Bulb
Regal lily
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in June | Flowers in July | ||||||||||
| Plant | Plant in March | Plant in April | Plant in October | |||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in June | Looks good in July |
Overview
Lilium regale produces clusters of large white trumpets, flushed purple-pink outside with golden throats, and a heady scent that carries across the garden on July evenings. It was introduced from western China in the early twentieth century and remains one of the easiest lilies to grow. 'Album' lacks the purple flush for an all-white look. Plants often grow taller and produce more flowers each year once settled.
Where to grow regal lily
Plant lilies where the flower heads reach full sun but low perennials or shrubs shade the base and keep the roots cool. They are excellent in deep pots near a door or seating area, where you can enjoy the fragrance. Avoid heavy, wet clay.
Planting
Plant bulbs in autumn or early spring, 15–20cm deep, as regal lilies root from the stem above the bulb. Add grit beneath each bulb on heavier soil. In pots, use a loam-based compost with extra grit and plant three bulbs per 30cm pot.
Care through the year
Spring
Start checking for lily beetles as shoots appear. Feed pots fortnightly with a high-potash fertiliser once buds form.
Summer
Stake tall stems in exposed sites. Water pots in dry weather and deadhead faded flowers.
Autumn
Cut stems down once they turn brown. Top-dress pots with fresh compost.
Winter
Keep pots on the dry side and sheltered from heavy rain.
Pruning
Remove faded flowers, leaving the stem and leaves to feed the bulb. Cut stems to ground level only once they have died back.
Propagation
Lilies can be grown from bulb scales: snap a few outer scales off in autumn, place them in a bag of damp vermiculite and wait for tiny bulblets to form. Regal lily also grows readily from seed, flowering within a couple of years.
Common problems
Lily beetle is the major pest. The bright red adults and their slimy larvae strip leaves fast; pick them off by hand, holding a palm underneath as they drop. Botrytis causes brown leaf spots in wet summers. Slugs attack new shoots and vine weevil grubs eat bulbs in pots.
Guides to the problems most likely to affect regal lily:
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in March, April and October. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.