Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 3/5/2004

Question
I am a writer, and am using a lot of symbolism revolving around lilies. My question is: When do lilies bloom? Is there a particular time of the year, season, month? Thanks.  

Answer
Lilies generally start to bloom in late spring/early summer when the nights are cool and when the days are getting longer and warmer.

Lilies are commonly split into two main groups: asiatics and orientals

asiatic lilies are the first to bloom (may/june) and they are very colorful with bright drastic colors: red, yellow, orange, purple, etc. these lilies are somewhat shorter than the orientals (e.g. 3-4 feet vs 5-6 feet) but usually they have no scent. They multiply readily. it is not uncommon to buy one asiatic lily one year and have 4-6 blooming lilies a few years later.

the orientals bloom later (july/september). the flowers are usually larger, have greater texture, and can be extremely fragrant. the colors are more suttle and the texture of the petals tend to be more delicate. e.g. compare a strawberry milkshake (oriental) to a strawberry popcicle (asiatic) for example. Orientals generally do not propagate as easily and readily as asiatics.

Many people believe that orientals are unsurpassed in beauty. Regal, tall, taking their time to flower, but the show is well worth it. Very large, textured flowers with unmistakable fragrance. Others love the screaming bright - in your face - colors of the asiatic lilies in spring when the the summer garden is still to develop.

There are of course exceptions. you can have asiatics which bloom very late, you have orientals which are not fragrant and which flower very early. There are also species lilies and very particular types of lilies which fall outside the two main groups. One example are the pumilum lilies which are high with a very high number of flowers pointing towards the ground (normally asiatics are upfacing and orientals are up or side facing). Minitaure (pixie) versions of orientals and asiatics also exists.

Tiger lilies are similar to asiatics except they are spotted and can carry lily virus inside them without showing it (e.g. like a trojan horse)

The two main groups: asiatics and orientals are well established and best known.

Finally note: there is a lot of plants which borrow the lily name. Lilies (orientals, asiatics, pumilum, tiger, etc) are all of the genus LILIUM. Other plants may be known as 'lilies' but really they are not 'true lilies'.

Examples: daylilies (heremocalis), calla lilies (callas), canna lilies (cannas), toad lily (tricyrtis), plantain lily (hosta), sword lily (gladiolous) etc. You may say that they are all 'lily wanna-bees'. A lot of people believe daylilies, canna lilies and calla lilies are part of the lily group. They are fundamentally different, however.

I hope this was what you were looking for.