Species Lilium, Dwarf Formosa Lily

L.formasanum has become naturalised in Coastal areas of NSW Australia. It sets lots of seed and grows in large numbers on road edges. ...Read Morer /> A striking sight to see in later Summer,when there's many in flower, but has potential to be weedy. Grows in poor acidic soil, with surrounding native bushes.. goes well in hot and humid late summer conditions. Seed releases in mid autumn.

After seeing masses of these lilies blooming along a fence row at an old house place, I ordered three bulbs two years ago. They came up ...Read Morelast year with foliage only, and died down early. I thought I had lost them, but they are up again this year and blooming! White blooms with 'wine'-colored stripes. Don't know much about them, but if they proliferate will be an attractive addition to my daylily bed.

My plants grow in a raised bed, without any attention from me, and have flowered each year for at least the last 5. I love the scent and ...Read Morethe fact that they don't need any support in our windy garden. They self seed readily and flower in 2 to 3 years outside, but in about eighteen months if potted up and placed in cool greenhouse.

This is one of my favorite lilies despite its short lifespan. In my experience, plants allowed to go to seed will almost always expire a...Read Morefter the seed is ripe. Deadheading only gives another year or so.
On the bright side, the plants will often flower in only the second year from seed, although mine tend to wait for their third year. Seed germinates readily in a sandy, well-drained mix. I keep my first year pots dry indoors or in a cold frame over winter.
The bulb is very small, and easily succumbs to overwatering. Root grubs find it attractive, so I prefer pot culture, repotting in the very early spring before above-ground growth starts.

Var. pricei is not acknowledged in The Flora of China, and may just be a horticultural selection.