Scientific Name
Lilium longiflorum Thunb.
Common Name(s)
Easter Lily
Synonym(s)
Lilium longiflorum var. longiflorum, Lilium abchasicum, Lilium eximium, Lilium harrisii, Lilium jama-juri, Lilium japonicum var. insulare, Lilium liukiu, Lilium madeirense, Lilium speciosissimum, Lilium takesima
Scientific Classification
Family: Liliaceae
Subfamily: Lilioideae
Tribe: Lilieae
Genus: Lilium
Origin
Lilium longiflorum is endemic to Japan (Ryukyu Islands).
Flower
Color: White
Bloom Time: April to June
Description
Lilium longiflorum is a stem-rooting lily that grows up to 3.3 feet (1 m) tall. It has long oval leaves with a horizontal vein. The stem is cylindrical and up to 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. The plant produces pure white, trumpet-shaped, fragrant, and outward-facing flowers on top of the stem from April to June.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 4a to 8b: from −30 °F (−34.4 °C) to 20 °F (−6.7 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Though lilies look like they'd be fussy plants, they are actually very easy to grow. They're not particular about soil type or pH, and they grow well in full sun, part sun, dappled shade, and even light shade.
Plant lilies as soon as you get them, either in the fall or the spring. Because the bulbs lack the papery covering (known as a "tunic") common to other hardy bulbs, they can dry out quickly in storage.
Even more than other bulbs, lilies demand well-drained soil. Dig the spot where you plan to plant lilies to a depth of at least 12 inches (30 cm), remove rocks and add organic matter, such as leaf mold or peat moss, to improve the soil's structure and drainage. Like other bulbs, lilies appreciate a little bone meal scratched at the bottom of the planting hole but do not really require other fertilizers at planting time. Instead, wait until the bulbs send up green leaves and then sprinkle a complete organic fertilizer around the plant and water it in.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Lilies.
Links
- Back to genus Lilium
- Plantpedia: Browse flowering plants by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, or Origin
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