Lilium leichtlinii
Family: Liliaceae
What it is like
Lilium leichtlinii is a BULB growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Humus-rich soils in river valleys and amongst grass on hills.
E. Asia - Japan.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Bulb - cooked. Rich in starch, it can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes (Solanum tuberosum).
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
Requires a light humus-rich acid soil and plenty of moisture in late spring. Should succeed in a cool well-drained peat, leaf-mold and sand mix with shelter from the midday sun. Plants are best grown in a greenhouse border in Britain. This species could be one of the parents of L. lancifolium. Stem rooting, the bulbs should be planted 15cm deep. Early to mid autumn is the best time to plant out the bulbs in cool temperate areas, in warmer areas they can be planted out as late as late autumn. It is said that this species is very difficult to grow whilst its variety L.. leichtlinii maximowiczii is much easier, but this is not necessarily the case. The plant should be protected against rabbits and slugs in early spring. If the shoot tip is eaten out the bulb will not grow in that year and will lose vigour.
Propagating it: Seed - immediate epigeal germination. Sow thinly in pots from late winter to early spring in a cold frame. Should germinate in 2 - 4 weeks. Great care should be taken in pricking out the young seedlings, many people prefer to leave them in the seed pot until they die down at the end of their second years growth. This necessitates sowing the seed thinly and using a reasonably fertile sowing medium. The plants will also require regular feeding when in growth. Divide the young bulbs when they are dormant, putting 2 - 3 in each pot, and grow them on for at least another year before planting them out into their permanent positions when the plants are dormant. Division with care in the autumn once the leaves have died down. Replant immediately. Bulb scales can be removed from the bulbs in early autumn. If they are kept in a warm dark place in a bag of moist peat, they will produce bulblets. These bulblets can be potted up and grown on in the greenhouse until they are large enough to plant out.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Habit: Bulb
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist