Photo: Darm Crook, Public domain · source
Bulb or tuber · Liliaceae
David's lily
Lilium davidii
In other languages: Lilium davidii (Nederlands) · Lis de David (Français)
Lilium davidii comes from western China and is named after Father Armand David, the French missionary and naturalist who discovered it in the 19th century. It is a sturdy lily with upright stems of about 1.2 m, clothed in many narrow, dark green leaves. In July and August, drooping turk’s-cap flowers appear in orange-red, covered with black spots. The petals curl back, as in the well-known tiger lily. It is fully hardy, grows in almost any free-draining soil and also forms roots on the stem.
Caution: Poisonous to cats: all parts, including pollen and water from the vase, can cause serious poisoning in cats; go to the vet at once if you suspect it. The plant is also harmful to dogs and children if eaten. For cut flowers, remove the stamens.
Light
Sun or partial shade
preferably some sun
Moisture
Normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Sand, loam or clay
any pH
Hardiness
Fully hardy
down to -25 °C
Size
1.2 m
tall, 0.3 m wide
Flowering
July–August
| Height | 1.2 m |
|---|---|
| Native to Belgium | No, planted |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets |
| Flowering | July–August |
Identify
David's lily: how do you recognise it?
- Habit
- Upright bulbous plant about 1.2 m tall and 30 cm wide, with many narrow leaves along the stem.
- Leaves
- Narrow, linear, dark green, scattered along the whole stem.
- Flower
- Drooping flowers with curled-back petals (turk’s-cap shape), in a loose cluster at the top of the stem, from July to August.
- Colour
- Orange-red with black spots in the throat.
- Roots
- Besides the roots under the bulb, it also forms roots on the part of the stem above the bulb: so plant it deep.
Flowering: July–August · Plants: March–April and October–November
In your garden
Why grow it?
- Striking orange-red turk’s-cap flowers in July–August, when many borders are quiet.
- Strong, straight stems that rarely need support.
- Fully hardy (down to about −25 °C) and can stay in the ground for many years.
- Bees and bumblebees visit the flowers; they also make good cut flowers.
- Tolerates partial shade and also chalky soil, which some other lilies do not.
David's lily: where does it grow best?
- Sun to partial shade; the flowers need plenty of light, but the base likes shade and a cool soil.
- Free-draining, humus-rich soil: sandy, loamy or clay; acid to chalky is all fine.
- Normally moist: water in dry spells, but standing water in winter makes the bulb rot.
- Sheltered from strong wind; the stems are tall, although strong.
- Plant the bulbs 30 cm apart, in groups of three to five.
- Light
- Sun and partial shade
- Soil type
- Sand, loam or clay
- Acidity
- Not fussy
- Moisture
- Normal
- Size
- 1.2 m tall, 0.3 m wide
- Hardiness
- Hardy (to -25 °C)
Goes well with
- Hosta: Broad leaves at the base keep the soil cool.
- Cranesbill: Blue and purple go well with the orange-red.
- Ornamental grasses: Soft plumes show off the turk’s-cap flowers.
- Phlox: Flowers at the same time in pink, white or purple.
Maintenance
David's lily: when and how to plant it?
Plant in March–April and October–November.
- Plant in October–November or March–April; autumn planting gives the best roots.
- Dig a hole 15–20 cm deep and mix heavy soil with compost and sand.
- Set the bulb upright, on a handful of sand against rot, 30 cm apart.
- Cover with soil and water well at once, even if it rains.
- Spread a layer of leaf mould; low plants around it keep the base cool.
Care
- Water
- Give a good can of water in dry spells, especially from May to August. No wet feet in winter.
- Feeding
- In spring, a little compost or bulb fertiliser. Not too much nitrogen.
- Mulching
- A layer of leaf mould keeps the soil cool and moist and encourages the stem roots.
- Support
- Usually not needed; in a windy spot, push a bamboo cane in next to the stem.
- Spent flowers
- Cut off the spent flowers but leave the stem and leaves: they feed the bulb.
Tip: Plant it 15–20 cm deep: it also forms roots on the stem, and planted deep it stands firmer and dries out less quickly. Low plants around the base keep the roots cool.
David's lily: when to prune it?
When: Pruning is not needed. Cut off spent flowers and remove the stems only when they are completely withered, in October–November.
How:
- Cut off spent flowers just below the flower.
- Leave the stem and leaves until they turn yellow: they feed the bulb.
- Cut the withered stem off in autumn, just above the ground.
Caution: Never cut a green stem too early: the bulb needs the leaves to recharge for next year.
Propagation
- Scales
- In autumn, snap a few healthy scales off the bulb and place them in moist sand or perlite in a plastic bag at room temperature; new bulblets form after a few weeks.
- Division
- Divide crowded clumps in October–November and replant the small bulbs at once at 15–20 cm.
- Seed
- Sow in spring in pots; seedlings take several years to flower.
David's lily: how does it get through the winter?
Hardy to −25 °C.
- Fully hardy in Belgium (down to about −25 °C): no protection needed if the soil is free-draining.
- A layer of leaves or compost over the bulb keeps moisture in and frost out.
- In a pot: place the pot in a sheltered, dry spot against a wall and do not let it stand in water.
Diseases and pests
- Lily beetle: A bright red beetle and slimy larvae (covered in their own droppings) eat the leaves from April to July. Hand-picking is the best remedy.
- Botrytis: Brown spots on the leaves in wet weather. Cut off affected leaves, leave space between plants and do not water over the foliage.
- Bulb rot: In wet soil the bulbs rot. Plant in free-draining soil and mix clay with sand.
- Slugs: They eat the young shoots in spring. Pick them off by hand in the evening.
Through the year
- March: Plant. Young shoots appear.
- April: Plant. Apply compost. Watch for lily beetles.
- May: Water in dry spells. Keep slugs away.
- June: Buds form. Put supports in place if needed.
- July: Flowering begins. Cut flowers for the vase.
- August: Flowering. Cut off spent flowers.
- September: Leaves turn yellow. Leave them.
- October: Plant. Cut off withered stems.
- November: Plant. Mulch with leaf mould.
- December: Resting underground.
Use
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.
You and this species
Did you know?
- The plant is named after Father Armand David, who in 19th-century China also brought the giant panda to the attention of the West.
- In China the variety unicolor is grown as an edible lily: its bulbs are a well-known dish there. Do not eat your garden bulbs, though.
- Unlike most lilies, it also forms roots on the part of the stem above the bulb.