so please take care when planting them and keep them away from small children and your pets. For readers in the USA: if you think your pet has had close contact with or ingested a lily, please contact an emergency veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426- 4435. If you think a human has ingested a lily, contact the National Capital Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. If you’re in another country, please identify similar appropriate resources before you need them!
An Introduction to Lilium spp.
There are 119 different recognized species of Lily. While most of them are found in the Northern Hemisphere, Lilium is a global genus found around the world. If you’re interested in native plants, you may want to check and see if there’s a native lily from your corner of the world and if you could grow that in your garden. Even within that diversity, some varietals have become more popular than others. These include Lilium candidum, also known as the white lily or the Madonna lily and very occasionally the Balkan lily. With striking white flowers in the classic lily profile, L. candidum is the type species for the genius, meaning that it is a permanent member of the genus and typifies all the things that make Lilium distinct. Another popular species is Lilium longiflorum, the Easter lily. This is a classic springtime flower and closely associated with the Easter holiday in the US, Canada, and parts of Europe. A tall lily with large white flowers, L. longiflorum is renowned for its striking beauty and ability to add visual interest to the garden.
There are Asian and New World lilies as well, and some of those have grown in popularity over the last few decades. Most of the popular Asian lilies (sometimes referred to as Lilium asiatica) are hybrids of various East and Southeast Asian species, but some traditional varietals are available to North American gardeners. Perhaps the most famous of these—and certainly the one with the coolest name—is the tiger lily. More properly known as Lilium lancifolium or occasionally L. tigrinium, this is a truly dramatic plant with lovely orange flowers covered with black spots. Native to China and Southeast Asia, the tiger lily has been adopted by gardeners and plant-lovers around the world and with good reason. It’s beautiful in a very fun and visually dramatic way that we’ve always loved and we think you might, too.
Growing and Caring for Lilies at Home
Despite the many myths and legends around them, most lily species are fairly easy to grow and there’s a lily varietal for just about any garden space. Many lilies do well in containers, with the caveat that they do like good drainage and need enough space. Again, there are 119 recognized species adapted to many different sets of conditions so please read up on the varietal you choose for your garden. In general however lilies tend to prefer loamy, well-drained, and relatively loose soils. Bulbs should generally be planted at least 12-18 inches/30-45 cm apart and 2-3 inches/5-8 cm deep. Lilys are generally planted in the spring or fall. While planting and propagation by seeds is possible, you’ll likely purchase nascent lilies as bulbs. We don’t know a lot about seed propagation of lilies, so if any of you do we’d love to hear from you.
Most lilies like full sun, though some do well in partial shade or even full shade—again, find the plant that’s right for your space. Most popular lily varietals bloom in the spring, when temperatures are cool at night and warm in the day. What that means, however, depends on varietal so again: do your research. It’s important to remember that many popular lily types like Easter lily and white lily may not bloom every year—and that’s OK. Sometimes the plant needs to rest and regroup before it can take on the stress of producing seeds and flowers.
Lilies are beautiful, diverse, and come with a long history—in short, they embody many of the things that make gardening so enjoyable. We love our lilies and we hope you’ll consider adding a few to your garden space. If you do, let us know and please include photos. Gardzen is all about community and we love to hear from you!
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