Preferences:

A Horticultural perennial bulb: the heights vary considerably with the different cultivars but usually go from 2' to 3' tall. They stand quite erect. Lilies prefer full sun or partial shade, they need fertile soil and mulch to keep the roots zone cool. Drainage is a must otherwise the bulb will rot.

Cultural Practices:

Propagation - Usually through division. Clumps are divided in spring or fall and split into individual bulbs. Also you could plant the little bulbils from the leaf axils, they are sown in August and can take several years to flower. The scales from the mother bulb can also be used.

Planting - The plant should be planted about 6" under the soil to protect it from frost heaves. At that depth, however, in Edmonton there is compacted clay. Remove more than the 6" and add sand to increase the drainage. If the plant is in a pot then still plant it at the proper depth but leave a dish and fill the hole with a mulch. If you were just bury the plant and cover the stem often the stem will rot in the ground. In the fall when you are doing your cutbacks then you would fill in the hole level with the surrounding soil. In March, Oriental lilies come on the market and can be planted 3 to a 1 gallon pot. They can then be planted outside and will usually come into flower earlier than they should. Some varieties e.g. 'Ace' an Easter Lily can be timed to flower in exactly 115 days by varying the temperatures.

Landscape Value:

Asiatic Lilies - are about the easiest to grow and most hardy. They are the tiger lily types that come in a number of different colours and are usually fairly inexpensive. They multiple very quickly and within 2 seasons can put on a nice show. LA Hybrid Lilies - (Lilium longiflorum X Asiatica) these are more robust than the Asiatic Lilies being crossed with the greenhouse lilies. This is a newly introduced hybrid with the Royal Series providing some intense coloured flowers. Martagon Lilies - Huge plants growing up to 5' tall but with an unpleasant smell. They are mainly characterized by flower petals that are bent backwards. Slower growing than the Asiatics. The Asiatics and the Martagons are always recommended for the novice. The showiest and least hardy are the Oriental Lilies - 'Star Gazer' and 'Casablanca' are the two that are most commonly sold in the box stores on the prairies. They will grow but are very slow to multiply. Often you will only have one for a few years and then get a second stem. For these it is best to plant a hole bag together planted closely. This will give better scent as well. These lilies are large flowered and heavily scented. Plant deeply and mound in the fall.