Regal lily

How to recognise it

Habit

Bulb with a single straight, unbranched stem 1–1.5 m tall, sometimes taller.

Leaf

Narrow and linear, 5–13 cm long, dark green and densely scattered along the whole stem.

Flower

Trumpet-shaped, 12–15 cm long, usually 3–10 per stem and sometimes more than 20 on old plants, horizontal or slightly nodding: white inside with a yellow throat, outside streaked purplish-pink to wine-red. Long stamens with orange-brown pollen. Strongly scented.

Fruit/Seed

An upright, three-chambered capsule full of flat, papery seeds that are spread by the wind.

Bulb

A scaly, purplish-red bulb of 5–10 cm; the stem makes extra roots above the bulb.

Look-alikes

The Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) is pure white inside and out, forms a leaf rosette as early as autumn and should be planted shallowly. Trumpet lily hybrids look very similar but come in more colours.

Flowering: June–July · Pruning: July and October

Why grow it?

• One of the most fragrant lilies: a few flowers fill a whole corner of the garden or a room with their perfume.
• Easy and hardy; it comes back year after year and forms fine groups after a few years.
• Grows readily from seed and then flowers after only 2–3 years, exceptionally fast for a lily.
• Moths visit the flowers in the evening; during the day bees and bumblebees collect pollen.
• A superb cut flower that lasts well in a vase.
• Brings height and elegance to a border without taking up much space.

Regal lily: where does it grow best?

• In the wild: dry, rocky slopes and steep valley sides in western China, with warm summers and cold, dry winters.
• ‘Head in the sun, feet in the shade’: the flowers in sun, the base shaded by lower plants.
• Well-drained soil matters most: sand or loam, neutral to slightly limy. Wet soil in winter makes the bulb rot.
• Sheltered from strong wind, which spares the tall stems.
• Also suitable for large, deep pots on a terrace.

Goes well with

• Hardy geranium: Covers the base with leaves and flowers and keeps the bulb cool.
• Lady’s mantle: Low, fresh green leaves and small yellow flower sprays at the base.
• Catmint: A blue haze at the base and a bee magnet.
• Roses: A classic pairing of scents in the summer border.
• Lavender: Silver-grey foliage and purple spikes, in sun on free-draining soil.

Regal lily: when and how to plant it?

1. Buy bulbs or potted plants from a nursery or garden centre; never dig plants up from the wild.
2. Plant the bulbs in October–November, or in March–April as long as they are still firm and not dried out.
3. Plant 15–20 cm deep, as the stem makes roots above the bulb; space the bulbs 20–30 cm apart, in groups of 3–5.
4. On heavy soil, put a layer of coarse sand or gravel under the bulb for good drainage.
5. Water after planting and mark the spot with a stick, so you do not damage the shoots later.
6. You can also sow it: sow in spring in a pot; seedlings flower after only 2–3 years.

Care

Water

Water at the base during dry spells in spring and during flowering. After flowering the soil may be drier.

Feeding

In March–April, some compost or organic bulb fertiliser. Too much nitrogen makes the stems floppy.

Support

In a windy spot, put a bamboo cane next to the stem, without piercing the bulb.

Lily beetle

From March to August, look for small red beetles and larvae that cover themselves in their own droppings. Pick them off by hand, holding a tray underneath, because the beetles drop to the ground.

Mulching

A layer of compost or low perennials around the base keep the bulb cool.

Tip: If pollen gets on your clothes, do not rub it in: tap it off or lift it with sticky tape. For the vase, snip the stamens out of the flowers.

Pruning and mowing

Pruning months: July and October.

When: Faded flowers in July; the stems only in October, when they are yellow and dry.

How:

• Cut off faded flowers just below the bloom, unless you want to collect seed: the energy then goes to the bulb.
• Leave the stem and its leaves until it turns yellow: the leaves feed the bulb for next year.
• In October, cut the dry stems back to just above the ground, or gently pull them out if they come away easily.
• If you cut flowers for the vase, leave at least half of the stem with its leaves.

Caution: Put stems and leaves with grey mould in the household waste, not on the compost heap.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow fresh or stored seed in March–April in a pot of seed compost, 0.5 cm deep. It germinates readily; seedlings flower after 2–3 years.

Bulb scales

In September, snap a few outer scales off a healthy bulb and put them in a bag of moist vermiculite or sand at room temperature. After 6–8 weeks small bulbs form, which you grow on in a pot.

Division

Older groups can be lifted in autumn and the bulbs separated; replant them straight away.

Regal lily: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• The bulb overwinters deep in the soil; nothing is visible above ground.
• Hardy, to about −25 °C, as long as the soil is well drained.
• The shoots appear in March–April and are sensitive to late night frost: cover them with fleece when frost threatens.
• In winter, put pots against a wall and protect them from too much rain and hard frost.

Diseases and pests

• Lily beetle: The red beetle and its larvae strip leaves and buds. Pick them off daily from March, including the orange eggs under the leaves.
• Grey mould: Brown spots on leaves and buds in wet weather. Choose an airy spot, water at the base and remove affected leaves.
• Bulb rot: In wet soil the bulb rots in winter. Plant in a well-drained spot, on a layer of coarse sand.
• Slugs and voles: Slugs eat the young shoots, voles the bulbs. If necessary, plant in a wire basket.
• Virus: Streaked, distorted leaves and poor growth. Remove sick plants and keep aphids in check, as they spread viruses.

Through the year

• March: Shoots appear. Watch for lily beetles and late frost. Sow.
• April: Apply compost. Pick off lily beetles.
• May: Put in supports. Water in dry spells.
• June: First flowers in late June. Enjoy the scent in the evening.
• July: Full flower. Cut off faded flowers.
• August: Seed capsules ripen. Leave the foliage green.
• September: Take bulb scales. Buy new bulbs.
• October: Cut down yellow, dry stems. Plant bulbs.
• November: Plant bulbs as long as the ground is not frozen.

Did you know?

• The plant hunter Ernest Wilson found the regal lily in 1903 in the Min River valley. When he went back in 1910 to collect bulbs, he broke his leg in a rockslide; he was left with a limp, which he himself called his ‘lily limp’.
• Regale means ‘royal’, hence the name regal lily.
• The regal lily is one of the parents of many trumpet lily hybrids in our gardens.