Orange lily
Lilium bulbiferum · Liliaceae
📷 Uoaei1 · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
Ideal time to plant orange lily: set it out when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged, and water generously as it establishes.
ID card
- Common name
- Orange Lily or Bulbiferous Lily
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Type
- Perennial bulb
- Flowering
- June to July
- Flower color
- Bright orange, often spotted with red
- Mature height
- 24 to 39 inches
- Hardiness
- Very hardy (-4°F)
- Origin
- Alps and European mountain regions
Expert tips
The key tip
Plante les bulbes en automne à 20-25 cm de profondeur dans un sol très drainant, car le lys lis bulbifère déteste l'humidité stagnante l'hiver. Arrose modérément en végétation, jamais sur les feuilles, et laisse sécher légèrement entre deux arrosages. Après la floraison, continue à arroser jusqu'à ce que le feuillage jaunisse complètement pour reconstituer le bulbe.
The common mistake
La plupart des jardiniers noient le bulbe en le plantant dans une terre trop compacte ou trop humide ; c'est la première cause de pourriture et de perte du bulbe avant même la floraison.
The pro's trick
Ajoute du sable grossier ou des gravillons sous et autour du bulbe au moment de la plantation : cela crée une couche de drainage immédiate et réduit drastiquement les risques de pourrissement, même dans un sol naturellement lourd.
Seasonal watch
En automne et hiver, surveille l'excès d'eau après la plantation : le bulbe dort et n'en consomme pas. Si ta région est pluvieuse, plante en surélevé ou en pot pour contrôler l'humidité. Au printemps, la montaison est rapide ; tuteure légèrement si la tige s'incline sous le poids des boutons.
Care
Sunlight
Place your lily in direct sun for at least 6 hours a day. It tolerates partial shade but will flower less abundantly. Avoid overly windy areas that can break the stems.
Soil
Grow it in well-draining, light, enriched soil. Bulbs hate stagnant water: add sand or coarse potting soil if your soil is too compact. Neutral to slightly acidic pH is ideal.
Watering
Water regularly during growth and flowering, without waterlogging the soil. Once established, the lily resists drought well. Reduce watering in autumn and winter.
Fertilizer
At planting, enrich the hole with well-decomposed compost or balanced bulb fertilizer. In spring, apply low-nitrogen fertilizer to promote flowering rather than foliage.
Pruning and maintenance
Cut off faded flowers as soon as they dry, but leave the green stem until it yellows (it rebuilds the bulb). In autumn, cut it back to 4 inches above ground when it turns brown.
Diseases and pests
Watch for powdery mildew in humid weather: ensure good foliage aeration and avoid watering in the evening. Aphids and thrips can weaken the plant. Bulbs can rot if they remain in persistent moisture.
Did you know?
Lilium bulbiferum produces tiny bulbils in the leaf axils, which is where its name 'bulbiferous' comes from — these micro-bulbs can detach and give rise to new plants after a few years, a true natural cloning system! The Alps have considered this lily a symbol of their mountain flora for centuries.
Where to buy it
Plant the bulbs in autumn for spring flowering. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: from September to November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
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- Hairy Toad LilyTricyrtis hirta
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- Fritillaria raddeanaFritillaria raddeana
- Gagea luteaGagea lutea
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.