One of the plants that generates controversy when it comes to knowing if you are indoors or outdoors is the Lilium. It is popularly known as lily and it is a bulbous plant, of the perennial herbaceous type that has scaly bulbs. People wonder if the Lilium plant is indoor or outdoor since it is not known with certainty. Faced with such a question, we can say that it is a mainly indoor plant but it can also be had outdoors although its care is different.
Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you if the Lilium plant is indoor or outdoor and what are the care in each of them.
Key features
The genus Lilium includes about 100 species that coexist in the vast temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Of these, about twelve are native to Europe, two are from North America, and about sixty are from Asia.
Lilies belong to the Liliaceae family and a large part of its varieties are used in the ornamental market. Depending on the species or variety selected, they can be used in cut flowers, potted plants, and even in gardening. Ornamental lilies are known for their scaly lily bulbs, calyces, large trumpet- or turban-shaped flowers and decorative flowers, and long stems with sessile leaves.
Its root system is very peculiar. On the one hand, has a bulb with fleshy scaleswhich are actually modified leaves that are used to store water and store nutrients. On the other hand, its fleshy roots are of the utmost importance in its cultivation, so those roots that appear with the bulb before planting must be protected because they play an important role in nutrition during the first stage of their development. We have the so-called stem roots, which are present in most lilies, which are discharged in the buried part but above the bulbs, which they are particularly useful for absorbing water and nutrients.
The leaves of the lilies are dark green, with parallel veins, lanceolate or lanceolate oval, 10-15 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. As for its flowers, they are large and located at the end of the stem. With the appearance of horns, turbans or holy grails, they can stand or hang, depending on the hybrid group to which they belong. Please note that there are many colors, mainly white, pink, red, yellow and combinations of these colors.
Once its flower is fertilized, it will produce fruit, although it has no commercial value. It is shaped like a three-chambered sac, containing approximately 200 flat, winged seeds.
Take care of the lily
As flowers, we will only do what is necessary and do our best to make your life in the vase as long as possible. To do this, we will place them in a vase immediately after returning home, we will try to cut the base of the stem by approximately one centimeter, and We will use slanted incisions if possible to increase the contact surface with the water. It will be clean and we will add floral preservatives.
If possible, we will place the vase in a well-lit place so that your flowers maintain the intensity of the color, and we will change the water every day or as often as possible. Each time we change the water, we will trim the base of its stem a little more (about one centimeter is enough), and for the first time we will add flower preservatives.
It is important not to place the bouquet in a place well ventilated to avoid premature dehydration. If we buy or grow potted lilies, we will appreciate them as ornamental flower plants. It will last longer and we can train it again year after year.
We will put it at home and provide as much light as possible so that the color of your flowers does not lose intensity. This is a very simple crop that requires almost no care. Simply water regularly to prevent the substrate from staying dry, and use type 18-12-24 fertilizer and trace elements at the manufacturer’s recommended dosage.
Once your flower withers, its stem can be cut off with the first leaf below the flower. After a few weeks, we can reduce the watering until the whole plant dries. When the plants are dry, we can remove the bulbs, clean them and store them in a dark and dry placeuntil early spring or early autumn (depending on the variety), we will plant them again.
For their new planting, we will bury them about 10 cm, but there is enough soil underneath (at least about 20 cm) so that their roots can grow normally. In view of its simplicity, a suitable substrate may be a ‘houseplant substrate.
Is the Lilium plant indoor or outdoor?
This is the question what else amateurs ask themselves. In this case, we can say that it is a plant that works both indoors and outdoors, but they require different care. Let’s see what care it needs if we plant it in the garden.
In the garden we will look for a sunny place that is not affected by strong winds. We will remove the soil deeply, and if necessary, we will use this moment to improve the soil by adding a little mulch or humus amendment.
We will make a hole and bury each bulb at a depth twice its height. Its planting density can be about 10 cm between the bulbs. We will try to plant them in a disorderly way to avoid that they look too arranged after they grow they must have the appearance of natural vegetation.
Once the lilies have sprouted, if we see that they become very tall and we are in an area of strong wind, we can protect their stems to prevent the wind and the weight of their flowers from breaking. Once your flower has withered, you can just cut the stem of the first leaf under the flower, just for aesthetics.
I hope that with this information it has become clear if the Lilium plant is indoor or outdoor and what are its care.
