Martagon lily

Martagon lily: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Straight, unbranched stem 1–1.2 m tall, about 30 cm wide.

Leaves

Oval to lance-shaped, in whorls around the stem.

Flower

Up to twenty or more nodding flowers per stem; the petals curl back like a turban.

Colour

Dusky pink to purplish pink with small dark spots; white in var. album, dark wine red in ‘Claude Shride’.

Bulb

Yellow, made of loose scales without a protective skin; dries out quickly.

Flowering: June–July · Plants: March and September–November · Pruning: October

Why grow it?

• One of the few lilies that do well in partial shade under trees.
• Brings height and colour to the shade border in June–July.
• Very long-lived: a well-established clump flowers more freely every year.
• Ideal for naturalising in a woodland garden or among shrubs.
• Night-flying moths such as hawk-moths visit the flowers in the evening.

Martagon lily: where does it grow best?

• Partial or light shade, for example at the edge of trees or shrubs: the base cool, the flowers in the light.
• Loam or clay, well drained, neutral to chalky.
• Moist; it does not tolerate standing water in winter.
• Plant 20–30 cm apart, in groups of three or more.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal

Size

1.2 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Ferns: A green, cool base in partial shade.
• Hosta: Large leaves keep the base cool and moist.
• Columbine: Flowers just before the lily in the same partial shade.
• Lady’s mantle: A soft, yellow edging at the front.
• Foxglove: Tall, upright spikes in June, in the same spot at the woodland edge.

Martagon lily: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March and September–November.

1. Plant in September–November or in March, as soon as you have the bulbs: the scaly bulb dries out quickly.
2. Loosen the soil deeply and mix in compost and, in heavy clay, some coarse sand.
3. Set the bulb 10–15 cm deep, pointed end up.
4. Space the bulbs 20–30 cm apart.
5. Water in and mark the spot: sometimes the first shoot only appears a year later.
6. Add a mulch of leaf mould to keep the base cool.

Care

Water

Water at the base during dry spells in spring and summer.

Feeding

Compost or an organic feed for flowering plants in March–April.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould keeps the base cool and moist.

Support

Usually not needed; use a cane in a windy spot.

Spent flowers

Remove them if you do not want seed; leave the stem and its leaves until autumn.

Tip: Choose one good spot in partial shade and leave it there: after a year of settling in, it flowers more freely every year. Do not move it after that.

Martagon lily: when to prune it?

Pruning months: October.

When: Martagon lilies hardly need pruning: after flowering you may remove the seed pods, and in October the dead stem.

How:

• After flowering, remove the spent flowers, unless you want to collect seed.
• Leave the stem and its leaves until they are yellow and dry; this is how the bulb rebuilds its reserves.
• In October, cut the dead stem off just above ground level.

Caution: When cutting for the vase, take no more than a third of the stem, or the bulb will be weakened.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Scales

In autumn, snap off a few outer scales from the bulb and keep them in a bag of moist vermiculite at room temperature. After a few weeks small bulbs form on them; pot these up.

Seed

Sow ripe seed in autumn in a pot left outdoors. It germinates slowly and underground at first; seedlings take several years to flower, often five or more.

Martagon lily: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy to about −30 °C: no protection needed.
• Wet winters are a greater danger than frost: make sure the soil is well drained.
• In a pot: stand the pot in a sheltered spot against a wall and keep the compost lightly moist, not wet.

Diseases and pests

• Lily beetle: A bright red beetle and its larvae, covered in their own excrement, strip the leaves from April to August. Pick them off daily, holding a hand under the leaf, as the beetle drops to the ground.
• Grey mould: Brown spots on the leaves in wet weather. Remove affected leaves and choose an airy spot.
• Slugs: Eat the young shoots in spring. Pick them off in the evening.
• Fails to appear: In the first year after planting, sometimes nothing shows. Be patient and do not dig up the bulb.

Through the year

• March: Plant. Scatter compost. Protect young shoots from slugs.
• April: Watch for lily beetles.
• May: Pick off lily beetles. Water in dry spells.
• June: Flowering.
• July: Flowering. Afterwards, remove spent flowers or let the seed ripen.
• September: Plant bulbs. Collect and sow ripe seed.
• October: Cut off the dead stem. Plant bulbs or propagate from scales.
• November: Plant. Mulch with leaf mould.

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?

• Its common name, Turk’s cap lily, refers to the flower shape: the swept-back petals look like a turban.
• The seed germinates in two stages: first a small bulb forms underground, and only later does the first leaf appear.
• The bulb has no protective skin and is made of loose scales; that is why it dries out so quickly.