Lilium is a large genus in the Liliaceae family. More than 100 species are found in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. There are thousands of cultivars as well. The majority of lilies are easy to grow, basic location being heads in the sun and feet in the shade. Good drainage is essential. With the exception of Lilum candidum, they should be planted twice as deep as the height of the bulb. Lilium candidum should be barely covered with soil and is best planted in late summer. The colors of pastel shades are best with a little shade so they do not lose their color in the sun.
Species Lilies was the topic of the week for the PBS List in June 2003. Some of the information below was furnished by John Bryan. His complete Introduction can be found here.
Major reference works devoted to lilies include
For pictures of bulbs and seeds see Lilium bulbs. For growing from seed see Lily Germination and Lily Germination By Species.
Iain Brodie of Auchgourish Botanic Garden, Boat of Garten, Scotland who has a mission to conserve the species of Lilium has kindly provided a paper on his successful method of seed germination. You can also find more Lilium information on the website of the North American Lily Society.
Pests and diseases that can be a problem include Lily beetle, Vine weevil and botrytis (see Lilium candidum for picture). Botrytis typically gains a hold if the foliage becomes too wet. In a bad year and with susceptible species, it can lead to the complete collapse of the stem, but usually the bulb will recover the next year. Treatment with systemic fungicide is possible.
Lilium has been divided into the following sections on the PBS wiki - American Section A-M - American Section N-Z - Asiatic Section A-C - Asiatic Section D-K - Asiatic Section L-O - Asiatic Section P-Z - Candidum Section - Dauricum Section - Martagon Section - Oriental Section - Trumpet Section
Lilium Hybrids shows pictures of hybrids.
Click on the name in the table below to find more information and/or to see photographs of the named species or cultivar.
For more information about Lilium see Dr. Markus Hohenegger's Lilium site.
For other pictures and information of Lilium grown in the Danen garden, Gerry Danen's gallery
American Section A-M - American Section N-Z - Asiatic Section A-C - Asiatic Section D-K - Asiatic Section L-O - Asiatic Section P-Z - Candidum Section - Dauricum Section - Martagon Section - Oriental Section - Trumpet Section - Lilium Hybrids