‘Purple Lady’ is a giant Orienpet growing 6 to 8 feet tall.
So little time, so many different lilies to choose!
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Every garden should be graced by beautiful lilies. Fortunately, there is a lily in almost every color, shape, and size, and the bulbs are easy to plant. Here are our eight favorite types of lilies with photos to help you identify and choose. The first question is, “What is a true lily?”
What is a True Lily?
Many of the plants we call lilies, such as lily-of-the-valley, calla lilies, water lilies, and even our beloved daylilies, technically aren’t lilies at all.
True lilies belong to the genus Lilium, a large and varied group of plants consisting of close to 100 species that range widely in their colors, sizes, flower forms, and bloom times. The North American Lily Society has separated them into nine different divisions based on the shape and position of their flowers and their parents’ origins.
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- Asiatics and Orientals are the most popular of the true lilies.
- Trumpets, martagons, native Turk’s caps, Madonnas, and Easter lilies also grow well in our backyards.
- Then, there are a multitude of hybrids for sale. Crosses such as Orienpet (what you get when you cross an Oriental and a trumpet) or LA hybrids (bred from Easter lilies and Asiatics) take the best from each parent plant, resulting in some spectacular flowers.
A word of caution: Before you fall in love with lilies, be aware that all parts of a true lily are extremely toxic to cats!
10 Types of Lilies
1. Asiatic
Asiatic hybrids are early bloomers during the garden season, flowering in a range of colors from June to July in my garden. They are also the easiest lilies to grow because they are adaptable to many different growing conditions.
- Botanical Name: Lilium asiatica
- Bloom Time: Early summer
- Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
- Colors: Various shades of pink, purple, white and bicolors
- Shape: Cluster or outward-facing flowers
- Height: Only 2 to 4 feet tall, compact growth
Most Asiatic lilies are without scent and have up-facing flowers. Because of their compact size, they are ideal for containers and the garden. They are also quick to multiply.
Some favorites are ‘Yellow County’, dark purple ‘Blacklist’, and bicolor ‘Forever Susan’ to name just a few. With five to nine blossoms on each, one stem makes a bouquet!
2. Martagons
Martagon lilies (L. martagon) are amongst the earliest of the Asiatics to bloom. They are sometimes called Turk’s caps because their petals curl back, and the flowers face downward, resembling a fancy turban.
- Botanical Name: Lilium martagon
- Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
- Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
- Colors: Shades of yellow, gold, and orange.
- Shape: Downward-facing flowers with recurved petals
- Height: 3 to 6 feet tall, slender stems
Native to Europe and Asia, Martagons are tall, dramatic lilies that will each have dozens of blossoms in June and July. They are not fans of hot, humid conditions or soggy soil and prefer a location in part shade. Martagon lilies are long-lived and will form substantial clumps.
‘Golden Morning’ starts flowering in late May. Growing 3 to 4 feet tall, it blooms in shades of another early bloomer: ‘Arabian Knight’ has recurved, dark red petals with golden centers and mahogany spots. ‘White Henryi’ is an old favorite that blossoms for 4 weeks later in the summer. It is 4 to 5 feet tall and is disease resistant. There are many other colored martagon lilies, including pink, lavender, orange, and deep red, along with contrasting tips, spots, stripes, and other markings.
3. Easter Lily
Longiflorum lilies are known as the Easter lilies. Pure white, they are often forced into bloom for the holiday. The large, white, trumpet-shaped flowers are also fragrant. While each bloom only lasts a few days, the plant usually has enough unopened buds to last a couple of weeks if kept under bright light. After Easter, it can be planted outside, and under the right conditions, it will blossom again for you year after year.
- Botanical Name: Lilium longiflorum
- Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
- Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
- Colors: White
- Shape: Long, trumpet-shaped
- Height: 3- to 6-foot–tall sturdy stems
While the bulbs are winter-hardy in zones 5 to 8, Easter lily plants do not do well in hot, humid climates. Check out this story about how to do it.
4. Madonna Lily
A true heirloom, Madonna lilies are thought to be one of the first plants cultivated by humans as an ornamental and later used medicinally. Native to the Mediterranean region, this species is an early bloomer in the garden.
Also known as Candidum, the Madonna Lily has been a garden favorite and symbol of purity for over 2,000 years and is often depicted in art and literature. It has a majestic appearance with glistening pure white trumpets facing outward and bright yellow pollen.
- Botanical Name: Lilium candidum
- Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
- Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8
- Colors: Satiny white
- Shape: Trumpet-shaped, 3- to 4-inch–long petals
- Height: 4 feet tall
5. Trumpet Lily
The extremely fragrant ‘Pink Perfection’ is a tall, stately lily with trumpet-shaped, dark pink flowers. Credit: Walter Erhardt
Trumpet hybrids are descended from Chinese Regal lilies (L.). They bloom in July and August. Their flared, trumpet-shaped, waxy flowers may be outward-facing or nodding. The flowers can become so heavy they might need staking.
The flowers are exceedingly fragrant. Two old standby’s from the 1950s are still in cultivation. ‘Pink Perfection’ has 12-inch–long, flaring flowers on 4- to 6-foot tall plants. ‘Golden Splendor’ has 6- to 8-inch–long, deep yellow trumpets also on 4- to 6-foot–tall plants.
- Botanical Name: Lilium regale
- Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
- Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
- Colors: Pink, plum, apricot, white, gold, yellow, and chartreuse
- Shape: Large, trumpet-shaped petals, 3 to 4 inches long
- Height: 4- to 7-foot–tall stems
6. Orientals
Intensely fragrant Orientals bloom in July and August for a late summer show. They are hybrids of species found in China and Japan. Orientals have some of the showiest flowers, which can be huge—up to 12 inches across.
- Botanical Name: Lilium oriental
- Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
- Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
- Colors: Red, pink, white, and salmon
- Shape: Large flowers with open, star-shaped, recurved petals
- Height: 3- to 8-foot–tall stems
There are also some dwarf cultivars that grow only 18 to 30 inches tall—perfect for container culture. The blossoms are not only colorful, but also many have spots, stripes, and other markings on them.
The popular pink and white ‘Stargazer’ lily is an Oriental that grows only 2 to 3 feet tall. The all-white ‘Casa Blanca’ has huge flowers, up to 10 inches across, and grows 3 to 4 feet tall.
7. Orienpet
Orienpets are interdivisional hybrids made by crossing an Oriental lily with a trumpet lily. They combine the best qualities: fragrance, large 8-inch side flowers, and long-lasting performance. They bloom about 2 weeks earlier than Orientals.
- Botanical Name: Various Lilium species hybrids
- Bloom Time: Midsummer, 2 weeks earlier than Orientals
- Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8; varies
- Color: Varies depending on parentage
‘Scheherazade’ is 3 to 4 feet tall, and its blossoms boast slightly recurved red petals with gold edges. ‘Purple Lady’ is a giant Orienpet growing 6 to 8 feet tall.
Native Lilies
Quite a few lilies are native to North America. Most bloom from the end of June through early July.
8. Turk’s cap lilies (L. superbum)
Found growing wild in states east of the Mississippi, these native lilies look similar to martagons but have different parents. Growing 3 to 6 feet tall, they produce up to 50 nodding, orange or red, spotted flowers with strongly recurved petals. They are perfect for naturalizing in moist, dappled shade in Zones 4 to 9.
- Botanical Name: Lilium superbum
- Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
- Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
- Colors: Orange or red
- Shape: Downward facing flowers, recurved petals
- Height: 3- to 6-foot–tall stems
9. The Canada lily (L. canadense)
A northern native, this is one of the only lilies that doesn’t mind boggy conditions. Hardy in Zones 3 to 8, it grows 4 to 7 feet tall and has yellow nodding flowers. Bees and butterflies are drawn to them, and this lily is mainly pollinated by the ruby-throated hummingbird.
- Botanical Name: Lilium canadense
- Bloom Time: Early to midsummer
- Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
- Colors: Yellow, orange, red
- Shape: Trumpet-shaped flowers
- Height: 4- to 7-foot-tall stems
10. Wood lily (L. philadelphicum)
This lily is ideal for dry sites and is drought tolerant. Growing 6 to 24 inches tall, it bears single, reddish-orange, spotted, up-facing blossoms in July and August. Native to the eastern U.S. and Canada, it is hardy in Zones 3 to 8.
- Botanical Name: Lilium philadelphicum
- Bloom Time: Mid to late summer
- Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
- Colors: Red/orange, purple spotted
- Shape: Bell-shaped
- Height: 6- to 24-inch–tall stems
Growing Tips
Where to Plant
The ideal location to grow your lilies should get at least 6 hours of sun a day, preferably morning sun with dappled afternoon shade. Most lilies won’t tolerate wet feet so they should be planted in well-draining soil or a raised bed. They prefer neutral to slightly acidic, humusy soil that is not too high in nitrogen.
When to Plant
The bulbs can be planted in the spring or fall. Since they lack the protective papery covering that other types of bulbs have, they need to be planted immediately or kept moist until they can be planted; otherwise, they will start to shrivel and become damaged.
How to Plant
Plant them at least 12 inches apart to lessen the chances of disease. With so many types of lilies to choose from, you can grow early, mid-season, and late-blossoming varieties to have lovely lilies in bloom all season long. Like other bulbs, lilies store food for next season’s bloom, so keep the green leaves growing for as long as you can, and don’t remove the foliage until it is completely dry.
When to Cut and Harvest
True lilies make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers, with each blossom lasting for several days. Cut the stem when the first flower opens, and the other buds will open later in the water. Depending on the number of flowers, one stem can last for well over a week.
Pests and Problems
Unfortunately, the voles also love devouring the bulbs. To be able to grow any of the true lilies we had to build a special raised bed with hardware cloth tacked across the bottom to screen out the bulb-eating voles. To maximize the 3X8 foot space we disobeyed the rules and packed the bulbs in as closely as possible, about 6 inches apart.
Other than the voles, the most troublesome pest is the lily leaf beetle. It is called the “red terror” by lily lovers for the damage it does to the plants and to developing buds. It looks like an oval-shaped, red ladybug without any spots. It has black legs, a head, and antennae. A native of Europe, it appeared in New England gardens in the 1990s. Researchers at the University of Rhode Island are working on finding a safe, biological control for them by experimenting with different parasitic wasps, but for now, the best control is to handpick both the beetles and their slug-like larvae early in the season. This can be a disgusting job since the larvae have the charming habit of covering themselves with their dung!
See our complete guide on planting, growing, and caring for lilies.
What we gardeners won’t do for the love of lilies!
Robin Sweetser
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