There are several types to choose from, including Asiatic, the enticingly fragrant Oriental, and longiflora hybrids.
Each offers an array of colors and forms.
Lilies are toxic to cats.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Where to Plant Lily
Choose a spot for lilies thatreceives full sunor part shade and haswell-drained soil.
Lilies look at home in all areas of the landscape.
Plant them near an entryway or patio to enjoy their beauty and fragrance.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Add a group of eight to 10 bulbs to a border for a dramatic midsummer display.
Avoid mixing too many lily cultivars or the scene will take on a chaotic, busy appearance.
Most varieties will be available from retail outlets and growers in the fall.
Credit: Guy Hurka
Cover the trench with soil and water well.
Some lilies become top-heavy when in bloom.
Stake tall lily varieties early in the season to prevent damaging plants as you work in the garden.
Credit: Mike Jensen
Use garden twine to tie the stem to a bamboo stake in the soil near the bulb.
Soil and Water
Lilies prefer a well-drained soil high in organic matter with an acidic pH.
Mix in some shredded leaves or other organic amendment at planting time.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
The plants may tolerate extended dry periods once established.
Temperature and Humidity
Generally, lilies can tolerate temperatures into the 90s F without problems.
Fertilizer
Lilies benefit from a slow-release fertilizer applied in the spring at the beginning of active growth.
Credit: Greg Ryan
If you prefer a water-soluble fertilizer, apply it every few weeks during the growing season.
For the amounts and program procedure, follow product label directions.
Pruning
Deadhead spent blooms to prevent energy going to setting seed.
Credit: Helen Norman Photography
Cut the stem back to the ground when foliage yellows after blooming.
Select a pot with large drainage holes and use well-draining potting soil.
Keep in mind that potted plants, unlike plants in the landscape, require more frequent watering and fertilization.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
As a protective measure, winterize the pots by sinking the container into the ground.
Pests and Problems
Pests occasionally bother lilies.
Deer will eat young foliage and blossoms.
Credit: Greg Scheidemann Pictures
Rabbits will eat young plants.
On the East Coast, bright red lily beetles are becoming a problem.
Division is the easiest method of propagation.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Dig up an established plant in the fall and separate the younger plants or bulblets from the parent plant.
It grows 2 feet tall.
Zones 38
‘Enchantment’ Asiatic Lily
Lilium’Enchantment' bears brilliant orange trumpets speckled in red.
Credit: Janet Mesic Mackie
It grows 3 feet tall.
It grows 3 feet high.
It grows 3 feet tall.
Credit: Matthew Benson Photography
It grows 3 feet tall.
It grows 66 inches tall.
It offers large antique-rose flowers in early summer and grows 32 inches tall.
Credit: George Chappell
It grows 22 inches tall.
Zones 38
Lilium speciosum var.
album
Lilium speciosumvar.albumshows off pure-white flowers with strongly reflexed petals.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
It grows 66 inches tall.
It blooms in August and grows 5 feet tall.
It does best in moist, well-drained soil and appreciates part shade in hot-summer climates.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
It grows 6 feet tall.
It grows 32 inches tall.
It grows 32 inches tall.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
It grows 32 inches tall.
It grows 3 feet tall.
It bedazzles gardeners with bunches of perfumed, speckled magenta trumpets edged in white.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
This classic hybrid lily blooms in late summer.
It grows to 3 feet tall.
The handsome fingered foliage is usually dark green and remains good-looking all season long.
Credit: Jon Jensen
But these are hardly fussy plants.
Where well suited to the climate, they can thrive for decades on zero care.
Zones 3-8
Catmint
Catmint (Nepetaspp.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
)is one of the toughest perennials you’re able to grow.
These long-lived plants need division every three or four years to thrive.
Foolproof Foundation Garden Plan
Dress up the front of your home with this interesting combination of plants.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Heat-Loving Garden Plan
Create a stylish garden that looks good all summer with this super-simple garden plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes.
They are unlikely to keep if stored for more than one winter.
Credit: Illustration by Helen Smythe
Cut lily flowers will last 10 to 14 days in a vase if water is refreshed regularly.
Generally, lilies planted in the ground have a lifespan of about 3 to 5 years.
White lilies symbolize purity, which is why they have always been a favorite wedding flower.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Red lilies mean love or affection, while pink conveys joy or abundance.
Which Lilies Are Toxic to Pets?ASPCA.org.
Credit: Rick Taylor
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
