Henry's lily

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade is helpful in hot climates. Keep the root area cool with mulch or low-growing companions.

Water

Keep evenly moist during spring growth and flowering, but never waterlogged. Water during prolonged dry spells; dormant bulbs need good drainage rather than regular watering.

Soil

Fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil. Tolerates slightly acidic to alkaline conditions, including chalky soil if moisture and drainage are adequate.

Height

4-8 ft (1.2-2.4 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Late summer into early autumn; nodding orange flowers with dark spots, raised papillae near the centre and strongly recurved petals.

Foliage

Glossy green, lance-shaped leaves spaced along tall stems; foliage dies back after flowering.

Growth

Moderate; bulbs gradually form larger clumps over several years.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

2. After 1 year

   6 ft (1.8 m)

   full size

About 1 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant bulbs in autumn or early spring, about 6-8 in (15-20 cm) deep, in freely draining soil.
• Water deeply during dry weather while stems and leaves are growing.
• Apply a balanced fertiliser as shoots emerge, following the label rate.
• Mulch with leaf mould or compost, keeping it clear of emerging stems.
• Stake tall stems early in exposed gardens, using loose ties.
• Divide congested clumps after the foliage dies back; replant bulbs promptly.

Pruning. Remove faded flowers before seed capsules develop unless you want seed. Leave stems and leaves until they yellow and die naturally, then cut them down near ground level.

Early spring

Plant any unplanted bulbs as soon as the soil is workable; protect emerging shoots from slugs.

Spring

Feed, refresh the mulch and install stakes before stems become tall.

Late spring

Check leaves for lily beetles where present and inspect the undersides for larvae.

Summer

Water during dry spells and tie growing stems loosely to their supports.

Late summer

Remove spent flowers while retaining all healthy leaves.

Autumn

Cut down dead stems; plant new bulbs or divide crowded clumps once dormant.

• Plant in groups through the middle or back of a deep mixed border, allowing the arching stems room to spread.
• Combine with late-flowering perennials and grasses for a warm-coloured late-summer border.
• Use beside deciduous shrubs or at a bright woodland edge, where low planting shades the soil.
• Place behind lower perennials that conceal the bare lower stems without crowding emerging shoots.

Garden styles it suits: English country, Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, Woodland, Hot border and Chinese scholar garden.

Plant it with: Hardy geraniums, Japanese anemones, Phlox, Coneflowers, Switchgrass and Hostas.

Wildlife: Flowers can attract bees and butterflies, although visitation varies. It is not a native host plant in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom or Australia.

• Lily beetles can strip leaves and damage buds, particularly in the UK and affected parts of North America. Hand-pick adults and remove eggs and larvae from leaf undersides.
• Slugs and snails eat emerging shoots. Check at dusk, remove hiding places nearby and use an approved iron-phosphate bait if needed.
• Botrytis causes brown leaf spots and premature dieback in damp weather. Improve airflow, water at soil level and remove affected debris.
• Bulb rot develops in waterlogged soil. Improve drainage before planting and discard soft or decaying bulbs.

Extremely toxic to cats: all parts, including pollen, and water from a vase containing lilies can cause fatal kidney failure. Suspected exposure requires immediate veterinary treatment. It is not known to cause this lily-specific poisoning in dogs or horses, and is not generally considered poisonous to people, but swallowing plant material may cause stomach upset; do not treat it as food.

• Tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium)

  Also has orange, spotted, recurved flowers, but usually carries conspicuous dark bulbils in the leaf axils. Henry's lily lacks these stem bulbils.

• Turk's cap lily (Lilium martagon)

  Usually has conspicuous whorls of leaves and smaller, commonly pink-purple flowers earlier in summer. Henry's lily has leaves spaced along the stem and larger orange flowers later.

• Showy lily (Lilium speciosum)

  Has similarly recurved late-season flowers, but they are typically white with pink or crimson colouring rather than orange.

The species name henryi honours Augustine Henry, the Irish physician and plant collector who collected it in China.

Propagation. Separate offsets from dormant clumps and replant immediately, or propagate individual bulb scales under clean, lightly moist conditions. Seed is also possible, but seedlings take several years to flower.

Accepted botanical name

Lilium henryi

Native range

China South-Central and China Southeast.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.