Henry's lily

Henry's lily: how do you recognise it?

Habit

A bulb with sturdy, slightly arching stems about 1.5 m tall and 30 cm wide.

Leaves

Lance-shaped and dark green, scattered along the stem; smaller and broader towards the top.

Flowers

Nodding Turk’s cap flowers 6–8 cm across with strongly recurved petals, in August–September.

Colour

Bright orange with dark spots; in strong midday sun the colour can fade a little.

Bulb

Large, made of loose, fleshy scales without a tunic; the stem also forms roots above the bulb.

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

Why grow it?

• Flowers in August and September, when many borders are past their best.
• Dozens of orange Turk’s cap flowers per stem: a real eye-catcher.
• Tolerates lime, which is fairly rare among lilies.
• Strong and long-lived: the bulbs can stay in the same place for years.
• Tall enough for the back of the border, among shrubs or tall grasses.

Henry's lily: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade: the flowers in the light, the base preferably shaded by lower plants.
• Sand, loam or clay, neutral to chalky, rich in humus and well-drained.
• Normally moist; the bulb must never sit in wet soil.
• Sheltered from strong wind, with support for the tall stems.
• Plant 30–40 cm apart, in groups of three or more.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal

Size

1.5 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

• Lady’s mantle: Keeps the base of the lily cool with soft, yellow-green leaves.
• Hardy geranium: Low, flowering clumps around the bare lower stems.
• Japanese anemone: Flowers at the same time in pink or white and tolerates partial shade.
• Ornamental grasses: Swaying plumes next to the orange Turk’s caps in late summer.
• Ferns: A fresh, cool underplanting in partial shade.

Henry's lily: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant the bulbs in March–April or October–November, when the ground is not frozen or too wet, and as soon as possible after buying.
2. Dig a hole about 25 cm deep and put some coarse sand in the bottom for drainage.
3. Set the bulb on it so that the top is about 20 cm below the surface: the stem also forms roots above the bulb.
4. Push the support cane in at planting time, so you will not hit the bulb later.
5. Fill the hole, firm the soil and water.
6. Mark the spot and cover it with a layer of compost.

Care

Watering

Water generously in dry summer weather, especially while the buds are forming. Avoid wet feet.

Feeding

In spring, when the shoots appear, compost or a high-potash fertiliser.

Support

Tie the stem loosely to the cane as it grows; otherwise the heavy flower head can snap it.

Mulching

A layer of compost or low plants around the base keep the roots cool.

Spent flowers

Cut off faded flowers to prevent seeding, but leave the stem and leaves.

In a pot

Possible in a deep pot of at least 30 cm; water regularly in summer.

Tip: Put in a sturdy cane at planting time, so you do not spear the bulb later. Low plants around the base keep the roots cool while the flowers stand in the light.

Henry's lily: when to prune it?

When: Henry’s lily is not really pruned. You cut off the faded flowers and, in late autumn, the dead stem.

How:

• Cut off faded flowers just below the bloom and leave the leaves on the stem.
• Leave the stem until it is yellow and dry in October–November: until then it feeds the bulb.
• Then cut the dead stem off just above the ground.

Caution: Never cut the stem while it is green. If you cut lilies for a vase, leave at least half the stem with its leaves on the plant.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Scales

In autumn, snap a few outer scales off the bulb, put them in a plastic bag with barely moist vermiculite or seed compost and keep it warm. After 6–8 weeks small bulblets form; pot them up.

Stem bulblets

When lifting the bulb you sometimes find small bulblets on the underground part of the stem. Plant them straight away in a pot or nursery bed; they flower after a few years.

Seed

Sow fresh seed in autumn in a pot; it takes several years before the seedlings flower.

Henry's lily: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −25 °C: no protection is needed in open ground.
• Wet winters are more dangerous than frost: make sure the soil is well-drained.
• A layer of compost or leaf mould in autumn protects and feeds the bulb.
• In a pot: stand the pot sheltered against a wall and protect it in severe frost with hessian, or move it into an unheated garage.

Diseases and pests

• Lily beetle: A bright red beetle; the larvae hide under their own black excrement and strip the leaves. Check every week from April and pick off beetles and larvae.
• Botrytis: Brown spots on the leaves in damp weather, spreading quickly. Remove affected leaves, water at the base and choose an airy spot.
• Bulb rot: The bulbs rot in wet soil. Plant on a layer of coarse sand and avoid spots where water stands.
• Slugs: They eat the young shoots in spring. Pick them off in the evening.
• Falling stems: Caused by wind or the weight of the flowers. Put in a sturdy cane at planting time.

Through the year

• March: Plant bulbs. Put in the support cane.
• April: Plant bulbs. The shoots appear: watch out for slugs and lily beetles.
• May: Give compost or high-potash fertiliser. Tie the stems to the cane.
• June: Water in dry weather. Pick off lily beetles.
• July: In bud. Keep tying in the stems and water.
• August: In flower. Cut off faded flowers.
• September: In flower. Water in dry weather.
• October: Plant bulbs. Take scales. Let the stems die back.
• November: Plant bulbs. Cut off dead stems; a layer of compost or leaf mould.
• December: Rest.

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?

• It is named after Augustine Henry, an Irish doctor and plant collector who worked in China at the end of the 19th century.
• The stem also forms its own roots above the bulb, which is why it is planted so deep.
• Henry’s lily has been widely used to breed new lilies: the Aurelian hybrids, among others, count it among their ancestors.