Lily

Sun

Full sun or light partial shade; flowers best with plenty of sun and a cool, shaded root zone.

Water

Keep evenly moist while shoots are growing and flowering. Water during dry spells, but avoid saturated soil, especially in winter.

Soil

Fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil; tolerates acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions, including chalk if drainage is good.

Height

3-6 ft (0.9-1.8 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Early to midsummer; fragrant white trumpets with yellow throats and pink-purple outer markings.

Foliage

Narrow, dark green leaves arranged along upright stems; foliage dies back after flowering as the bulb becomes dormant.

Growth

Fast seasonal growth; bulbs gradually form larger clumps over several years.

Care needed

Medium

• Plant bulbs promptly after purchase, about 6-8 in (15-20 cm) deep, in freely draining soil.
• Water deeply during dry weather from spring growth until the leaves begin to yellow.
• Apply a balanced fertiliser as shoots emerge, following the product's application rate.
• Mulch with compost or leaf mould to keep roots cool, keeping mulch clear of emerging stems.
• Stake tall stems early in exposed gardens, before flower buds become heavy.
• Divide congested clumps in autumn and replant the bulbs immediately.

Pruning. Remove faded flowers before seed pods develop, leaving the leafy stems intact to feed the bulbs. Cut stems down to ground level once they have turned yellow or brown in autumn.

Autumn

Plant new bulbs or divide established clumps; replant promptly so the bulbs do not dry out.

Late winter

Check that planting sites and containers drain freely; avoid leaving pots in water-filled saucers.

Spring

Feed emerging shoots, renew the mulch and install stakes where needed.

Late spring

Inspect shoots and leaf undersides for lily beetles where present, and keep developing plants watered.

Summer

Tie stems loosely to supports and remove faded flowers unless you want seed.

Late autumn

Cut down fully yellowed stems and remove diseased plant debris.

• Plant in small groups through mixed borders, with lower perennials shading the soil around the stems.
• Use among roses and hardy geraniums for a strongly scented midsummer layer above softer foliage.
• Add to white gardens or evening seating areas, where the pale trumpets remain conspicuous as light fades.
• Grow in large, deep containers with excellent drainage for seasonal height near a terrace, away from cats.

Garden styles it suits: English country, Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, Sensory garden, White garden and Moon garden.

Plant it with: Hardy geraniums, Catmint, Roses, Lady's mantle and Lavender.

Wildlife: The fragrant trumpets attract moths and other nectar-feeding insects. Deer may eat shoots and buds, and rodents sometimes damage bulbs.

• Scarlet lily beetle, where established: inspect frequently and hand-pick adults, eggs and larvae, checking beneath leaves.
• Aphids and virus symptoms: remove aphids with a water spray; discard plants with persistent leaf mottling or distorted growth because viruses cannot be cured.
• Botrytis leaf blight: improve airflow, water at soil level and remove spotted leaves and dead stems; avoid overcrowding.
• Bulb rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move bulbs to raised beds or containers; discard soft, rotting bulbs.

Extremely toxic to cats: all parts, including pollen, and water from a vase containing lilies can cause fatal kidney failure. Suspected exposure needs immediate veterinary treatment, even before symptoms appear. Not known to be toxic to dogs, horses or people, although eating plant material may cause stomach upset.

• Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum)

  Usually has plainer white trumpets without the conspicuous pink-purple outer colouring of regal lily; flowering time can be altered by commercial forcing.

• Madonna lily (Lilium candidum)

  Has more open, less deeply tubular white flowers and forms a basal rosette of leaves in autumn; regal lily does not form this winter rosette.

• Henry's lily (Lilium henryi)

  Has orange, spotted flowers with strongly swept-back petals rather than white trumpet-shaped flowers.

Lilium is the Latin word for lily, and regale means royal, giving rise to the common names regal lily and royal lily.

Propagation. Separate offsets from dormant bulbs in autumn, or propagate by bulb scales. Seed is also possible, but seedlings take several years to flower; seed collected near other lilies may produce hybrids.

Accepted botanical name

Lilium regale

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

China South-Central.

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