Asiatic lilies are a fantastic way to add colour to your garden. These plants grow from bulbs and will return every year at the beginning of summer.
Unfortunately, repetitive and intense breeding has resulted in Asiatic lilies losing their fragrance, but they’re still incredibly beautiful. They come in a wide range of colours that includes red, orange, yellow, white, and pink, although their colouring leans more towards pastel shades.
While they are beautiful, these flowers can become invasive if not properly managed and maintained. Removing the bulbils from the stem is the easiest way to do this, or you can gently remove some of the bulbs in the ground to replant somewhere else.
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When Do Asiatic Lilies Bloom?
Asiatic lilies bloom in the late spring and early summer, around the same time as peonies. You can identify them by their pastel, tropical colours and typical lily shape.
These lilies are easy to grow, and once the plant has matured, they maintain themselves, which means that they’re pretty hard to kill. Even if you don’t have green fingers, you may enjoy success with these! If not, you can see them in some of the finest gardens around Europe instead…
When To Plant Asiatic Lily Bulbs
Asiatic lily bulbs should be planted in autumn, just before winter hits. The bulbs will remain dormant during this time and once the last bit of frost has passed, they should begin to grow.
Only buy bulbs when you’re ready to plant them; they will deteriorate if left in the packaging for long periods of time.
Preparing The Asiatic Lily Planting Site
Choose a spot in the garden that offers proper water drainage to prevent the bulb and roots from rotting. To enhance the soil to ensure drainage, add straw, sand, or moss to it.
Asiatic lilies thrive in the sun so try to plant them in direct sunlight. Areas with a little bit of shade during the day should also be fine, but if there’s too much shade, the plants may try to lean towards the sun and eventually fall over.
Prepare the soil, ensuring that it’s around 30 centimetres to allow a proper root system to develop. This will not only keep the bulbs cool but help keep the plant stable too.
Another planting tip is to ensure the hole is the equivalent of three bulbs deep. Keep the pointy part at the top and then gently cover it with soil.
Spacing the bulbs can also be the equivalent of three bulbs apart lengthwise. It’s advised that you plant the bulbs in groups of five to ensure they make a statement. Ensure the soil is moist – not wet – at all times to promote healthy growth and development.
How To Care For Asiatic Lilies
- Ensure they receive sufficient water.
- Add fertilizer to the soil every two weeks until they begin to flower.
- A layer of compost around the plant topped with mulch will ensure that it has the nutrients needed to grow. Yes, they’re basically very quiet children.
- They only bloom once in a season, so once the flowers have faded you can trim them to prevent the development of seeds.
- Don’t remove the leaves until the end of the growing season as they provide nutrients to the plant. Once they have turned brown you can cut back the leaves.
- Cut the stalks down to ground level before winter.
- To prevent the plants from taking over your garden, try to split up the bulbs every three years or so.
10 Types Of Asiatic Lilies
This list is purely to give you a taste for the many different varieties of Asiatic lilies, but is by no means extensive.
Enchantment
These lilies grow orange flowers and can grow up to 90 centimetres high.
Brushstroke
This lily has a white flower with burgundy tones and its length can easily exceed 90 centimetres. White Butterflies are another form of white lilies that grow to about the same size.
Crete
With a deep pink flower, these lilies can grow to be up to 120 centimetres tall.
America Asiatic Lily
This lily has a purple flower.
LA Hybrids
These plants can grow to almost 900 centimetres in length, and unlike the rest of the Asiatic lilies, they have a fragrance. They’re also available in a wide range of colours that includes pink, white, red, orange, and yellow.
Corsica
A lily with pink flowers with dark pink spots on the petals.
Ariadne
A lily with a pink and peach colouring that looks almost marbled.
Blackout
This lily is dark red and can grow to almost 120 centimetres in length.
Royal Sunset
The colour of this lily is an orange-gold with dark red spots.
Yellow Whoppers
These yellow flowers are sure to add some colour to your garden and can grow to be almost 120 centimetres tall.
Pests To Look Out For
If you live in an area with a lot of summer rain, grey mould can become a problem. To combat this, make sure that your lilies have the space and circulation needed to grow – pest-free. Some lilies can carry and spread viruses, so be vigilant when it comes to your plants.
Snails, slugs, and red lily beetles may munch away at your plants, but there are eco-friendly pesticides that you can use to prevent this from happening. Of course, fluffy little critters like rabbits and deer may decide that your Asiatic lilies are a delicious snack, so try to keep them behind a wall if you live in an area with animals.
The Beauty Is In The Simplicity
A beautiful flower can add life to any garden, but we all know that life takes over. While we would like to tend to our gardens on a regular basis, this isn’t always possible. Lucky for us, the Asiatic lilies are low maintenance, and once matured, they pretty much look after themselves. Perfect for the busy aspiring gardener who loves low maintenance plants!