Lilium

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 with heads in the sun and feet in the shade. Good drainage is essential. With the exception of Lilium 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 details of bulbs see Lilium bulbs. For seeds and propagation see Lilium seeds. For details of flowers see Lilium Flowers. 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 and that of the RHS Lily Group.

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.

Gardeners refer to groups of lily species which form hybrids by names like "Asiatic" which derive from a classification scheme.
Show horticultural classification...

Divisions 1 to 8 contain hybrids of the species shown; species and cultivars of species are classified as division 9. This scheme is used by NALS and the RHS, it is slightly different to the way lilies are grouped on this wiki.

Div Name
1 Asiatic L. amabile, L. bulbiferum, L. callosum, L. cernuum, L. concolor, L. dauricum, L. davidii, L. lancifolium, L. lankongense, L. leichtlinii, L. pumilum, L. wilsonii
2 Martagons L. hansonii, L. martagon, L. medeoloides, L. tsingtauense
3 Candidum L. candidum, L. chalcedonicum, L. monadelphum
4 American L. occidentale, L. pardalinum, L. parryi, L. parvum
5 Longiflorum L. longiflorum, L. philippinense, L. formosanum
6 Trumpet and Aurelian L. brownii, L. henryi, L. leucanthum, L. regale, L. rosthornii, L. sargentiae, L. sulphureum
Aurelians are hybrids of L. henryi or L. rosthornii with trumpet lilies.
7 Oriental L. alexandrae, L. auratum, L. japonicum, L. rubellum, L. speciosum
8 Other hybrids Those not in the other divisions, for example Oriental/Trumpet (Orienpets or OT) and longiflorum/Asiatic (LA) hybrids.

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 - Nomocharis - Oriental Section - Trumpet Section

Lilium hybrids shows pictures of hybrids. Lilium black hearts is about a type of Aurelian hybrid.


Click on the name in the table below to find more information and/or to see photographs of the named species or cultivar.

Lilium Species
Lilium akkusianum bulb, Pontus Wallstén [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium akkusianum
Lilium albanicum, Karsten Rohweder, iNaturalist, CC BY [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium albanicum
Lilium japonicum, syn. Lilium alexandrae, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lilium alexandrae
Lilium amabile, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium amabile
Lilium amoenum, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium amoenum
Lilium apertum, syn. Nomocaris aperta, Oron Peri [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium apertum
Lilium auratum var. platyphyllum, Janos Agoston [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium auratum
Lilium bakerianum var. rubrum, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium bakerianum
Lilium bolanderi, Rimmer de Vries [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium bolanderi
Lilium bosnaicum bulb, Pontus Wallstén [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium bosnaicum
Lilium brownii var. viridulum, Arnold Trachtenberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium brownii
Lilium bulbiferum v. croceum, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium bulbiferum
Lilium callosum, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium callosum
Lilium canadense, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium canadense
Lilium candidum, Janos Agoston [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium candidum
Lilium carniolicum, Pontus Wallstén [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium carniolicum
Lilium catesbaei, Alani Davis [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium catesbaei
Lilium cernuum, Ron Moodycliffe [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium cernuum
Lilium chalcedonicum, Pontus Wallstén [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium chalcedonicum
Lilium ciliatum, mnauky, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium ciliatum
Lilium columbianum, Richard Haard [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium columbianum
Lilium concolor, John Longanecker [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium concolor
Lilium dauricum, Arnold Trachtenberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lilium dauricum
Lilium davidii, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium davidii
Lilium distichum, Göte Svanholm [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium distichum
Lilium duchartrei, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium duchartrei
Lilium fargesii, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium fargesii
Lilium formosanum, Ron Parsons [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium formosanum
Lilium grayi, Wayne Crist [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium grayi
Lilium gongshanense, syn. Nomocharis gongshanensis, Susan Band [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium gongshanense
Lilium hansonii, UC Botanical Garden, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium hansonii
Lilium henrici seedling bulb, Pontus Wallstén [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium henrici
Lilium henryi, Isabelle Fleming [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium henryi
Lilium humboldtii, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium humboldtii
Lilium iridollae, Peter Zale [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium iridollae
Lilium japonicum, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium japonicum
Lilium kelloggii, Mary Sue Ittner [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium kelloggii
Lilium kelleyanum, John Longanecker [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium kelleyanum
Lilium kesselringianum, Felix Riegel, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium kesselringianum
Lilium lancifolium, David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium lancifolium
Lilium lankongense, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium lankongense
Lilium ledebourii, Roma Fiddes [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium ledebourii
Lilium leichtlinii v. maximowiczii, UC Botanical Garden [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium leichtlinii
Lilium leucanthum var. centifolium, Arnold Trachtenberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium leucanthum
Lilium lijiangense, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium lijiangense
Lilium longiflorum, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium longiflorum
Lilium lophophorum, NW Yunnan, Oron Peri [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium lophophorum
Lilium mackliniae, Diane Whitehead [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium mackliniae
Lilium maculatum, late form, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium maculatum
Lilium matangense bulb, Pontus Wallstén [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium matangense
Lilium primulinum var. ochraceum, syn. Lilium majoense, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lilium majoense
Lilium maritimum, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium maritimum
Lilium martagon, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium martagon
Lilium medeoloides, belvedere04, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium medeoloides
Lilium meleagrina, syn. Nomocharis meleagrina, Göte Svanholm [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium meleagrina
Lilium michauxii, Justin Smith [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium michauxii
Lilium michiganense, John Lonsdale [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium michiganense
Lilium monadelphum, Arnold Trachtenberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium monadelphum
Lilium nanum, Pontus Wallstén [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium nanum
Lilium nepalense, David Victor [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium nepalense
Lilium nobilissimum, Jaap van Tuyl, Wikimedia Commons, CC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium nobilissimum
Lilium occidentale, iNaturalist, Alex Abair, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium occidentale
Lilium oxypetalum, syn. Nomocharis oxypetala, David Nicholson [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium oxypetalum
Lilium papilliferum, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium papilliferum
Lilium pardalinum, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium pardalinum
Lilium pardanthinum, syn. Nomocharis pardanthina, Göte Svanholm [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium pardanthinum
Lilium parryi, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium parryi
Lilium parvum, John Longanecker [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium parvum
Lilium pensylvanicum, syn. Lilium dauricum, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium pensylvanicum
Lilium philadelphicum, Linda Foulis [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium philadelphicum
Lilium philippinense, Eric Keith, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium philippinense
Lilium pardalinum ssp. pitkinense, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lilium pitkinense
Lilium poilanei, Dylan Hannon [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium poilanei
Lilium polyphyllum, Mana Chandhok [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium polyphyllum
Lilium pomponium, Guillaume Papuga, iNaturalist, CC-BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium pomponium
Lilium ponticum, syn. Lilium pyrenaicum ssp. ponticum, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium ponticum
Lilium primulinum, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium primulinum
Lilium pumilum, Bob Rutemoeller [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium pumilum
Lilium ponticum, syn. Lilium pyrenaicum ssp. ponticum, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium ponticum
Lilium pyrenaicum, Roger Darlington [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium pyrenaicum
Lilium pyrophilum, Will Stuart, iNaturalist, CC BY-NC [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium pyrophilum
Lilium regale, Ron Parsons [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium regale
Lilium rhodopaeum, Ernst Gügel, CC BY-SA [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium rhodopaeum
Lilium rosthornii, Arnold Trachtenberg [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium rosthornii
Lilium rubellum, Mari Kitama [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium rubellum
Lilium rubescens, Ron Parsons [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium rubescens
Lilium sargentiae, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium sargentiae
Lilium saluenense, syn. Nomocharis saluenensis, Gunhild & Thorkild Poulsen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium saluenense
Lilium sealyi, syn. Nomocharis farreri, Gunhild & Thorkild Poulsen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium sealyi
Lilium pardalinum ssp. shastense, Rimmer de Vries [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lilium shastense
Lilium souliei, Oron Peri [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium souliei
Lilium speciosum, Jim McKenney [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium speciosum
Lilium stewartianum, Steve Wilson [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium stewartianum
Lilium sulphureum, Lee Poulsen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium sulphureum
Lilium superbum, Wayne Crist [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium superbum
Lilium szovitsianum, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium szovitsianum
Lilium taliense, David Victor [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium taliense
Lilium tsingtauense, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium tsingtauense
Lilium pardalinum ssp. vollmeri, John Lonsdale [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lilium vollmeri
Lilium wallichianum, Ron Parsons [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium wallichianum
Lilium wardii, Darm Crook [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium wardii
Lilium washingtonianum, Tuolumne Co., CA, Nhu Nguyen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium washingtonianum
Lilium wenshanense, John Lykkegaard Johansen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lilium wenshanense
Lilium pardalinum ssp. wigginsii, Ron Parsons [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lilium wigginsii
Lilium stewartianum, Steve Wilson [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
*Lilium xanthellum
Lilium yapingense, Bjornar Olsen [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
Lilium yapingense
* = synonym


Lilium hybrids
Lilium 'African Queen', Janos Agoston [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'African Queen'
Lilium 'Anastasia', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Anastasia'
Lilium 'Black Beauty', Gary Buckley [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Black Beauty'
Lilium Leslie Woodriff's 'Black Heart White', Charlie Kroell [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Black Heart White'
Lilium 'Brunello', Janos Agoston [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Brunello'
Lilium 'Casa Blanca', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Casa Blanca'
Lilium 'Chiara', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Chiara'
Lilium 'Citronella', Ron Parsons [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Citronella'
Lilium 'Conca D'or', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Conca D'or'
Lilium 'Eudoxia', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Eudoxia'
Lilium 'Extravaganza', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Extravaganza'
Lilium 'Golden Splendour', Janos Agoston [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Golden Splendour'
Lilium 'Golden Stargazer', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Golden Stargazer'
Lilium 'Leslie Woodriff', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Leslie Woodriff''
Lilium 'Manisa', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Manisa'
Lilium 'Mrs. R. O. Backhouse', Paul Tyerman [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Mrs. R. O. Backhouse'
Lilium 'Muscadet', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Muscadet'
Lilium 'Novonna', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Novonna'
Lilium 'Pearl Lorraine', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Pearl Lorraine'
Lilium 'Pink Perfection', Janos Agoston [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Pink Perfection'
Lilium 'Preston Yellow', Jim McKenney [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Preston Yellow'
Lilium 'Robina', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Robina'
Lilium 'Royal Gold', Janos Agoston [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Royal Gold'
Lilium 'Scheherazade', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Scheherazade'
Lilium 'Silk Road', Mari Kitama [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Siberia'
Lilium 'Silk Road', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Silk Road'
Lilium 'Sorbonne', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Sorbonne'
Lilium 'Stargazer', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Stargazer'
Lilium 'Supreme', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Supreme'
Lilium 'Susan Elizabeth', Rimmer de Vries [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Susan Elizabeth'
Lilium 'Tarrango', David Pilling [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Tarrango'
Lilium 'Triumphator', Janos Agoston [Shift+click to enlarge, Click to go to wiki entry]
'Triumphator'

For more information about Lilium see Dr. Markus Hohenegger's Lilium site.


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 - Nomocharis - Oriental Section - Trumpet Section - Lilium hybrids


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