Lilies



Wiese Acres Asiatic lilies


I love lily season in the garden.  There are so many colors, sizes, and even shapes of lilies that there is always something new to look at.  True lilies are members of the lilium genus and grow from tough, scaly bulbs that are planted in the fall for brilliant blossoms the following summer, and many summers thereafter.  In addition to the gorgeous blossoms, most lilies have a delicious fragrance that can perfume the entire yard.  They grow in most any conditions, although they don't want to be in standing water or constantly soggy soil. 

For gardeners in the very warm zones 9 and 10, lilies do need to be lifted at the end of each growing season and placed under refirgeration for at least eight weeks to enforce a period of dormancy and chilling.  Without this, the lilies will not bloom the following season.  For gardeners in regions where there is a natural period of chilling, once these bulbs are planted, they are relatively carefree for many years.

Lily bulbs need to be planted deeply to encourage solid root growth and good anchoring of the stem and flowers.  The stems can become quite top heavy and topple without the encouragement to develop thick, fleshy stems.  Lily bulbs should be planted three times as deep as they are tall, e.g. if the lily bulb is 4 inches tall, it should be planted in a hole 12 inches deep.  The bulb should be placed in the hole pointy side up, but if it happens to tip over, don't worry - it will find a way to grow up to the daylight..  The bulbs should be spaced at a distance that is about three times the size of the diameter, e.g. if the diameter of the bulb is 2 inches, they should be planted 6 inches apart.  Planting them closer than that will necessitate early division and transplanting of the lilies.

Lilies prefer soil that is slightly acidic but will adapt well to alkaline soils.  I top dress my lilies with about 2 inches of good, rich compost each spring.  They like lots of loose, organic matter so this makes them very happy.  The additional organic matter also encourages good drainage around the bulbs so I don't have to worry about rot in my heavy clay soil.

The downside of lilies is that they have a relatively short bloom cycle.  I counter this by planting a variety of lilies, with some that bloom early, middle, and late seasons.  There are actually nine different classifications of lilies, but I have three that do very well in my North Dakota gardens:  Asiatic, Oriental, and old-fashioned tiger lilies (a native lily that may actually be part of the Oriental family).  All three bloom at different times, allowing me to have lilies in my garden from mid-June through the end of August.



Wiese Acres Asiatic lily "Elodie"


Asiatics are the first to bloom and are very easy to grow.  They come in all colors except blue and all the colors are intense and showy.  These do not have the fragrance of the Orientals, but they add so much color to my garden that I am willing to forgive them their failure at the sniff test.  Asiatics come in a variety of sizes from just a foot tall to over 5 feet.



Wiese Acres Oriental lily "Stargazer"



Orientals bloom from mid to late summer and have a wonderful fragrance that becomes more intense after dark.  Orientals produce masses of huge blossoms in whites, pinks, reds, and bi-colors.  There are some Orientals that grow as tall as 8 feet and some that are as short as 2 feet.  Most that thrive in my zone 4 garden are around 3 feet tall.



Wiese Acres Tiger lilies



Tiger lilies are the latest to bloom.  They come in orange and yellow with black spots on the petals, and grow to about 4 feet tall.  These are distinguished by the "bulbils" that form up and down the stem, tucked into the axis where the leaves attach to the stem.  These bulbils are the Tiger lily's means of reproducing.  Like most native plants, the Tigers go just a tad bit overboard with the reproduction thing and I find myself pulling up hundreds of seedlings from the gardens where the Tigers are planted.  Even so, these old-fashioned plants make a colorful statement in the late summer garden and are well worth having around.

To perform their best, all lilies need about 1 inch of water per week, but will survive on much less.  I keep mine watered during their peak bloom time and then back off on watering.  The lower leaves may turn yellow and begin to drop, but they survive quite well with less than an inch of water per month if they need to.  The very tallest lilies may need some staking to hold their heads upright when they are loaded with blossoms, but for the most part the large, thick stalk manages well enough on its own.  When they are done blooming, you can cut the stalks back to just a few inches, but I leave mine just as they are.  It's hard to not love a plant that doesn't need to be deadheaded and still looks just fine.

Lilies are virtually pest and disease free.  Sometimes in extremely wet and humid summers, gray mold may develop on the leaves and stems.  This is usually easily controlled with a fungicide.  Slugs may chew on the buds and blossoms, although they will usually look for easier buffets in amongst your hostas and other plants that provide lots of protection close to the ground.  Deer and rabbits love to munch on the buds and if any of you figure out how to control those pesky buggers, please let me know!

Lilies make great cut flowers, sometimes lasting two weeks or more in vases.  It is best to cut the lilies in the cooler morning temperatures, making a diagonal cut so there is more surface to "drink" the water.  They should be cut with a sharp knife, rather than a scissors, to keep from crushing the stem.  Remove the lower leaves by closing your fingers around the stem just above where it will emerge from the water, and then pulling your fingers down the length of the stem.  You want to make sure that no foliage is actually in the water.    I also always remove the pollen covered stamens, for two reasons.  One is that the flowers may last a bit longer without the stamen intact.  The main reason, though, is that the pollen will begin to "dust" off and will discolor anything it touches, whether that be the petals of the flower, your clothes, or your carpet.  I have yet to find anything that will remove that pollen stain from fabric.  I use a small scissors, like a cuticle scissors and get as far back into the blossom as I can and snip the stamens off and throw them in the garbage.  Viola - no more pollen worries!

I can't think of a single reason to not grow a variety of lilies in my yard.  By choosing the variety of early, mid, and late season bloomers, I have these spectacular beauties around for much of the summer.  It doesn't get much better than that!