Golden-rayed lily

Golden-rayed lily: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Sturdy, upright stem of 1–1.5 m, sometimes taller, taking up only 30 cm of width.

Leaves

Lance-shaped, dark green, 10–20 cm long, spread along the whole stem.

Flower

Broadly bowl-shaped, up to 25 cm across, white with a golden central band and red spots, held horizontally or slightly nodding. Often five to ten flowers per stem.

Scent

Heavy and sweet, strongest in the evening.

Bulb

A scaly bulb without a protective tunic, so it dries out quickly. Above the bulb the stem forms extra roots.

Flowering: August–September · Plants: March–April and October–November

Why grow it?

• Some of the largest flowers of any lily, a real eye-catcher in late summer.
• A heavy, sweet scent that fills a whole corner of the garden in the evening.
• Flowers in August–September, when many other lilies have finished.
• A superb cut flower that lasts a long time in the vase.
• Ideal for a large pot on the patio or among rhododendrons and azaleas on acid soil.

Golden-rayed lily: where does it grow best?

• Sun to partial shade: flowers in the sun, base in the shade of low plants.
• Acid, humus-rich, open soil: sand, loam or peat. On chalky or neutral soil it dwindles; grow it in a pot of ericaceous compost instead.
• Moderately moist while growing, but always free-draining: in wet soil the bulb rots.
• Sheltered from strong wind, as the stems with their heavy flowers bend or snap.
• Plant 25–30 cm apart, in groups of three to five.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or peat

Acidity

Acid

Moisture

Normal

Size

1.5 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Rhododendron and azalea: They need the same acid soil; the lily flowers long after they have finished.
• Ferns: Keep the base of the lily cool and shaded.
• Mophead hydrangea: Flowers at the same time on acid soil: blue heads next to the white lily.
• Hosta: Large leaves that shade the base in partial shade.

Golden-rayed lily: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or October–November, as soon as possible after buying, because the bulb dries out quickly.
2. Dig a generous hole and mix in leaf mould, ericaceous compost and some grit for an open, acid soil.
3. Plant the bulb 15–20 cm deep: the roots on the stem above the bulb provide anchorage and food.
4. Space the bulbs 25–30 cm apart. A pot at least 30 cm deep and wide holds three bulbs.
5. Put a sturdy cane next to the bulb straight away, water and mark the spot so you do not damage the young shoots.
6. Mulch with leaf mould or pine needles: this keeps the base cool and the soil acid.

Care

Water

Keep the soil slightly moist from emergence until after flowering. Use rainwater: hard tap water makes the soil less acid.

Feeding

In spring, some organic fertiliser for acid-loving plants. Feed pots every two weeks with a liquid fertiliser until flowering.

Support

Tie the stem loosely to the cane as it grows, so the heavy flowers do not snap it.

Deadheading

Remove faded flowers so the plant does not set seed, but leave the stem and leaves until they turn yellow in autumn.

Cutting

Take no more than a third of the stem, so enough leaves remain to feed the bulb. Remove the anthers to prevent stains.

Repotting

Every two or three years, in autumn or early spring, repot lilies in containers into fresh ericaceous compost.

Tip: Plant it among low plants or ferns: the flowers want sun, the base wants coolness and shade. In a pot, use ericaceous compost and water with rainwater.

Golden-rayed lily: when to prune it?

When: Lilies are not pruned. Remove faded flowers and cut away the dead stem in autumn.

How:

• Snip off faded flowers just below the bloom; leave the stem and leaves in place.
• Only cut the stem once it has turned yellow or brown in October–November: until then the leaves feed the bulb.
• When cutting for the vase, take no more than a third of the stem.

Caution: Never cut the green stem down to the ground after flowering: the bulb weakens and flowers less the following year.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Scales

In autumn, snap a few outer scales off the bulb. Put them in a bag of slightly moist vermiculite at room temperature; after a few weeks small bulbs form, which you grow on in a pot.

Stem bulblets

Small bulbs sometimes form at the base of the stem, below ground. Detach them in autumn and grow them on in a pot for a few years.

Seed

Possible but slow: seedlings take several years to flower.

Golden-rayed lily: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: in a Belgian garden the bulb survives frost, as long as the soil drains well.
• Wet winters are the biggest enemy. A thick mulch of leaf mould or pine needles also protects the bulb from hard frost.
• Stand a pot sheltered and dry against a wall, wrapped in hessian, or in a cool, frost-free room. Do not let the compost dry out completely.
• Young shoots can be hit by late frost in April: cover them with fleece for the night.

Diseases and pests

• Lily beetle: A bright red beetle and its larvae, covered in their own black excrement, eat leaves and buds. Check regularly from April and pick off beetles and larvae by hand.
• Botrytis: Brown, oval spots on the leaves, especially in damp weather. Give it an airy spot, water at the base and remove affected leaves.
• Bulb rot: On wet, heavy or chalky soil the bulb rots away. Plant in a free-draining, slightly raised spot or in a pot.
• Virus: Mottled or streaked leaves and deformed flowers. The golden-rayed lily is susceptible, and aphids spread the virus. Keep aphids in check and remove diseased plants.
• Slugs: They eat the young shoots in spring. Pick them off in the evening around the emerging stems.

Through the year

• March: Plant bulbs 15–20 cm deep. Put in a supporting cane.
• April: Plant. Protect young shoots from slugs and late frost. Look out for lily beetles.
• May: Pick off lily beetles. Feed. Tie stems to the cane.
• June: Water with rainwater in dry weather. Feed pots every two weeks.
• July: Buds are forming. Keep tying in the stems.
• August: Flowering, with a heavy scent. Cut flowers for the vase.
• September: Last flowers. Remove faded blooms, leave the stem.
• October: Plant bulbs. Cut down yellowed stems. Take scales to propagate.
• November: Plant. Mulch with leaf mould or pine needles.
• December: Rest. Keep pots sheltered and not too wet.

Edible and useful

Not edible. Lilies are life-threatening to cats: every part, even the pollen and the water in the vase, causes acute kidney failure in very small amounts, which is often fatal without prompt treatment. A little pollen licked off the fur can be enough. If your cat has been at a lily or has pollen on its coat, call your vet at once, even if it shows no signs yet. Do not bring cut lilies into the house if you have a cat (removing the stamens is not enough) and do not plant them where cats often go. For children and dogs lilies are far less dangerous, but they can still cause stomach upsets. Do not confuse them with daylilies (Hemerocallis), whose buds and flowers are edible (though they too are dangerous to cats): never eat a true lily. If any is swallowed, call a poison centre (in Belgium 070 245 245) or your doctor at once.

Did you know?

• The golden-rayed lily reached Europe in the 1860s and caused a sensation with the size and scent of its flowers.
• Its flowers are among the largest of all wild lilies.
• The variety platyphyllum is a more vigorous form with broader leaves, which often lasts better in gardens.