Image – Wikimedia Commons / Jim Evans
Of all the bulbous plants that we can find for sale, there is one that always attracts significant attention: the Oriental lily. Something that is not surprising: its large and colorful flowers are spectacular, very, very beautiful.
But how do you take care of these amazing bulbous plants? Are they to be pruned or fertilized? We will talk about this and much more below.
Origin and characteristics of the oriental Lilium
Image – Wikimedia / Jim Capaldi from Springfield, USA
The Lilium, also known as Azucena, is a bulbous plant that belongs to the botanical family Liliaceae. Its flowers, which sprout in spring-summer, are trumpet-shaped, large, and fragrant, with very bright colors (orange, white, pink, red). It can reach a height of 1 metercharacteristic for which it can be planted in the gardens, thus creating colored rugs; but you can also have it in a pot, since its root system is not invasive.
There are many hybrids, which have been classified into two large groups depending on their origin: they are the Asian hybrids and the eastern hybrids. In this article we are going to focus on the latter, since they have large flowers and emit a very pleasant aroma. Some of the best known cultivars are:
- Casablanca: white flower.
- Devotion: White flower.
- Stargazer: dark pink flower.
- The dream: pink flower.
- Rosé: light pink flower.
Their range of colors is not as extensive as that of Asiatic lilies, but they are certainly well worth having in a garden or on the balcony.
How are they cared for?
Location
A good place would be, for example, under a tree if you want to have it in your private green corner, or under a roof in the patio.
Irrigation
If we talk about watering, it should be infrequent, since the bulb is very easy to rot. To avoid it, you have to water 2-3 times a summer, and every 5-10 days the rest of the year.
Earth
Image – Flickr / FD Richards
Recommended use substrates with good drainage if we have it in a potor fill in the planting hole with garden soil mixed with 20% of perlite.
Subscriber
It is highly advisable to pay it with a specific fertilizer for bulbous plants (for sale here!), or with one for flowering plants in spring and summer. But be careful, you must read the indications that are specified on the container on how to use it, since that will be the only way to avoid having problems due to overdose.
Plantation
So that it grows in conditions, the bulb is to be planted in late winter / early springin a very bright area but where the light does not shine directly, since otherwise it will not be able to grow or develop well.
In the garden
The step by step to follow is as follows:
- First, you have to dig a hole about 15 inches deep.
- Then, fill it about 10 centimeters (more or less) with black peat mixed with perlite in equal parts.
- Then insert the bulb. It should not be very buried. Theirs is that, if it is about 3 centimeters high, it is buried about 6 centimeters above the ground level. In addition, the narrowest part must face upwards, since it will be from there that the leaves and flowers will sprout.
- Finally, finish filling and water.
Potted
If you want to have it in a pot, follow these steps:
- First, choose a pot that is about 20 inches in diameter for about the same height.
- Then fill it up a bit with universal plant substrate.
- Then, insert the bulb with the narrowest part facing up, so that it is about 3 centimeters buried.
- Finally, finish filling the pot and water.
Transplantation (of plants)
Oriental lilies with flowers are sold during the spring. Therefore, if you get one, it is highly recommended that you plant it in a pot about 3-4 centimeters in diameter wider using universal substrate. Another option is to plant it in the garden, trying not to manipulate the roots too much.
Plagues and diseases
Among the most common pests and diseases that affect it, we highlight, on the one hand, the aphidswhich can be combated by spraying the plant with Neem oil; and on the other, the mushrooms of the Botrytiswhich can be prevented by treating the plant preventively with copper or sulfur (do not use if you have domestic animals) in spring, or with natural fungicides sold in nurseries.
Pruning
And by the way, although it should not be pruned, it does you can cut its flowers to decorate your home for a few days. Here we tell you how they are maintained .
Multiplication
The Eastern Lilium multiplies by separating the small bulbs that sprout from the »mother bulb» in winter or spring. If you are going to remove the plant from the ground or from the pot, you can take the opportunity to separate the bulbs and save them for planting in spring.
On the other hand, if you leave it where it is, in spring you can remove some of the soil around it to make its bulbs visible. Then, you just have to separate them and plant them in other places.
Rusticity
The Eastern Liliun can be grown all year round outdoorswithout the need to remove the bulb in winter, as long as the minimum temperature does not drop below 3 degrees below zero. Otherwise, the ideal is to protect the bulb indoors, in a dry and dark place.
Where to buy?
Image – Wikimedia / FD Richards from Clinton, MI
You can buy bulbs from here!.
The oriental Lilium is a bulbous very loved by all. Its elegant flowers are very pretty, don’t you think?
