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Overview
Asiatic Lillies represent the largest hybrid group with most Lillies grown for the cut flower and potted plant trade.
They are bred from central and East Asian species and other hybrids and are the earliest to flower and the easiest to grow.
Asiatic lily hybrids come in pure white, pinks, vivid yellows, oranges, and reds and although intense breeding has lost much of the sweet Lily fragrance, they are still a great favourite with floral arrangers.
Soil: Well drained soils are vital (as with most bulbs to avoid bulb rot) though they are not otherwise fussy about soil types.
Asiatic Lilies prefer alkaline soils but will handle neutral soils perfectly well. Just avoid acidic soils.
Always plant in clusters of at least four or five bulbs about twenty five centimetres apart in autumn and cover with a mulch layer a few centimetres deep at least.
If potting out then use a good multi-purpose compost or potting mix
Maintenance: Asiatic Lilies are very hardy and self sufficient but will always do well with a springtime feed as they emerge. Use a phosphorous-rich formula, with one feed providing them with enough nutrients to grow well throughout summer.
Watering once a week should suffice, unless the weather turns very hot and dry, in which case two watering a week will keep them happy.
Deadheading prevents energy being wasted on seed production, just break off the flowers as they wilt.
They will naturally multiply underground over the years but when the flowers appear less full and lush and start to look more ragged, you'll know that there is too much competition for available nutrients and moisture. After they have finished blooming, dig then up and divide, spreading the bulbs out to give each more room when you re-plant.
Diseases: Watch out for Botrytis Blight if you don't removed spent lily petals from the planting area.
Slugs can be an issue and if (as in many suburbs of Australia now) you have feral rabbits then they can decimate a lily plantation in no time.
Author: Bob Saunders.