Lilies are one of the most graceful and timeless flowers you can grow, known for their star-shaped blooms and striking fragrance. Whether you’re planning a traditional flower bed or a modern garden design, incorporating lilies can instantly elevate the elegance and seasonal color of your landscape. These perennial flowers grow from bulbs and offer a wide variety of forms, colors, and bloom times—making them ideal for gardeners who want beauty with relatively low maintenance. While some lilies are more familiar, like the Easter lily, others might surprise you with their bold patterns or towering height. In this guide, we’ll introduce several types of lilies worth planting, along with practical tips to help them thrive in your garden year after year.
Table of Contents
Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum)
The Easter lily is perhaps the most iconic of all lilies, especially around spring holidays. With its trumpet-shaped, pure white blooms and subtle fragrance, this lily brings a sense of peace and purity to any garden. Native to the coastal regions of southern Japan, Easter lilies naturally bloom in early to mid-summer, but greenhouse varieties are often forced to bloom earlier for seasonal sales.
If you’re planting Easter lilies outdoors, be sure to mimic their preferred environment for optimal growth. They perform best in areas with mild summers and gentle shade during the hottest part of the day. While beautiful, they can be sensitive to overly wet or dry conditions, so consistent care is essential.
Growing Tips:
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade; protect from harsh afternoon sunlight
- Water: Keep soil evenly moist; avoid waterlogging or drying out
- Soil: Loose, well-draining soil—sandy or loamy types are ideal
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5–8
Japanese Lily (Lilium speciosum)
The Japanese lily stands out with its exotic charm and gracefully curled petals. Known botanically as Lilium speciosum, this variety is native to Japan and parts of southern China. Its large blooms—ranging from soft pink to white—typically appear in late summer, adding color when many other flowers are fading. These elegant lilies can grow impressively tall, sometimes reaching up to six feet in height, making them a dramatic focal point in any garden.
One of the most captivating aspects of Japanese lilies is their sweet, rich fragrance, which intensifies in the evening. They thrive in cooler climates but can do well in warmer areas if planted in partial shade and well-drained soil.
Growing Tips:
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade; afternoon shade preferred in hot climates
- Water: Keep soil moist but not soggy; avoid letting it dry out completely
- Soil: Loose, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5–9
Stargazer Lily (Lilium orientalis ‘Stargazer’)
Few flowers make a statement quite like the Stargazer lily. This hybrid oriental lily is instantly recognizable by its vibrant pink petals, freckled with darker spots and edged in white. Blooming in late summer, Stargazer lilies are not only visually stunning but also incredibly fragrant—often filling the air with a rich, spicy aroma that some adore and others find overpowering.
These lilies typically grow to about 3 feet tall, with blooms that span up to 6 inches wide. Because of their bold appearance and strong scent, they’re popular both in garden beds and floral arrangements. They’re also relatively easy to grow if given the right soil and sun exposure.
Growing Tips:
- Sun: Full to partial sun; filtered afternoon shade can help preserve blooms
- Water: Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy; avoid drying out
- Soil: Loamy, nutrient-rich soil with excellent drainage
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4–9
Tiger Lily (Lilium lancifolium)
The Tiger lily is a striking addition to any garden, known for its vibrant orange petals speckled with dark spots—resembling the pattern of a tiger’s coat. Native to parts of East Asia, this hardy perennial brings bold color and a touch of the exotic to mid-to-late summer gardens. Its blooms are slightly recurved, and each plant can produce dozens of flowers per season.
One of the biggest advantages of the Tiger lily is its resilience. It tolerates a wider range of growing conditions than many other lilies and can even handle brief periods of drought once established. Its strong stems make it ideal for borders, where it can reach heights of 3 to 4 feet or more.
Growing Tips:
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade; best bloom in full sun
- Water: Moderate watering; established plants tolerate brief dry spells
- Soil: Well-drained soil; avoid overly rich or soggy conditions
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3–9
Madonna Lily (Lilium candidum)
With its tall stems and trumpet-shaped white flowers, the Madonna lily brings a sense of old-world charm to the garden. Native to the Middle East and one of the oldest cultivated lily species, it has been grown for thousands of years for both ornamental and symbolic purposes. Its pristine blooms appear in late spring to early summer, making it one of the earliest flowering true lilies.
The Madonna lily produces up to 20 blossoms per stem, each giving off a light, sweet fragrance. It prefers a bit more sun than some other lilies and thrives in well-drained soil with minimal disturbance—this variety doesn’t take kindly to frequent replanting.
Growing Tips:
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade; prefers more sun in cooler regions
- Water: Keep soil consistently moist; avoid prolonged dryness
- Soil: Well-drained, slightly alkaline soil; don’t plant too deep
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 6–9
LA Lilies (Longiflorum-Asiatic Hybrids)
Despite what their name suggests, LA lilies aren’t from Los Angeles—they’re actually hybrids created by crossing Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum) with Asiatic lilies. The result is a hardy, large-blooming lily that combines the best of both parents: the strong stems and early bloom time of Asiatic lilies, along with the larger, more elegant flowers of Easter lilies.
One of the main appeals of LA lilies is their subtle fragrance—or lack of it. This makes them a perfect choice for gardeners or households sensitive to strong floral scents. These lilies typically bloom in early to mid-summer and work beautifully in both garden beds and cut arrangements, thanks to their long vase life and clean, upright growth habit.
Growing Tips:
- Sun: Full to partial sun; they thrive with at least 6 hours of sunlight
- Water: Keep soil evenly moist; avoid letting it dry out completely
- Soil: Rich, well-drained soil; amend with compost if needed
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 3–9
Orienpet Lily (Oriental-Trumpet Hybrid)
If you’re looking for lilies that make a big impact, the Orienpet lily is your showstopper. Sometimes marketed as “tree lilies” (though they aren’t actual trees), these hybrids combine the fragrance and size of Oriental lilies with the hardiness and heat tolerance of Trumpet lilies. They can grow impressively tall—anywhere from 3 to 8 feet—with blooms that may reach up to 12 inches wide.
These midsummer bloomers produce thick, sturdy stems and massive, sweet-smelling flowers in a variety of shades, from soft pastels to bold golds and pinks. Despite their size, Orienpet lilies are relatively low-maintenance once established and are excellent as focal points in mixed perennial beds.
Growing Tips:
- Sun: Full sun to partial shade; ensure some afternoon protection in hot climates
- Water: Moderate; water deeply when soil begins to dry out
- Soil: Well-draining, rich soil with good organic matter
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4–9
Conclusion
Whether you’re after bold colors, graceful blooms, or rich fragrance, lilies offer a stunning range of options for any garden style. From the early-blooming Madonna lily to the towering Orienpet, each type brings its own personality and seasonal charm. With just a bit of care—well-drained soil, consistent moisture, and the right sunlight—these perennials will reward you with vibrant blooms year after year. Just be cautious if you have pets, especially cats, as many lilies are toxic to them. Otherwise, enjoy building your garden’s elegance one beautiful lily at a time.