Madonna lily

Madonna lily: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Upright, unbranched stem 1–1.5 m tall, usually about 1.2 m, and barely 30 cm wide.

Leaves

In autumn a rosette of broad, lance-shaped, glossy green leaves that lasts through winter; narrower leaves on the stem, getting smaller towards the top.

Flower

A cluster of five to twenty wide funnel-shaped flowers with slightly recurved tips, pure white with golden-yellow anthers, in June–July.

Scent

Strong, sweet and heavy; indoors in a vase it can be almost overpowering.

Bulb

A white, scaly bulb without a protective tunic. It dries out quickly and should go into the ground as soon as possible.

Flowering: June–July · Plants: August–September

Why grow it?

• One of the most strongly scented garden plants: a small group perfumes much of the garden.
• Pure white flowers that seem to glow at dusk, ideal in a white or romantic garden.
• A classic cut flower for a tall vase in June–July.
• It likes chalky, rather dry soil, where many other lilies struggle.
• The green leaf rosette brings some life to a bare border in winter.
• Once settled it lasts for years, as long as you leave it alone.

Madonna lily: where does it grow best?

• Full sun, in a warm spot. Low plants at its feet are fine, as long as they do not smother the leaf rosette.
• Well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, preferably neutral to chalky. In heavy clay, work coarse sand or grit into the planting spot.
• Rather dry than wet: wet soil in winter makes the bulb rot.
• An airy spot, not crowded by other plants, helps prevent leaf disease.
• Allow 25–30 cm between bulbs, in groups of three to five.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

1.2 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Roses: A classic cottage-garden pairing; they flower together in June.
• Delphinium: Blue spires next to the white lilies, in the same sun.
• Lavender: Like the Madonna lily, it loves sun, lime and dry feet.
• Catmint: A low blue haze that hides the base of the stems.

Madonna lily: when and how to plant it?

Plant in August–September.

1. Plant in August–September, when the bulb rests briefly after flowering: it then roots before winter and makes its leaf rosette.
2. Loosen the soil a spade deep and mix coarse sand or grit into heavy soil. On acid soil, add a handful of garden lime.
3. Set the bulb very shallow: the nose should sit just below the surface, with no more than 2–3 cm of soil on top.
4. Space the bulbs 25–30 cm apart.
5. Water in well once; after that it normally needs no extra water.
6. Do not put a thick mulch over the planting spot: it keeps the leaf rosette too wet.

Care

Watering

Only during long dry spells in spring, when the buds are forming. After flowering the soil may stay dry.

Feeding

In March, a handful of compost or a little bulb fertiliser around the plant. Never fresh manure: it makes the bulb rot.

Support

In a windy spot, put a cane beside the stem, taking care not to spear the bulb.

Cutting

For the vase, cut when the lowest bud opens and leave at least a third of the leafy stem, so the bulb can recharge.

Anthers

Remove the anthers in the vase: the pollen stains clothes and tablecloths and is dangerous for cats.

Leave alone

Avoid moving it: an established group flowers more freely every year.

Tip: Plant it as early as August, earlier than other lilies, with the nose of the bulb just below the surface. That way it makes its leaf rosette before winter and flowers fully the following year.

Madonna lily: when to prune it?

When: No real pruning is needed. Remove faded flowers in July and cut the stem down in August, once it has turned yellow.

How:

• Cut off faded flowers just below the bloom, so the plant puts no energy into seed.
• Leave the leafy stem until it is yellow and dry: this is how the bulb recharges.
• Then cut the dead stem off just above the ground.
• Always leave the new leaf rosette that appears in autumn.

Caution: Never cut green leaves during or just after flowering: the bulb needs them to flower next year.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Scaling

In August, snap a few outer scales off the bulb, put them in a bag of moist sand or vermiculite and keep them somewhere warm. After 6–8 weeks small bulbs form at the base. Pot them up; expect two to three years before the first flowers.

Division

Lift congested clumps in August, just after flowering, and replant the bulbs straight away, just as shallow, in their new spot.

Madonna lily: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: in most Belgian winters it needs no protection.
• The leaf rosette stays green all winter. Leave it alone and do not cover it with a thick mulch.
• Wet soil is more dangerous than frost: make sure water drains away well in winter.
• In a hard frost without snow you can cover the rosette with fleece for a few days.

Diseases and pests

• Lily beetle: Bright red beetles and their larvae, which hide under their own droppings, eat leaves and buds from April to September. Check every few days and pick them off; hold your hand underneath, as they drop to the ground.
• Grey mould: Brown spots on the leaves that spread quickly in damp weather until the leaves die. The Madonna lily is prone to it. Cut off affected leaves, give the plant space and never water over the foliage.
• Virus: Streaked or mottled, distorted leaves and plants that fail to thrive. There is no cure: remove the plant. Do not grow it next to tiger lilies, which often carry the virus without looking ill.
• Bulb rot: In wet soil the scales turn soft and brown and the plant does not come up again. Plant in free-draining soil and improve heavy ground with grit.
• No flowers: Usually planted too deep or recently moved. Plant shallow and leave it alone; it often flowers again the following year.

Through the year

• January: Rest. The leaf rosette stays green; nothing to do.
• March: Scatter compost or bulb fertiliser around the plant. The flower stem starts to grow.
• April: Check for lily beetles every few days.
• May: Buds form. Water in dry spells, add a cane if needed.
• June: Flowering. Cut for the vase and remove the anthers.
• July: End of flowering. Remove faded flowers.
• August: Cut down yellowed stems. Plant, divide and propagate by scaling.
• September: Plant. The new leaf rosette appears.
• October: Check the rosette for disease; clear away fallen leaves.
• December: Rest. In hard frost without snow, cover the rosette with fleece.

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?

• Frescoes from the Minoan civilisation on Crete, more than 3,500 years old, already show white lilies that resemble the Madonna lily.
• In paintings of the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel often holds a white lily as a symbol of Mary’s purity. Hence the name Madonna lily.
• After flowering it has a short summer rest and starts on the next season in autumn. That is why it is planted earlier than other lilies.