LILIES

INTRODUCTION:

• Lilies are one of the most popular flowers in the

UK, next only to the Rose. Globally, Lilies rank
fourth among the flowers in popularity. Different
kinds of lilies are commonly grown in the gardens.
Lilies are best suited for growing in flower and
shrubbery borders and in pots.
• Kingdom Plantae
• Division Magnoliophyta
• Class Liliopsida
• Order Liliales
• Family Liliaceae
• Genus Lilium
• Lilium, the genus, is the Latin form of the Greek word
'Lerion' for the Madonna Lily.
• Red lily was first described by the famous Swedish
botanist Carl von Linne (Linnaeus) in 1753.
• Lilies are one of the most beautiful and graceful of all
summer-blooming flowers.
• Lilies belong to the Lilium genus consisting of less than
100 known species, occurring in all parts of the
Northern Hemisphere.
• Lilies are believed to have been under cultivation longer
than any other ornamental flower, having existed in
gardens 3,000 years ago.
• Floral designs, particularly of Lilies, made their
appearance and became very popular in the 18th dynasty
of Egypt.
 MAJOR GROWING COUNTRIES:

• Lilies are hardy plants (can tolerate up to – 4o C). They are

mainly grown in cool moist temperature areas of the world,
namely
• Netherlands (Leader), Israel, U.S.A. (Oregon), South Africa,
Japan, Chile, Italy, New Zealand, Mexico.
• In India, Ooty/Nilgiris, Himachal Pradesh, Upper Himalayan
regions of Uttranchal and Uttrakhand extending upto North-
Eastern States has a potential for lily growing.
 TRUE LILIES:
• There are many kinds of flowers, which have been called
"Lilies", but many of these so-called Lilies such as the day-lily,
water-lily and arum-lily, actually belong to other groups of
flowering plants.
• Plants in the Lilies grow from Bulbs or Corms, both of which
will store food over the winter or during the dry season.
• Unlike other Lilies, these vines produce their flowers in
spherical clusters called Umbels, as in Bomarea.
• True Lilies are composed of fleshy scales without a protective
outer coating.
• True Lilies are never dormant.
 LILIES POPULAR AS GIFT:

• Lilies are very popular as gifts in many forms.

• You can gift a lily flower bouquet for your beloved.
• Among the flower bouquets of lilies, Star Gazer and Cassa
Blanca lily bouquets are the most sought after floral
bouquets.
• Besides bouquets, lily bulbs as well as potted lily plants are
also popular gifts.
 TYPES OF LILIES:
In commercial cut flower growing there are three main
types of lilies, with following characterization:
Asiatic Oriental Longiflorum
Smaller plants with small Larger plants with large Larger plants with trumpet
saucer-shaped flowers and saucer-shaped flowers and shaped flowers.
short narrow leaves. large leaves.
Flowers in 10 – 13 weeks Flowers in 14 – 19 weeks Flowers in 14-17 weeks
Generally fetch lower prices Generally fetch good prices Generally fetch higher prices

Easy to grow More difficult and expensive Easy to grow but more
to grow difficult and expensive to
handle
Popular varieties:
Dream land (white) Star Grazer (Pink) White Europe
Brunello (Orange) Mero star Snow Queen
Navona (white) Siberia
Connecticut King Casa Blanca (White)
Asiatic Lilies- Lilium Asiatic
Oriental Lilies- Lilium Oriental
Origin:
Asiatic Lilies- As the name suggests, Asiatic Lilies are native to
Asia, and are found in several regions in Asia.
Oriental Lilies- Oriental Lilies are hybrids developed from a few
species native to Japan.
Fragrance:
Asiatic Lilies- Asiatic Lilies have no or very little any fragrance.
Oriental Lilies- Oriental Lilies are heavily scented flowers. Most
people find the fragrance as pleasant, but some people find it
unpleasant.
Flowering Time:
Asiatic Lilies- They are early bloomers and bloom in early spring.
Oriental Lilies- They bloom later than most of the lilies in summer
and mid-fall.
There are numerous Lily varieties. But, among the Lily
varieties, only groups like the Asiatic and Orientals are the
most popular flowers and widely grown.

• Asiatic Lilies - small flowers, less fragrant, wide colors.

• Trumpet/Aurelian Lilies
• Oriental Lilies : - Have strong fragrances, few colors, larger,
flowers
• The Wild Lilies
• Martagon hybrid Lilies – Edible and Esculent herbs
• Candidum hybrid Lilies
• American hybrids Lilies
• Longiflorum hybrid Lilies - strong, sweet fragrance, large
funnel shaped flowers, usually white.
• Lilies are really excellent plants for beds and
borders. Lilies are suitable for use in a shrub
border, as accent plants, a formal or naturalized
pool planting.
• Even some of the small species would fit perfectly
in an alpine rock garden.
 FLORAL EXTRACTS OF LILY:
• The oil extracted from lilies has healing and
softening properties. Especially, when the lily
fragrance oil is mixed with that of calendula works
wonderful for very sensitive skin.
• We can use this oil for massage, in a bath, after a
bath, for babies, dry cuticles, and elbows, as a facial
moisturizer, under-eye oil and hot-oil treatment.
• Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) is the archetypal
flower symbolizing purity. The association of
Madonna lily with the Virgin Mary dates back to an
early Christian legend, in which her tomb was filled
with Lilies after her assumption into heaven.
 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF LILIES

• Scientific Name- Lilium auratum

• Common Name -Japanese golden rayed lily
• Common Uses
Lily from Japan, white bowl shaped flowers with
a golden ray down the centre of petals and
crimson spots. The flowers are fragrant and will
make a great cut flower
• Scientific Name -Lilium bulbiferum
• Common Name -Orange lily
• Common Uses
The bulbs edible. Sweet and mealy, these lilies make
very fair eating and can be used as a substitute to
potato.
 The bulb is employed
for medicinal purposes,
Lilium candidum Madonna lily having highly
demulcent and also
astringent properties.

relieve congestion, and

Lilium henryi Henry's lily the nausea and vomiting
of pregnancy

nourishing and useful in

Lilium japonicum Krameri
diseases of the chest
 Lily from with light
glowing orage colored
flowers with purplish
black spots and
Lilium tigrinum Tiger lily protruding stamens.
They are late
flowering, black stem
bulbils with stem
rooting
Lilium lancifolium Tiger lily produce edible bulbs

Rrumpet shaped, white

and waxy flowers that
Lilium longiflorum Easter lily are early flowering and
stem rooting, mostly
used in flower beds
 The bulb has diuretic,
emmenagogue,
emollient and
expectorant
Martagon lily, Turkscap
Lilium martagon properties. They are
lily
used to relieve heart
diseases, pain in the
cardiac region and
angina pectoris.

The flowers are 1.5

meters tall, red in color
with a yellow centre
Lilium pardalinum Panther lily
and maroon spots on it,
the bulbs of which are
edible.
 Plant in groups
Lilium regale Regal lily integrated in a
perennial border.

The flowers diffuse a

Lilium speciosum Japanese lily powerful sweet
honey perfume.

Lilium canadense lily Scented use

 GROWING LILIES:

• Lilies are propagated mainly by means of Bulbs.

• They are also grown from seeds, scales, bulbils and bulblets.
• Although the lilies grown from seeds are more disease resistant,
the only disadvantage with growing lilies from seeds is that the
lily plants take a longer time to bloom may be, in some cases, even
five to six years. Hence, bulbs are very much preferred to grow
lilies.
• The ideal location will for Lilies provides direct sun all morning
during the summer, with partial shade during hot afternoon hours.
 BULKING UP OF BULBS:
• For the first time, the undersized certified bulbs are
needed to be planted in the open field as early as possible
in spring.
• The bulbs have to be irrigated, fertilized and grown as any
other bulb crop in cool, clean, moist, pest free land.
• The flowers should be removed as they appear. When
foliage has died back into the bulb, they are lifted out.
• Bulbs are cleaned, graded and kept in cold storage.
 STORAGE OF BULBS:

• To ensure satisfactory long term storage of lily bulbs they

should be packed in plastic film containing slightly moist
potting compost.
• Then they are frozen and stored at the following store
temperatures:
• Asiatic - 2o C
• Oriental - 1.5o C
• Longiflorum - 1.5o C
• Other hybrids - 2o C
• Bulbs of Asiatic hybrids can be stored up to a year without
showing any deterioration in quality (Bulbs stored for a longer
period will develop more rapidly, but plants will be smaller
with fewer buds).
• Bulbs of Oriental and Longiflorum cannot be stored for more
than 8 months. They start deteriorating. Bulbs of lilies that
have not been frozen cannot be stored for long periods
(storage duration depends on the storage temperature). On
average unfrozen bulbs can be stored at a temperature of
approximately 1oC for a maximum of 2 weeks and at 5oC for a
maximum of 1 week only.
 FORCING OF BULBS:
• A six to eight week cold storage period of 2oC
to 5oC for Asiatics and Longiflorums and
• Eight weeks for Orientals is needed to induce
the flowers. This is an essential part of the
forcing process.
• Ideal green house temperature
- Mean maximum during the day 22oC
- Mean minimum during the night 13
– 17oC Soil temperature below 20oC
- Large fluctuation causes leaf scorch
 PLANTING DENSITY:
Planting density depends on bulb size.
Bulb size Asiatics Orientals Longiflorum
10 – 12 cm 63 – 90 cm - -
12 – 15 54 – 80 - -
15 – 17 45 – 72 - 27 – 63
17 – 20 36 – 62 36 – 54 27 – 45
20 – 22 - 36 – 54 27 – 45
23 – 25 - 27 – 36 27 – 36
25+ - 27 – 36 -
• Proper spacing usually is 12 to 18 inches
apart, but it varies according to the variety
selected.
• Under very high light the lily bulbs could
be planted close together to stretch the
stems. Under low light, they are planted
further apart to reduce competition.
 IDEAL SOIL:
• Well – drained sterile medium with pH 5.5 to 7.0 is most ideal
for Lilium cultivation and the soil should also be fluoride free
PLANTING DEPTH:
• Bulbs are planted at a depth of 20-25 cm. Stem develops
lateral neck roots above the bulb as it grows.
 FEEDING:
• Ca (NO3)2 and KNO3 is mixed in the ratio of 2:1 and 3.6 kg
mixture per 1000 litres of water is applied once in a week.
NPK 19:19:19 or NPK 14:14:14 is applied weekly or as
deemed necessary.
IRRIGATION:
• Most important requirement of an irrigation system is even water
distribution. An overhead irrigation system is preferable.
• Trickle hoses may be used to prevent tall, top-heavy plants from
toppling.
• Lily is susceptible to salty water. EC of irrigation water should be
below 0.5/ms/cm.
 LILIES PLANT CARE:
• Lilies do not require daily watering, but when watering, be
sure to water deeply enough to reach the bulb.
• Feed the plants with a balanced fertilizer every few weeks
during the growing season. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers.
• Remove seedpods when they appear.
• Also, remove stems and foliage when leaves become yellow.
• Mulch should be removed in late fall.
• Keep lilies blooming by removing blossoms as they fade. This
prevents the plant from expending all of its energy producing
seed.
 COMMON PROBLEMS
• Botrytis
• Bud drop
• Leaf scorch
• Iron deficiency
• The bulbs should disinfect against root rot complex (Like
Pythium, Pencillium, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora)
 HARVESTING/POST-HARVEST HANDLING:
• The stems should be cut when the first flower is fully colored, but not
yet open.
• They should be stripped of 5 cm of their lower leaves and put into
clean water with a preservative and STS.
• The field heat should be taken out in a cooler at 2.5oC.
• Grading is done based on the number of calyx per stem. Minimum
requirement is 4 stem per bunch with 20 buds per bunch.
 VASE LIFE:
Asiatic : 7 – 14 days
Orientals : 10 – 15 days