Tiger Lily (Lilium lancifolium)

Tiger lily gets its name from its flower color: black marks on an orange background resemble the skin of a tiger. But keep it away from house cats because it’s poisonous to our feline friends. This is an extremely hardy plant, making it popular in chilly New England.

I. Appearance and Characteristics 

Lilium lancifolium (syn. L. tigrinum) is an Asian species of lily, native to China, Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East. It is widely planted as an ornamental because of its showy orange-and-black flowers, and sporadically occurs as a garden escapee in North America, particularly the eastern United States including New England, and has made incursions into some southern states such as Georgia.

It has the English name tiger lily, but that name has been applied to other species as well.

Lilium lancifolium (syn. L. tigrinum) is an Asian species of lily, native to China, Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East. It is widely planted as an ornamental because of its showy orange-and-black flowers, and sporadically occurs as a garden escapee in North America, particularly the eastern United States including New England, and has made incursions into some southern states such as Georgia.

It has the English name tiger lily, but that name has been applied to other species as well.

Like other true lilies, the flowers are borne on upright stems that are 80–200 centimetres (31–79 inches) tall and bear lanceolate leaves 6–10 cm (2+1⁄2–4 in) long and 1–2 cm (3⁄8–3⁄4 in) broad. L. lancifolium produces aerial bulblets, known as bulbils, in the leaf axils. These bulbils are uncommon in Lilium species and they produce new plants that are clones of the original plant.

The flowers are odorless. Each lasts a few days and if pollinated, produces capsules with many thin seeds.

II. Types of Tiger Lily

The familiar orange tiger lily is a pure species with no named cultivars. However, L. lancifolium has been crossed with other species to create lilies with red, pink, white, and yellow flowers. These are often unnamed cultivars and they all have the characteristic black or brown spots on petals that sharply curve backward. These two characteristics are not found together on any other types of lilies.

There are also many other related species and hybrids within the genus Lilium. Fortunately, they do not all bloom at once. Rather, they disperse their vibrant colors and bold floral shapes across June, July, and August. This makes them valued allies for gardeners who demand a colorful variety of flowers throughout the summer months. There are nine individual classes of lilies within the official classification system but most gardeners will find their needs met by these three types of lilies.

• Asiatic hybrids: These lilies generally flower in June into July, producing blooms in red, orange, yellow, white, pink, and more. These durable, easy-to-grow plants multiply and spread with little effort. These lilies fall into Division 1 in the official lily classification system.
• Easter lilies (Longiflorum hybrids): Easter lilies are often forced into early bloom pots for early spring celebrations. When planted in the garden—or if potted plants are kept growing in their pots—they usually bloom in midsummer. These lilies belong to Division 5 and feature trumpet-shaped brilliant white flowers.
• Oriental hybrids: Oriental hybrids, such as the famous stargazer lily, generally begin blooming mid- to late summer and feature large, spectacular flowers in rich colors and spicy scents. They are more delicate than Asiatic lilies and the bulbs might lose their vigor after a few years, requiring replanting. Oriental lilies fall into Division 7.

III. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

Tiger lilies prefer to grow in a sunny location with roughly at least six hours of direct sun on most days. However, these tough specimens are not nearly as fussy about growing conditions as many other flowering plants are. They will tolerate partial shade and can actually benefit when shaded from the hot afternoon sun.

Temperature and Humidity

Tiger lilies begin to grow in the spring after the last frost and go dormant in the fall and winter. If you live within their USDA hardiness zones, the temperature shouldn’t be an issue. Tiger lilies also grow well in both humid and dry environments, provided the soil moisture is appropriate. They tolerate hot summer days if the bulbs have been planted deep enough to remain cool.1 It’s a good idea to plant lower-growing annual or perennial plants near or around tiger lilies to protect their roots from drying out in hot weather.

Watering

Tiger lilies have average water needs. Mature plants can tolerate some drought, but they still prefer consistent watering. If your area receives regular rainfall, that should be sufficient to keep them happy. If the soil is very dry, you’ll probably need to water them regularly to prevent the soil from drying out.

Soil

To ensure proper soil drainage for the bulbs, you might need to amend your soil with compost or humus. Peat moss, sand, or straw mixed into the beds are also options to improve drainage and retain appropriate moisture. Otherwise, tiger lilies can tolerate various soil types, though they prefer soil that’s fairly fertile and slightly acidic.

Fertilizing

Tiger lilies don’t need much fertilizer. A layer of compost around the base of the plants once or twice a year should provide all of the nutrition they require. Apply mulch in late spring to keep the roots cool during the summer. If you want to encourage more flowering, you can use a 5-10-5 fertilizer. When growing these plants in alkaline soils, feeding with an acidifying fertilizer might be beneficial.

Pruning

As summer eases towards fall, your lilies will die back. Cut back the stalks when all the leaves yellow. Remove them to the ground, and allow the plant to go dormant for the winter. Annual pruning prevents future plant diseases in your garden and reduces pests. When spring comes again, divide your tiger lilies before new shoots form, or allow them to come back on their own. If you live somewhere with sub-freezing temperatures during winter, spread 2 to 3 inches of mulch overtop. This protects the bulbs. Dormant bulbs may experience damage if they repeatedly freeze and thaw, though.

Propagation

Propagation is possible in your garden by bulbil or by division of the roots. Do this during the spring before new growth appears. Dividing them in the fall in warmer climates is possible as well. Bulb division requires digging up the plant carefully when it’s dormant and gently separating individual bulbs. Replant them separately with the pointed side aimed upward. Bulbils form along the stem of the plant at leaf axils. Carefully remove these and pot them as if they were bulbs to grow a new plant. They’ll take an extra year of time to form a tiger flower, so it’s a slower process. Most tiger lily species are aggressive spreaders. Divide your plants every couple of years so they don’t take up space in your garden beds. Pot them and give away divided plants to friends, or compost them. Keep them contained to have healthy, happy blooms in your garden.

How to Grow From Seed

It’s easy to grow tiger lilies from their seeds, or bulbils. Plant them in the fall after they’ve ripened on their parent plant or in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. Take these steps:

• Plant each bulbil, roots downward, roughly 1/2 to 1 inch deep in the soil.
• Place them in a spot that receives bright, indirect light.
• Keep the soil lightly moist but never soggy.
• Root growth will occur over the winter, followed by foliage growth once the temperature warms in the spring.

Repotting

If the potted lily you are gardening has stopped producing blooms, it might not have enough room for its roots to grow. At this point, repot it into a larger pot, or divide it in the spring or fall into multiple pots for more flowers in your garden. Plant tiger lilies at the same level of soil they were planted before. Give them well-draining soil that’s rich to provide plenty of nutrition.

Pests and Diseases

Tiger Lily Growing Problems

If you’re gardening potted tiger lilies, don’t leave them in standing water. Overly-wet soil leads to optimal disease conditions. Check the soil with a fingertip and water when it feels dry. Without proper drainage, you may have trouble obtaining blooms. In this case, wait for fall, and gently remove the bulb with attached roots, then add some agricultural sand. Plant the bulbs into the garden, and they’ll bloom bright orange tiger lily flowers next year. 

Common Pests

Aphids are a common garden pest. Control them with neem oil. They transmit plant diseases to the rest of your garden during feeding. Because lily can host other plant diseases, keep aphids at bay. Plant plants that beneficial insects enjoy – ladybugs in this case –  to attract them to your garden where they’ll thrive on an aphid diet. Establish these around your lilies before they bloom in summer and the likelihood of attracting beneficials increases.

The red lily beetle dines upon the leaves of lily species. Small holes in the leaves are a sign the beetle is present in your garden. While it’s still not widespread in the U.S., it’s at risk of becoming so if not kept under control. Avoid this pest by regularly spraying your plants with neem oil. Neem repels adults and kills larval and egg stages of the beetle. Spinosad sprays have also shown effectiveness in killing adult lily beetles.

Common Diseases

Tiger lilies are a known carrier of lily mosaic virus. The first sign of this disease is yellowed streaking on the leaves of your plant. Note that while this mosaic virus doesn’t harm in most cases, infected ones can transmit it to other lilies nearby, especially if aphids are present in summer. Keep your plants away from other lily species for this reason.

The biggest plant disease that impacts tiger lilies is basal rot. Present in warm, moist soil, often in the heat of summer, this causes bulb rot and can be catastrophic. One sign basal rot has set in is a mushy and browning stem. Prevent this by providing excellent drainage in the soil and not over watering during the summer months.

Overwintering

Tiger lilies will go dormant over the winter. The bulbs can survive freezing temperatures in the ground, but they’ll benefit from a couple of inches of mulch over their planting site for insulation. Also, make sure the planting site never becomes waterlogged, as the bulbs need very little water while they’re dormant.

III. Uses and Benefits 

Tiger lily is prized for its distinctive orange blooms, which really stand out in sunny gardens. Used to add bright splashes of color, often behind lower-growing plants, the bulbs can be planted near shallow-rooting annuals like cosmos, marigolds, pansies, and snapdragons to ensure a constant display of color in the garden through the spring and summer.