Boasting some of the brightest and biggest petals in the plant kingdom, not to mention potent perfumes, lilies unfold their gorgeous blooms from early summer to early fall. 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.

Where to Plant Lily

Choose a spot for lilies that receives full sun or part shade and has well-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. Add a group of eight to 10 bulbs to a border for a dramatic midsummer display. To stage a lily show all summer, grow some of each type, including Asiatic, which starts blooming in June; the late-blooming, extremely fragrant Oriental; and longiflorum hybrids that provide color in between the other bloom times.

When planting lilies alongside companions, plant the bulbs in drifts of five or more bulbs of a single variety. Avoid mixing too many lily cultivars or the scene will take on a chaotic, busy appearance.

How and When to Plant Lily

Plant lily bulbs in spring or fall when the soil is cool. Most varieties will be available from retail outlets and growers in the fall. Unlike tulip bulbs, lily bulbs don't have a protective covering so they should be planted right away to avoid drying them out. Place each bulb in a hole about 6 inches deep with its pointed tip facing up and its roots in contact with the soil at the bottom of the planting hole. For quick and easy planting, dig a large trench and plant several bulbs together, spacing the bulbs 6 inches apart. 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. Use garden twine to tie the stem to a bamboo stake in the soil near the bulb.

Lily Care Tips

Light

Grow lilies in direct sun to part shade for best blooms and garden performance. Lilies are happiest when their heads are in the sun and their roots are in the shade, so a thick layer of mulch is helpful.

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.

Provide supplemental watering if natural rainfall is less than an inch per week, but don't overwater as they will rot if standing in soggy soil. The plants may tolerate extended dry periods once established.

Temperature and Humidity

Generally, lilies can tolerate temperatures into the 90s F without problems. Bulbs will overwinter in the ground in most regions but they do need a cold season for several weeks so won't thrive in regions above zone 8. In Zones 5 and below, cover fall-planted bulbs with a 2-inch-thick layer of mulch to protect them from temperature extremes.

Fertilizer

Lilies benefit from a slow-release fertilizer applied in the spring at the beginning of active growth. If you prefer a water-soluble fertilizer, apply it every few weeks during the growing season. For the amounts and application procedure, follow product label directions.

Pruning

Deadhead spent blooms to prevent energy going to setting seed. Cut the stem back to the ground when foliage yellows after blooming.

Potting and Repotting Lily

Lily makes a good container plant but it will grow shorter than when grown in the ground. 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.

Despite their hardiness in areas with cold winters, when grown in pots, lily bulbs are exposed to the cold. As a protective measure, winterize the pots by sinking the container into the ground. You can also place the container in a second, larger pot to create a planting silo that will insulate the roots from the cold.

Pests and Problems

Pests occasionally bother lilies. Deer will eat young foliage and blossoms. Rabbits will eat young plants. On the East Coast, bright red lily beetles are becoming a problem. Treat the soil around the plants to control larvae, or pick the adult beetles off blooms to prevent damaged petals. Japanese beetles will disfigure lily flowers shortly after they open.

Diseases may include bulb rot (especially if grown in poorly-drained soils), botrytis, and lily mosaic virus, for which there is no cure.

How to Propagate Lily

Lilies can be grown from seed but the process is long and will not result in a flowering plant for two to six years. Division is the easiest method of propagation. Dig up an established plant in the fall and separate the younger plants or bulblets from the parent plant. Replant the original plant and place the new bulbs or plants in the garden at the same depth as the parent.

Types of Lily

'Catherine Laburi' Asiatic Lily

Lilium 'Catherine Laburi' is an Asiatic type with soft peach trumpet flowers that flaunt deeper salmon-color throats. It grows 2 feet tall. Zones 3–8

'Enchantment' Asiatic Lily

Lilium 'Enchantment' bears brilliant orange trumpets speckled in red. It grows 3 feet tall. Zones 3–8

'Connecticut King' Asiatic Lily

Lilium 'Connecticut King' features orange-yellow flowers that open in bunches in midsummer above lush foliage. It grows 3 feet high. Zones 3–8

'Centerfold' Asiatic Lily

This lily variety sports unique maroon crosshatching in its white flower centers. It grows 3 feet tall. Zones 3–8

'King Pete' Asiatic Lily

This cultivar blooms in midsummer with cream-color flowers that are speckled in orange. It grows 3 feet tall. Zones 3–8

Lilium speciosum

This type of lily has pink to red flowers that dangle from the stems. It grows 66 inches tall. Zones 4–8

'Dani Arifin' Lily

This variety is a dramatic hybrid between an easy-growing Asiatic lily and an Easter lily. It offers large antique-rose flowers in early summer and grows 32 inches tall. Zones 4–8

Lilium pumilum

Lilium pumilum is a wild lily that bears clusters of cardinal-red capped flowers splotched with yellow that dangle from tall stems in late spring. It grows 22 inches tall. Zones 3–8

Lilium speciosum var. album

Lilium speciosum var. album shows off pure-white flowers with strongly reflexed petals. It grows 66 inches tall. Zones 4–8

'Muscadet' Oriental Lily

This variety has strongly fragrant white flowers speckled and blushed with pink. It blooms in August and grows 5 feet tall. Zones 5–8

Martagon Lily

This cultivar is a wild-type lily that bears clusters of pink or red-purple flowers with strongly reflexed petals. It does best in moist, well-drained soil and appreciates part shade in hot-summer climates. It grows 6 feet tall. Zones 3–7

'Montreaux' Asiatic Lily

Lilium 'Montreaux' sports coral-pink blooms that open in midsummer on plants that grow 4 feet tall. Zones 3–8

'Nove Cento' Asiatic Lily

Lilium 'Nove Cento' bears bright yellow flowers lightly spotted in brown. It grows 32 inches tall. Zones 3–9

'Purple Rain' Asiatic Lily

This cultivar shows off white flowers that have a rich burgundy-purple brush mark at the base of each petal. It grows 32 inches tall. Zones 3–9

'Satin Slippers' Asiatic Lily

Lilium 'Satin Slippers' rewards gardeners in early summer with a show of soft-pink blooms with recurved petals. It grows 32 inches tall. Zones 3–9

'Vivaldi' Asiatic Lily

This variety presents wonderful soft-rose blooms that blend well with a wide range of colors. It grows 3 feet tall. Zones 3–8

'Star Gazer' Oriental Lily

This cultivar is one of the world's most popular lily varieties. It bedazzles gardeners with bunches of perfumed, speckled magenta trumpets edged in white. This classic hybrid lily blooms in late summer. It grows to 3 feet tall. Zones 4–8

Companion Plants for Lily

Peony

Perhaps the best-loved perennials, herbaceous peonies belong in almost every garden. Their sumptuous flowers—single, semidouble, anemone centered or Japanese, and fully double—in glorious shades of pinks and reds as well as white and yellow announce that spring has truly arrived. The handsome fingered foliage is usually dark green and remains good-looking all season long. Provide deep rich soil with plenty of humus to avoid dryness, and don't plant the crowns more than 2 inches beneath the surface. 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 (Nepeta spp.) is one of the toughest perennials you can grow. It's a proven performer during hot, dry weather, and the silvery foliage and blue flowers look fresh, even through droughts. Deadhead or cut back hard after first flush of bloom to encourage more flowers, which are magnets for all sorts of pollinators. Zones 3-9

Siberian Iris

Siberian iris are less showy than their bearded cousins but offer a few more benefits: their strappy foliage continues to look good throughout the growing season and they are more cold hardy. The graceful species flowers come in blues and purples but more cultivars are available with pink, white, yellow, and red flowers. These long-lived plants need division every three or four years to thrive. Zones 3-8

Garden Plans for Lily

Along a Path Garden Plan

Add interest and texture to any winding walkway with this garden plan.

Long-Blooming Rock Garden Plan

This colorful rock garden is designed around a couple of very large boulders, but could easily be adapted to any rock garden setting.

Summer-Blooming Front-Yard Cottage Garden Plan

Create charm and curb appeal in your front yard with this lush, beautiful cottage garden plan.

Drought-Tolerant Garden Plan

This informal mixed garden bed features drought-tolerant trees, evergreen shrubs, perennials, and annuals.

Foolproof Foundation Garden Plan

Dress up the front of your home with this interesting combination of plants.

Bold Woodland Garden Plan

Add a bright dose of color to a spot under a canopy of tree leaves.

English-Style Front-Yard Garden Plan

Give your home a welcoming feel with an exuberant cottage garden in the front yard.

Heat-Loving Garden Plan

Create a stylish garden that looks good all summer with this super-simple garden plan.