How to Grow Tiger Lilies or Day Lilies: Americas Ditch Lily

The Tiger Lily (lilium tigrinum) known also as a Day lily, grows large beautiful fiery orange flowers. It is of the oriental variety. The name tiger probably comes from the brown spots all over the flower. It is also called the "ditch lily" as it is found growing in ditches across Americana.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 

   Tiger lilies have a strong sweet smell. There are two varieties of tiger lilies, Oriental and Wildflower. The Oriental variety is a bulb that multiplies through the leaf. The wildflower variety is a tuberous root. The tiger lily is known by a wide variety of names all over the world.

2. 

   Some facts worth remembering concerning the Tiger Lily:
   
   Edible and are most often found in Asian dishes
   
   Are medicinal, relieve congestion, nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.
   
   They have six stamens (composed of anthers and filaments), one pistil (composed of the stigma, style and ovary), a long style, and a three-lobed stigma.
   
   The tiger lily carries a carrier of viral disease so keep it away from other lilies and is toxic to cats.
   
   Native Americans ate the tuberous roots, baking them as you would potatoes.

3. 

   Due to the wild nature of the Tiger Lily it is very easy to grow. They thrive in most soil conditions and have been given the name "ditch lily" due to the fact they are found growing alongside the road in some areas. It is best to plant the bulbs in cooler temperatures, in early spring or early fall. Choose a well-drained place for your lilies, where soil is loose and easy to work with. When sprouts emerge in spring, feed with a good all-purpose (balanced) fertilizer. It Seeds itself through the bulbs that produce onto the leaves. The bulbils can then be removed and new bulbs started in peat moss in a cool dry place until they are ready to be planted in the garden.

4. 

   The tiger lily is easy to care for and therefore only needs fertilizer in the poorest of soil conditions to thrive. They are prone to slugs and beetles, so it's best to grow Tiger Lilies in raised pots to keep the slugs or beetles at a distance. Mulch your lilies lightly to preserve the moisture. Set bulbs four to six inches deep, 12 to 14 inches apart. Good bulbs should have abundant roots attached. After plants bloom, remove dead flowers and unwanted seed pods, but do not destroy the stem. Let it ripen as normally as possible so that the bulb has the strength for energy to be stored for next year's growth.

Tips & Warnings

• Plant in cooler temperatures bulbs
• Well-drained soil where soil is loose
• Feed with a good balanced fertilizer
• Mulch lilies lightly for moisture

[phreed83]

on 1/10/2009 I'm always looking for a hardy plant to grow in my terrible clay soil. Thanks for the tips