Why Aren't My Oriental Lilies Increasing?

I have oriental lilies in several locations throughout my gardens, and they have been there about 3 years. They are not increasing, and I am wondering if there is something that I need to be doing to encourage that, that I have not been doing. Basically, they are about the same as when I planted them 3 years ago. Help, I thought I would have more by now.

I'm with you ~ wishing that they would multiply much more readily, like asiatics. Unfortunately they don't. The only means I know of is by scaling the bulb.

Same story here. Their saving grace is when they bloom with their heavenly fragrance. Then I can accept their lack of spreading.

Well, do they ever reproduce? The fragrance is why I planted them, so if they don't reproduce, looks like I need to put more in.

Precisely - keep planting more of them. It's what I've done from time to time with the big area of Casablancas I have. There must be 30 or 40 of them there now. Some are 15 years old so I don't mind adding to it since they do give a great performance.

Just fantastic Pirl.
Thanks for the ' no reproducing ' tip . I wonderes the same thing.

Thank you, Jo Ann. When the wind stops and I get out there to cut back stems I'll be able to give an accurate count of the amount of Casablancas in that spot.

Salmon Star is another Oriental lily I love. I started with about 10, ordered 10 more and was sent 10 so there are now enough to keep me smiling. They also smell wonderful.

Masses make the difference. Those are wonderful.

Thanks. A mass of anything beautiful seems to make it twice as good.

Beautiful in a grouping! Defoe, I had wondered the same thing. Hope you are having a great Spring. I was in Lexington the last few days visiting my daughter. Nothing more beautiful than the horse farms in Spring.

Asiatics are the reproducers.

I just transfered some Love Story and Show Winner orientals I planted along the driveway last year (driveway needs to be widened by summertime). I noticed a lot of bulbets(?) of different sizes on top of the main bulb. They all have sprouted. I planted them along with the mother bulbs in the new location. I know those bulbets or whatever you call them will not bloom this year but hoping they get big enough to bloom in a year or two.

Here's something interesting. L.O. Triumphator lily. Planted 4 bulbs last year in almost the same location. First one to sprout out of the ground among my lilies. Just counted the sprouts - 38 to be exact. More than half of the sprouts look like of flowering size. Now I'm afraid to dig them up as they already sprouted out of the ground. I'm just concerned they'll get overcrowded.
Another set of Triumphator in another location. I think I only planted 2 bulbs in there last year. 22 sprouts.
I'll take photos of them when I get a chance. But now I've got to go to work.

Your on your way to Lilymania. Its incurable so relax and enjoy.

Te68, LO's multiply quickly (so you have found out)

I find that trumpets reproduce VERY well, and you get the scent. I've been giving them to friends. The only Oriental I have that multiplies is Casa Blanca. Sorbonne at least persists. For the most part, they fade away.

The trumpets haven't done anything but grow tall and bloom a lot. I'll never really know if the numbers increase. Despite promises to myself, I keep adding to the beds each year.

You cannot have have too many lilies, can you?

How true. You really can't!

I don't care which kind I have, I bought the Orientals for the fragrance.

They're the best! OTs have increased for me, but very slowly.

I love my OT's Shocking and they looked splendid with the torch lilies in July. Shocking reached seven feet last year.
The torches make such a huge mess with their Hula skitr dead leaf knob.

There were 3 bulbs ( in 3 years last year ) and the trunks were huge.
This winter I noticed trails to every lily I have in that area. As soon as the snow melted in Dec. I put Plantskydd everywhere in hopes of repelling the voles.

I just went out to trim dead leaves off the Torch Lilies yesterday. These plants are behind th Shocking lilies and up against the house..I lifted the leaves to use the hedge shears and noticed lily scales and at least 40 bulblets all in a pile ( deer mice or voles) under the leaves against the heart of the plant
I dont care which kritter it is. As I cut I found 2 mouse nests between the 2 plants. I had no idea thay made good neighbors especially duering the winter starvation season.
The damp clay soil was easy to dig in and now I am free of those horrid plants.
I will plant Verbascum and Agastache and penstemon in there.

This was July 2009

Hi, I let mine go to seed and had some come up last year, I hope they will bloom this year.
Have any of you let yours go to seed?
Vickie

Cando - I have and nothing ever came from them.

ge - I always loved that photo and even bought some torch lilies (Tritoma) to try to replicate your scene! Sorry to hear you had to rip them out because of the critters.

Did you press the baby bulbs lightly into the soil?

The torches were over 20 years old.We have had mice in the house all winter. Caught 8 in 2 weeks.
I believe its due to the nice apartments I provided for them. SIL cant stand the thought of the kritters in the house.
We also have voles. In early Feb. duering a warm spell I was and transplanted it to the road garden thats DD's.
.lifting those skitrs and wishing the plant didnt need to have all that foliage. A vole ran to the foundation and showed me where it hadbeat down the earth next to the brick foundation. I doubt it could get into he house but it wouldnt surprise me if mice used the same trails as voles do. I cut part of the plant off( it had 12 suckers growing from underneath the main plant) It never missed a beat still bloomed and all.

I had read where a DGer used a weed wacker to take down the leaves in the fall or early spring.
When yours are older its a good idea to keep them neat with whacking.

I agree it was a wonderful photo but I hope to grow some nice things in there again. Agastache Apache Sunset, Verbascum Soutyhern Charm, Penstemon Mystica,Red Husker

The other side. This short border is cut in half with the outside water supply.

Love the colors in the above pic. Is that purple/blue a Veronica?

Yes , its not my photo but the veronica looks like Royal Candles.

Bonnie - I bought my first Orientals (3 bulbs) in 1998 and planted them in front of my house in NW IA. By chance I found out later that was a good spot for them as they were shaded in the middle of the day by the maple tree. Orientals like shade from super hot sun and in the high plains, we had lots of super hot sun. They started to send up babies in the 4th or 5th year and by the 8th year there were maybe a dozen total, some just a single small leaf sticking out of the ground. Only the original 3 were blooming when I moved in 2007. The tallest was over my head and had over 20 blooms each year. The scent was heavenly. I could smell them when I stepped out the house door, 30 feet away.

Fantastic. I hear Orientals multiply more slowly than asiatics.

Mine are in partial shade cause thats all i have.
That may be why mine are doing well too.
Vickie

I don't cut my Lilies back until the stem's are completely dead in the fall. I don't know if that has anything to do with them increasing or not, and I always put the seeds in with the Lilies.

Leaving the stems means the leaves are providing food for the bulb.I also fert. in spring and fall or after bloom. I use BulbTone on all bulbs tulips,crocus ,daffs lilies.

How much food, Jo Ann? A handful for a few lilies or more than that?

I have large hands and use half a handfull.
I fert so often if I miss some plants it doesnt really matter. Its just my theory but clay soil might not disipate fert. as fast as more porus soil.

Thanks.

Leave the stems on, but remove the seed pods unless you are collecting seed.

I was hoping they all increased rapidly. I would love to hav several AFRICAN QUEEN now but I started with one huge bulb and still after 4 yr have one to come up :(

Are you fertilizing them?

I ammended the soil when I planted them and maybe a bit of Osmocote but that is it for me. The asiatic must be more prolific.

Is your African Queen is a tall orienpet? A lovely peachy color?

This will be my third season for the orienpets. I planted 6 bulbs 2 seasons ago. So far all 6 are up, but no other family members. I don't expect them to increase on their own. After this season's blooms, I will replant deeper as they seem to have a lot of roots at the surface. I'll examine the bulbs then.

The planting year they were about 3 feet high. Last year over 5 feet. And prolific with blooms.



This message was edited Apr 23, 2011 5:25 PM

My African Queen has been very, very slow to increase. After about 10 years, I still only have a few stems.