Nepal Lily (Lilium nepalense)

Nepal Lily
Lilium nepalense

Taken 17th july, zone 8a UK

Another one of your beauties. That burgundy is so intense isn't it? I just love lilies. Excellent photo wallaby1.

Amazing coloring!

hi, the colour seems to intensify as the plant gets more established, or maybe it was our cool summer! It hangs neat the ground as is short stemmed and very heavy, the fragrance is really powerful, and hits you every time you go near it, but still draws me near to have a close encounter. One of natures joys for us to enjoy.

Wow, beautiful! Thanks for sharing your photo. I am considering a purchase, and it helps so much to see how the plant looks when grown in the real world. We have HOT summers, though!

Hi scutler, you wouldn't imagine it could be so deep a colour, could you? I was amazed, it was deeper than I had seen it. A huge flower too for the height. The pics I have seen wouldn't have sold it to me, they are very poor aren't they! Sometimes I wonder if it is the same flower.

2004 was quite hot here, we had 2 months with no rain and temps into the low 30's, often above 25C. Last year I have to say was one of the worst in my memory, in June it was only 17C at times and very little higher, the rest of the 'summer' not much better. It is worth a try, you never know, try to give it a cool shady spot where it won't dry out.

Absolutley stunning! I've been wanting one of these for a couple of years now. You say a cool shady spot where it won't dry out. That is a bit of a challenge in my garden. I wonder how hard they are from seed?

Ally you might find your zone just a bit too cold, it isn't fully hardy, but that doesn't mean you can't try. My RHS book gives a 1* rating, which is down to -5C, but we have had to -9C while I have had this, and it is quite deep. I always try to push the limits and sometimes it works. Mine is near the bottom of a bank facing east, so it won't get much sun at all as it is near the edge of a big horse chestnut tree. It is slightly up the slope, so it will drain freely too while keeping moist, in sandy soil with leafy compost is good.

The RHS book says it is from N. India to Nepal and Bhutan (Himalayas), so it could also depend on getting higher sun levels if the climate is colder.

The propogation from seed should be as soon as seed is ripe, I took mine sometime in late autumn (got 12 seeds first ever), but the weather took a nasty turn. For hardy species seed should be sown in a cold frame, for half hardy sown at 13-18C (55-64F). Because I am not certain of its ability to survive the cold I think it would be best sown in March in a cold greenhouse, as that temperature would then be about right, and most seed does seem to respond better to a change in day and night temps. I grew some lilium phillipinense last year from seed got from ebay, nearly every one grew, but being from a private persons plant they were fresh, and this can often make all the difference. They are in the cold greenhouse now, lots of cold weather since mid November, frost to -4C, and most still have leaves. I also bought another species from a catalogue, none grew, so I think perhaps the seed may not have been fresh, although one is led to believe they are.

The RHS book also says they are either unscented or unpleasant. The scent on mine is very strong, it hits you when you go past, and is a strong musky scent, but I love it, I have to lift them up to put my nose in and have a big whiff!

This species has always been on my wish list.
never have i seen it for sale, or growing,
but this photo is the best picture of this rarity, that i have ever seen.
Thankyou for the insights also,
interesting and desirable Lily.

Yes it is very interesting, I have just read my propogating blurb, would you believe we are still having 13-18C, or less. I have sown the seed but it has been so cold for so long that everything is about 2 months in arrears! The lily is just showing a couple of inches through the ground, going sideways as usual! It does appear later than most lilies.

bloomoon, I really don't know why there are not better photos of it, they always look insipid but that is a true likeness. Well, someone has to show what they are really like, it may as well be me! Thanks!