Tiger Lilies Can Add Vivid Colors And Exciting Shapes
Tiger Lilies are beautiful flowers that are often used in gardens for their colorful petals and unique shape. This is a great flower to use in your garden because it can grow in many different types of soil. They also have some really beautiful colors that you can enjoy all summer long.
Tiger Lily plants are native to parts of China, Japan, and Korea where the bulbs are edible and can be used in many dishes and soups. The plant is not known for its taste but for the beautiful flowers it produces. This plant is now grown throughout the world including the US.
The tiger lily can grow 3 to 4 feet tall and the flowers measure 3 inches across. They will grow around 10 flowers per stem and come in a variety of colors, which makes them very attractive ornamental plants. You might have to stake the plants because of their height and the number of flowers produced on each stem. The tiger lily is an easy flower to grow, and they are often used as cut flowers because they last a long time when they are dried out. They can be planted in the ground or in pots.
The original tiger lily (Lilium tigrinum ‘Splendens’) has a large orange flower covered with black spots on its petals. It has a strong, sweet fragrance. The flowers grow in mass on a single stem. The plant features curved sepals. Orange tiger lilies are very easy to grow and since they are perennial return year after year even in cold climates as long as they are planted in well-draining soil. Newer tiger lilies are available in white, cream, yellow, pink, and red, all with black spots.
Planting Tiger Lilies
Orange Tiger Lilies are extremely easy to grow and will come back year after year even in some of America’s coldest climates. Lilies like the sun, but will tolerate half-shade exposure. The plant can benefit from being shaded from the afternoon sun. They prefer well-draining soil that is neutral to acidic. Hardiness zones 3-9.
This plant has average water needs. Once the plant is established, they can tolerate some drought but would prefer regular watering. If you live in an area that has regular rainfall, that should be enough to satisfy them. If you live in a drier climate you will have to water them.
Tiger Lilies grow in the spring after the last frost and go dormant or rest in the fall and winter. If you live in hardiness zones 3-9, the temperature will not be an issue. The bulbs can remain in the ground as they will survive freezing temperatures. In colder weather, the bulbs could benefit from a couple of inches of mulch over their planting location to protect and insulate them.
These flowers will thrive in both humid or dry locations as long as soil moisture is adequate. Plant the bulbs deep enough so they can tolerate the hot summer days. Since these flowers grow so tall try planting low-growing annual or perennial plants near them to protect their roots from the hot summer temperatures.
As soon as the flowers start to wilt, pinch off the spent blooms. This will encourage further blooming and prevent diseases from breeding on the dead flowers.
Fertilizing Tiger Lilies
To keep your tiger lilies healthy fertilize them once a month. Start doing this when the shoots first appear in the spring until the plant dies back in fall. Feeding can be in the form of organic mulch. The mulch will decompose and add nutrients. The mulch also provides shade to the plant, keeping its roots cool. If your soil is alkaline, fertilizing them with an acidifying fertilizer will be helpful.
Pests & Plant Diseases
Tiger lilies are not susceptible to diseases. They do harbor viruses, such as lily mosaic virus, that can harm other types of lilies, so do not plant them near your other lilies. If you think your plant might have this disease, the plant and bulbs should be pulled and destroyed. Do not add it to your compost bin.
