Planting Lilies to Bloom at Different Times?

Hello Everyone!

I read somewhere that you should plant a mix of Asiatic, Oriental, and Trumpet (I think, can't remember) Lilies because they will all bloom at different times and then you will have them all throughout the summer. Is this right? I can't seem to find what I read that mentioned it. I know it was not talking about daylilies. Anyhow, so here I am in WalMart today and came across bulbs that were labeled Oriental Trumpet Red Dutch. I was thinking Oriental and Trumpet were separate but I guess not??? Which Lilies do you all mix together to get the longest bloom? Oye Vay! I am just all confused.

Thanks,

Tia

HI Tia,

The Oriental Trumpets you see are a cross between Trumpets and Orientals. Usually Asiatics bloom first - they have the smallest flowers (though they're still large), and usually have no scent. Trumpets come next for me and are long and narrow and very fragrant. Orienpets (another name for the Oriental Trumpet you found) are next and are more open than Trumpets but not generally as flat as Orientals. OT's and Orientals both tend to have huge flowers are are very fragrant.

Maybe people in your area can better tell you, but lilies start blooming in April and are mostly done for me just into July - the farther south you are the earlier they bloom and many of the instructions and descriptions on packages that you see are really intended for a northern audience as they represent northern bloom times.

Orientals in my area tend to get a little ragged looking because of the heat - Asiatics do great though, Trumpets are naturally heat tolerant, and Orienpets (OT's) do much better with the heat than straight Orientals because of their Trumpet heritage. So, the Red Dutch bulbs you found are a good choice for you as they should tolerate your summers well. I love Oriental Trumpet hydrids and plant LOTS of them.

All lilies will perennialize well if they have well drained soil and protection from too MUCH sun (full sun in the north = not so much sun where we are!), and Asiatics multiply the fastest by far.

At any rate if you plant this spring, I'd get them in the ground NOW or not wait long because lilies need cool soil to root well and the likelihood is that they'll not do well this year if you wait until it gets too warm.

Good luck!!

Let's not forget the LAs. These are a cross between the Asiatics and Longiflorums. These generally bloom after the Asiatics, but before the Trumpets. Blooms are generally larger. You may run across another cross called LO and these are a cross between a Longiflorum and an Oriental. These bloom about the same time as Orienpets. I almost forgot about Asiapets, crosses between Asiatics and Trumpets. And then there are the various Species lilies. Some bloom early, some bloom late.

Unless you are a lily fanatic (go to Lily Forum), you may want to be aware of the heights of certain lilies. Asiatics are usually short and go about 3 feet. However, there are dwarfs varieties that are great for pots. The LAs run 3-4 feet. The Trumpets are generally around 5 feet. The Orienpets are generally 5-6 feet, but can get taller depending on where it is planted. The orientals can go anywhere from dwarf to 3 feet to 5 feet. Taller lilies may require staking and the stakes should be planted at the same time you plant your bulbs. Unless you get hooked, you may not like the taller lilies.

I suggest you try a few of each, see what you like and go from there.

Hi, I was at Home Depot thinking the same thing! LOL Very confusing when you're standing in front of the rack or even reading the catalogs.

And beaker and steve-- great summary!!!

I always wondered about the (mumbo jumbo) classifications for lilies-- everytime I opened the bulb catalogs there was another one!

So let's finish out the threads with pics of a few of your favorites in each class with a classification ID? How 'bout it? Puhleezzz? (-:

(Rainy day here and I'm worrying my new lily bulbs will drown. So please cheer me up?!)

Thanks. t.

Heres one for you from my garden in summer of 05.
BlackJack--an asiatic

Maxine

Great shot, Maxine
I have a newbie question. I purchased two huge Casa Blanca bulbs and the outside pieces seen to be loose. Will those make a separate plant if I remove it?
Thanks,
Teresa

Thank you Steve and Beaker for the great information. It all is clear as mud!!! hahahahaha!! :-)

No really, I think your insights have given me a better understanding of it all and I appreciate the replies.

I am going to plant the Red Dutch today since it is going to be warm for a few days and hopefully I will be able to take a few pics over the summer with my new digital camera that I am planning on buying with my tax refund. Which leads me to my next "quest"........
choosing a good camera. Off to the photography forum I go!

Thanks Again!

Tia

Here you go Tabasco:

Asiatics are generally classified into three groups. There is the upward facing, outward facing and downward facing. You may see this indicated in catalogs as 1A, 1B and 1C respectively. I've also seen a classification of 1AB meaning both upward and outward facing.

I don't have a digi, so the following is "borrowed" from various locations. Maybe if I ever stopped buying bulbs, I'd be able to afford one.

Here's one that did exceptionally well last year. I totally fell in love with it. Centerfold (1AB)

Pisa is my new Asiatic Yellow fav (1A)

Little Missy is an Asiatic dwarf (1B)

Viva is a taller Asiatic (1C) and is the orange flower in the attached picture. Some people would call this a Turk's Cap.

The orientation of the flower becomes important when selecting the shorter lilies. Unless the plant is taller, you wouldn't really be able to enjoy the true beauty of the bloom on downward facing lilies.

I'm quite partial to LAs and if I had to choose between an Asiatic or an LA, I would get the LA (that is unless it is butt ugly). The flowers are larger and seem to have more substance than the Asiatics. The other thing I like about them is they come at a time when I can enjoy them more. It seems like I'm always too busy with getting the gardens ready when the Asiatics bloom.

This was a favorite last year and I planted Tigerling Daylilies to keep it company; Madrid.

Keeping with the Asiatics, here is Creamy Belles an Asiapet. I only have two Asiapets; they aren't offered very widely.

Trumpet time and this will be a hard choice. The thing to remember about Trumpets is that the color fades very easily if they are exposed to hot afternoon sun, even here in the upper midwest. So, you want to plant these beauties where they'll get some protection. They generally bloom midseason.

This is Midnight.

This is Tia's Orienpet, Red Dutch. Orienpets can get very tall.

Thank you all for the good pics and explanations. Maxine the Black Jack in your garden is glorious.

Yes, beaker and maxine, a digi camera is so much fun, especially when you have those beautiful lilies as subjects. Don't delay in finding one before springtime so we can enjoy some great garden pics from yours.

Let's face it, the Orientals are drop dead gorgeous, but can be difficult.
They require a higher acidity so, it pays to put some work into wherever these will be planted. They are also not very hardy.

This is the famous Casa Blanca.

The species lilies are probably the most interesting. Here's one I like because it is one of the last to bloom if not THE last.

Lspeciosum var rubrum

Teresa, the two outside layers that you mentioned that are loose, put them in some barely dampened peat moss [generally what the bulb comes in] and clip shut. Then put in a cool dark place and you should get some extra plants towards fall.
You should check them to see if they are being kept semi moist, and you will see threads coming out of a tiny little bulb that is attached to the original layer that you took off.
I'm not describing the bulb layer like I wish. Right now my brain is not working!!

Hopefully you can understand what I am trying to say, otherwise their are web sites describing it much better than I can.

Maxine

Another one from my garden.
Dragons Eye OT

Maxine

Enjoy this one.
Modern Style LA

Maxine

Thanks, Maxine
I am going to try it. You have lots of pretty lilies.

Beautiful Pictures!!! I have spent all day outside poking around with this and that...nice warm day, in the 70's I think. Happy to report that my little Red Dutch is all tucked into its new home. :-)

Tia

Great pictoral! Maxine, your Black Jack's made me drool! Drop dead gorgeous!

tabasco and Tia, I'm so anxious to hear your reports as you embark on the journey of lilies. There are so many varied charactaristics of the many species and hybrids that keep me captivated and obsessed. The many bloom forms offer such amazing visual contrasts in the garden. The hummingbird and butterfly draw is wonderful to. From the bold and gaudy to the airy and wildflowery, there will be many lilies for you! Of course, I want them all! It is completely mind boggling to really study them; I've gone to bed with chromozones floating in my mind.
Neal

Uh, oh, I did not realize the Orientals liked higher acidity. Can we use miracid fertilizer, then? mmm...

So pretty, the pics, and I think I'm finally 'getting it' as far as what characteristics are shared by which types/hybrids...

I like those 'species' lilies, too. I wonder if if they will grow in part shade? Like in a woodland setting, perhaps? (I hope).

This is a great thread and ought to be a 'sticky' in the Lily Forum (or here). How do we do that?

Tabasco, give the shade a try. Most lilies will adapt to less sun and the Martagons perfer it. My neighbor across the street has all shade in the front and grows stargazer. They're taller, but seem to do real well otherwise.

Lakewood was recently discussing soil acidity in one of the threads. I think it was just this past week or so. He was suggesting using a lot of peat, which I've always done just didn't know that it would raise the acidity.

I have only one pic to add.
The Asiatic 'Lollipop', this clump started with one bulb about 4 years ago.
They multiply fast.
One of my first Digital pics, last June. They will be better this year, LOL.
Andy P

I've had equal success with Orientals in the bluegrass area where our soil was neutral to slightly alkaline and here where it's more acidic. I just alway give them plenty of compost, and have found them to respond amazingly to manure. My Orientals tend to multiply well when I do.

I read in my first plant book, one about bulbs written by Bebe Miles, that when using lilies in the landscape it's good to think of them like you're placing a shrub in the garden. She went on to explain that when you're planting a clump of a variety that can reach 6' or more and eventually have 100s of large flowers, the scale is more like shrubs than other perennials or bulbs. I've found this to be true. Last spring I moved what started out as 3 tall white Orientals with gold stripes 8 years ago. I planted the resulting 13 huge bulbs in a new bed in 1 big clump, and WOW! 13 lilies all 5-6'tall, each with 10 or more huge blooms, well, I think it could be seen from space! While beautiful, it was too much for the spot, so I traded all but 3 of them off for other varieties and have been using more delicate, pendulous forms in that area. There's a lily for nearly every situation :)

Here is a tiger lily that belonged to my best friend's mother. It is well over thirty years old.
Janet

Oh, don't you long for summer? That picture of the tiger lily reminds me of our visits to our granny's house in the country. Makes me feel the hot summer sun.

gem-- Thinking of a lily bulb like a shrub is an interesting and novel concept, but both good and bad information for me about planting--- now I think I planted mine way too close together if they are such robust performers! Do you have any pics?!!

Looks like Andy has the same situation going with his 'Lollipops'.

Beaker-- I will try some in the woodland shade and see what happens. I do believe I have Stargazer and (unproductive) Martagons planted somewhere and I will just move them.

Eventually the Martagons will bloom. I'm still waiting too.

I did'nt get any pics at the height of the lily show last summer. The tree fell in the front garden breaking most of my Orientals and Orienpets at the first of August and I was over it. I had just gotten the gardens in tip top shape because I was having company the following weekend, but what they got to see was piles of sawed logs everywhere and a garden of rags. So this year, with an infusion of more sunlight (yes, the falling tree was ultimately a good thing), I'm really looking forward to lily season!

And don't forget the power of poop. I've added generouse amounts of manure to a stand of lilies that were just so so, and saw amazing results the next year. How close did you plant your Orientals? I usually give them about a foot.

My named orientals are mostly in clumps of 3, spaced about 8 inches apart within the clump, with 16-18 inches between the clumps, so that probably averages about a foot, LOL. The perimeter of the bed is filled in with "mixed" oriental lilies spaced probably 12 inches apart, and the orienpets get more space, planted on 2 foot centers.

Neal, it's hard enough to lose a tree like that... I can't imagine having it take out that garden right at showtime like that -- yuk! Hopefully all your plants will come back better than ever this year, after saving their bloom energy from last summer. LOL at "the power of poop!"

The lucky thing was that it mostly just broke the tops out of the lilies (yes, the buds and blooms), so the stalks of foliage got to stay on and recharge the bulbs. Since no energy was expended on blooms or seed, I'm expecting a big WOW this year =)

Hi folks, I'm new at this lily stuff and I'm trying to figure out what to plant to take the place of the lilies when they're done. I have 1 clump of Asiatics, 1 of Tiger lilies and 1 formosa lilies. And some are so tall they just look like a really tall skinny naked person with a floweredy hat on.LOL It needs something else in front or something. We have very alkaline soil and not a lot of rain. BTW I also have discovered the "power of poop" and use it liberally, along with cornmeal, and molasses and that other stuff, but the alkalinity is still a factor. I also have to figure out what I can use around daffodils. I appreciate your advice in advance.

Mary Lee

Some of the taller lilies do put people off, but there are things you can do to distract from the height. For instance, you could grow flowering vines behind and other mid-height plants in front. You can also take off up to one third of the stalk without harming the plant for the following year. I try to use a lot of tall annuals planted among the taller lilies such as cosmos and coreopsis. Tall African marigolds mix in well. Shrub roses and dahlias would also work. I also use all sorts of other perennials and annuals. I think if you provide enough interest by using various heights, colors and textures, the lily stems will not be so much of a focal point.

Lilies grown in shade tend to get taller, so the trick is to keep their feet cool and if you live in a very hot environment, provide afternoon shade. Also, if you're not happy about where a particilar plant is, you can always move it. While it's best to move lilies in the fall, I have moved them in high summer with no damage.

Ok. I hadn't thought of using coreopsis there. I have some in another place.
One of my tall lilies is in the bed around the arbor. So it gets some afternoon shade. It's planted next to a Buff Beauty rose. There are also tuberoses planted about a foot away. I just added those this year, but they haven't come up yet. I'm glad to know I can cut off part of that stalk after they bloom. That will help a whole lot. Thanks much.

Mary Lee

That sounds like a beautiful combination. I think the tuberoses will be a nice compliment; I love spiky flowers with lilies. And roses and lilies (along with some hydrangeas) are one of my favorite 'romantic' combinations.

beaker, on the Centerfold, do you remember the size of the bulbs you planted? I bought some at walmart 2 years ago, the size of marbles and while the grew leaves, they have not bloomed for me. I'm wondering if my bulbs were more like bulblets.