Oriental Lily
Lilium speciosum

Family: Liliaceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Red, White. Main Bloom Time: Early fall, Late summer. Form: Upright or erect.

Lilium speciosum is a BULB growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower from August to September, and the seeds ripen from October to November. 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

Shaded and moist places in forests, grassy slopes at elevations of 600 - 900 metres.

E. Asia - S. China and S. Japan.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Bulb - cooked. The bulb is about 5cm in diameter. 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: 1

The bulb is used medicinally. No further information is given.

Other

Rating:

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Seashore, Specimen. Prefers an open free-draining humus-rich loamy soil with its roots in the shade and its head in the sun. Dislikes lime. Prefers a light sandy loam with plenty of leafmold. Best grown in open woodland or amongst dwarf evergreens. Prefers a sunny position. The dormant bulbs are fairly hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -5°c. Stem rooting, the bulbs should be planted 25 - 30cm 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. A very ornamental plant it is easily grown but requires a long growing season if it is to do well. The flowers diffuse a powerful sweet honey perfume. Cultivated for its edible bulb in Japan. The sub-species L. speciosum rubrum. Mast. ex Bak. is said to be inedible whilst L. speciosum album. Mast. ex Bak. is said to be acceptable for eating. The variety 'Magnificum' is said to be the best form for growing outdoors in Britain. Plants take 4 years to flower from seed. 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. Special Features: Not North American native, Attracts butterflies, Suitable for cut flowers, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: Seed - delayed hypogeal germination. Best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in spring. Stored seed will require a warm/cold/warm cycle of stratification, each period being about 2 months long. Grow on in cool shady conditions. Great care should be taken in pricking out the young seedlings, many people 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: 4-9

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

L. lancifolium. non Thunb.