Lily Flowers

INFORMATION ABOUT LILY FLOWERS…

Image by Chris Gladis Lily flowers are a very popular flower for the American gardener. Many people, even if they are not gardening types, have some species of lily growing in their yard.

Lilies are bulbous perennials. Their bulbs differ slightly from the common bulb in that the bulbs are actually several fleshy scales that overlap to form the bulb.

The lily plant is broken up into 9 Divisions. Those Divisions are:

Division I – Asiatic hybrids are lilies that are descendants of asian species.

Division II – Martagon hybrids are lilies that are primarily species that are descendants of the L. martagon species. These frequently have an unpleasant smell.

Division III – Candidum hybrids are descendant of mostly the L. Candidum species and other European species.

Division IV – American hybrids are the descendants of American species.

Division V – Longflorum hybrids are the descendants of L. formosanum and L. longiflorum species.

Division VI – Trumpet and Aurelian hybrids are descendants of Asiatic species such as L. regale, L. henryi and L. sargentiae.

Division VII – Oriental hybrids are decendants of East Asian species, including L. autatum, L. japonicum and L. speciosum species

Division VIII – This division is for Other Hybrids. These are normally combination species that are bred between species of two different divisions.

Division IX – This division is for All True Species and are and species that are original breeds.

Lilies need a cold dormant period in order to thrive. This means that they grow best in areas that get at least a cool winter. Most lily plants grow in Zones 4-8, though some from Divisions I and II will grow in Zone 3 as well. If you live in Zones 9 or 10 and you would like to grow lilies, you will need to dig them up and cold store them for 2 to 3 months each year.

The lily plant grows best in well-drained soil that has a good amount of humus or compost in it. Most lilies like acidic to neutral soil in full light, but as with any species with this many varieties, a few can be found that like either alkaline soil or shade.

In general, lily flowers are in bloom from spring to autumn. Spring bloomers will flower from mid spring to early summer. Midseason bloomers will flower from early summer to mid summer. Late season bloomers will flower from late summer until first frost.

Lilies are so easy to grow that some varieties can be found growing wild in large numbers. Normally, a small lily plant will mature into a full sized garden filling plant in just a few years. The lily is certainly a best pick for those who are just starting out and a proven winner for those who have been gardening some time.