propagating tiger lilies from seeds

When is the best time to harvest the fat brown seeds on the sides of the tiger lily stalks? They haven't bloomed yet, but the seeds are huge and so many! After harvesting, do I soak them before planting? and when to plant? Should I let them dry before planting? Thanks for any info.

Hey Pinky,

Those are bulbils, not seeds, and naturally it's not cause for concern to get the terminology wrong, but in this case, the plants & flowers from bulbils will be an exact genetic copy (exactly the same) of the parents. So you'll be getting more of exactly what you have as opposed to seed which is half mother pod parent/half father pollen parent.

Okay, when they are ripe they will fall off, and you just try to get them from the plant the week before that happens. Sort pf knock them with your fingers and when they are ready they will fall into your hand. I don't really remember whenthat is in relation to bloomtime, but I belive it is after. Sometimes they grow a little leaf while still connected to the stem -- that is very weird.

Considering they will grow roots right where they drop in the garden, I don't think sowing them is anything unusual -- just drop them into a protected site and barely cover. No soaking, but keep the area moist, or at least don't let it get bone dry. I have mine in really good soil in partial shade.

They will root this year, maybe throw a leaf or two and hopefully be a little bigger, maybe with a stem in 2008. About 30% of them will bloom in 2009. THAT is for Indiana -- MS might get faster results with a longer growing season.

Suzy

Suzy, Thanks a million for that info on tiger lily bulbils, that term is a new one on me, never heard of bulbils before. They have rooted where they fell in the past, but I want to make a new bed this year. I planted pink tigers this past fall and they were spectacular! Thanks again Suzy, I really appreciate the sharing of knowledge. Kathi

You're welcome.

Suzy

Then you have pink tigers that are producing bulbils that will produce more pink tigers. YIKES you are going to have some show when they all get going!

Don't forget the glossary right here at DG
http://davesgarden.com/terms/go/133.html for Bubil

I have this Lily--(pictured below)--many years now. Used to be ONE tall, tall stalk, now it is 5 smaller ones, but still fairly tall. The bed this is in is VERY poor, as it is fully invaded by a nearby Silver Maple's roots. Can't even dig a shovel in there.
Is this a "Tiger Lily?" If it is NOT a Tiger Lily, what kind is it?
It also has those black "bulblils" in all the axles . They are the size of a large peppercorn. There are a lot of buds, but they will have a good week or 10 days to go yet before they open up.

Suzy,
Are you saying I cannot pick them yet? I think the lower ones are already falling off on their own. I am glad to lear that they are NOT seeds. A couple of years ago, I picked them off and dried them and tried to grow them from seed. I think 2 made it.
Now that I know they are bulbils, I will try to seed them in the more "moist" state.

Thanks for any advice, Gita

Yes, it's a Tiger Lily -- Lilium lancifolium it's now called. Yes, the bulbils ripen from the bottom up, so in other words, they are not all ready at once. You do not PICK these, you barely touch them. If they come off in your hand, they are ready, and if they don't, try again in a couple days.

If you barely touch them and they fall off, they are ready, not only to harvest, but also ready to sow. Put them in a nursery bed or a place where you can keep tabs on the moisture & weeds and they get full, or near-full, sun.

If you plant them, just cover them with 1/4" soil, water, and wait for the first leaves to come up, it really is as simple as that. I guess you figured out that you do not dry these and/or try to hold them over until spring or anything...you sow them as soon as they are ripe.

Suzy

Oh boy - so I should be out there looking at all of those wild tiger lilies on the side of the road now... I wonder if it's too late ... grrrr....

Hey you guys! Are these the bulbils? This is a whole new field for me. If "yes" are they SUPPOSED to look like shriveled up rasins?

Edited to say: Wow does anyone hunt wild mushrooms? After looking at that picture up close they look exactly like morels.... "blacks" to be exact. OK, it's way past time for me to get some sleep. LOL.



This message was edited Jul 14, 2007 9:38 PM

I have never seen them like that. They are shiny and black and can even be developing leaves.

Pagancat, Let's make sure we have our names straight -- I have never seen Tiger Lilies growing wild, at least not by the side of the road. Are you maybe talking about the orange daylilies (genus Hemerocallis) they call Ditch Lilies? I think my mom called them Tiger Lilies, but we are talking about Genus Lilium Tigerliles.

LalaJane, I have never seen bulbils that look like that, did you pick them up off the ground? That's not what they look like when they are on the plant or recently fallen off the plant, but I can't guarantee that's not what they look like 2 weeks later or something.

Suzy

Now that I see all the pictures I should imagine that I don't have the right thing because I don't have the right plant. I was looking on my day lillies. I guess it doesn't work the same way.

NOT a tiger lilly

Ah, of all the people who should know better... yes, I am talking about "ditch lilies" - what I called Tiger Lilies as a kid. So they don't get bubils?

Thanks Suzy!

No, Sorry, PC, but those orange ditch lilies have seeds and tubers if that helps!?

The trouble with lilies, well one of the troubles with them, is that so many things are lilies...Blackberry Lily, Candy Lily, even Lily of the Valley!

The Tiger Lily has stem bulbils, and many of the orange asiatics that have tiger lily ancestry also have the stem bulbils, but I think that no other kind of lily has them.

Suzy

Hey Pinky can I ask where you got your pink tigers? I've been nosing around and can't seem to find much on them. They sound gorgeous.

Hi Lala- Jane, sorry it took me so long torespond, I just now checked this thread. I got mine at Wal-Mart, believe it or not! If you get there early when they start putting out all their bulbs, you should be able to find plenty. The foliage and flowers look just like the orange tiger lilies, but these are light pink. I only got one pack and really regretted it when then bloomed, they are so, so pretty. This year I am going to buy lots more and put in a new bed just for lilies. Good luck in finding them, when mine multiply,I'll be happy to share. Kathi