Lilium lancifolium
A hardy Asian lily with tall stems and nodding orange flowers speckled with purple-brown spots, Turk's-cap shaped, bearing bulbils in the upper leaf axils, often naturalizes in eastern North America, and is toxic to cats.
Common Names
Tiger Lily, Tiger Lilies, Lance-Leaved Tiger Lily, Ditch Lily, Trench Lily
Summary
Tiger Lily, Lilium lancifolium, is a bulbous, herbaceous perennial native to East Asia. It grows 3–5 feet tall on an unbranched stem with alternate leaves densely arranged in pseudo-whorls. The flowers are bright orange with bold black spots, six recurved tepals, and are nodding; bloom occurs in mid- to late summer and the plant is unscented. Bulbils form in upper leaf axils, enabling rapid clonal spread; hardiness is USDA zones 3–9.
Preferring full sun to partial shade, it thrives in well-drained soil with regular moisture. Plant bulbs in fall or spring and propagate by bulbs or bulbils. Commonly grown as an ornamental in borders or as cut flowers, Tiger Lily can also be grown in containers. It is toxic to cats; common pests include lily leaf beetles and aphids; generally low-maintenance and capable of naturalizing in suitable gardens.
Lifecycle
Perennial (can be grown as an annual in colder climates).
Height
24-72 inches
Spread
6-9 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Sun to Partial Shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained, loamy soil rich in humus, slightly acidic (pH 6.0–6.5) with consistent moisture.
Soil Drainage
Moist but well-drained soil
Soil pH
6.0-6.5, Slightly acidic
Bloom Color
Orange
Bloom Time
Summer to Fall
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Slow to moderate growth
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division, Bulblets, Bulbils, Scaling
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees and butterflies
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Thunb.
- Publication
- Trans. Linn. Soc. London 2: 333 (1794)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Liliales
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Genus
- Lilium
Synonyms
Lilium leopoldii Lilium tigrinum Lilium lancifolium var. splendens Lilium lancifolium var. fortunei Lilium tigrinum var. plenescens Lilium tigrinum var. fortunei Lilium tigrinum var. splendens Lilium lancifolium var. flaviflorum Lilium lancifolium var. densum Lilium tigrinum var. erectum Lilium lancifolium unr. melpomene Lilium lancifolium unr. album Lilium lishmanni