Choosing Lilies

If you want to grow a plant that is easy to maintain, beautiful and colorful then lilies are the best option for you.

Studies show that lilies are considered as one of the most popular flowers in the world along with rose. In fact, it is the fourth most popular flower across the globe. Like other flowers, lilies come in different types, shapes, colors and sizes.

Commonly, they are used as borders or beds of other plants such as shrubs. Other varieties are perfect as accent plants while others are ideal for pool planting. The small ones are used by people in their alpine rock gardens or as indoor potted plants.

In landscapes, lilies can be combined with other early, mid-season, and late-blooming cultivars since its flowers usually bloom around middle of June until middle of September.

Finding “true” lilies

For starters, it can be confusing to find lilies if they only rely on the name “lily”. This is because there are so many plants that bear the word “lily” as part of their common name but they are not really lilies. Some of these plants are “daylily” and “peace lily” which do not belong to the genus lilium.

In finding true lilies, it is best to check their characteristics such as having stiff stems with narrow strap; large flowers that develop at the tip of the stem; either trumpet, bowl or bell shaped that come with petals that are reflexed. You will also know that the plant in front of you is a true lily if it nods downwards, faces outwards, or turns upwards.

After confirming that what you have is a “true” lily, you may proceed with the kinds or types to find out which is the most suitable one for you. The most common—not to mention most popular—types are the “Asiatic” and “Oriental” lilies.

If you need the type that is easiest to grow and doesn’t need too much maintenance since they can grow with any type of soil that drains well, opt of for Asiatic lilies. But if you are very particular about size, fragrance and color, choose Oriental lilies because these have exotic and large as well as sweet perfume. Experts say that these two are ideal for northern gardens.

No matter what type of lilies you choose, make sure that you choose the ideal soil and containers where you will place it. Clay and sand are the best soil options out there. Because of its high retention properties, clay is preferred by first time gardeners of ornamental plants such as lilies.

When it comes to containers, lilies will grow best in those have tapered bottom and sides that will enable air and water to circulate properly.

Experts say most lilies are best grown outdoors because these need full sunlight for them to bloom perfectly. It is ideal for lilies to be exposed in sunlight at least 10 hours for them to grow taller and with larger foliage. However, if you want to keep lilies indoors, make sure that you choose smaller types and they have enough light to avoid them from being floppy.