The oriental hybrid lilies in the Liliaceae family are colorful fragrant plants that come from crossing a variety of Oriental lilies. They differ from Asiatic lilies in that the flowers are larger and fragrant and the leaves are more lance-shaped. The stem grows from a loose scaley bulb that will make offsets over time. Plants can be from 1 to 6 feet tall depending on the cultivar. Plant the bulbs according to package directions in fertile, moist, well-drained soil in full sun to light shade. These plants will not tolerate alkaline soil. These lilies tend to be the last to bloom and some cultivars may even bloom into fall. There are many colors and sizes to choose from. The flowers tend to be upward-facing and long lasting making them great cut flowers. The fragrance can be quite strong which a few people may not appreciate. Use in the border, en masse, or in a cutting garden. Flowers will attract pollinators except for the double-flowered cultivars, as there is no pollen. Lilies can also be grown in pots and forced to bloom sooner if desired. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Bulbs can rot in poorly drained soils. Fungal diseases can occur during a persistent rainy period. Botrytis can affect the stem. The lily beetle and aphids may be pests. They are toxic to cats and rabbits, and deer will browse the plants. Lily pollen will stain clothes and hands. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Lilium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
Less than 12 inches; 12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate; Whorled
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Smooth
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Lance-shaped green leaves are alternate and appear whorled on the stem with parallel venation
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; Variegated; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower shape
Saucer; Tubular
Flower size
> 6 inches
Flower detail
Large colorful flowers vary in color per cultivar. Flowers are upward facing with long stamens and up to 8 inches across. They typically have 6 sepals but some may be double-flowered.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Three-celled capsules ripen late summer to fall
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Green sturdy upright stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Small Space
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Cottage Garden; Cutting Garden
Design feature
Border; Mass Planting; Small groups
Garden tags
#showy flowers #pink flowers #large flowers #fast growing #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #problem for cats #cutting garden #mass planting #white flowers #fragrant flowers #yellow flowers #butterfly friendly #border back #border middle
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Crescent-marked Lily Aphid; Purplespotted Lily Aphid; Narcissus Bulb Fly; Purplespotted Lily Aphid; Bulb Mites; Slugs and Snails Found on Flowers and Foliage; Aphids on Ornamental Landscape Plants; Potato Aphid on Ornamental Plants; Narcissus Bulb Fly