Lilium lancifolium 'Tiger Lily' - 5 bulbs
- Scientific:
- Lilium lancifolium
- Bulbs/Pack:
- 5 bulbs
- Planting Time:
- Summer through Early Spring
- Shipping Period:
- When Available
- Bloom Period:
- June
- Bloom Size:
- Softball Size Unfurled Trumpets
- Zones:
- 4-9
- Color:
- Orange with black dots
- Planting Depth:
- 2-3 times the height of bulb
- Soil:
- Slightly acidic, amend clay soil, keep moist
- Fragrance:
- None
- Light:
- Partial Shade to Full Sun
- Height:
- 3-4 feet
- Wildlife:
- Wildlife will eat the flowers
- Reliability:
- Reliable
Description
Lilium lancifolium

There are a number of beautiful lilies native to North America, but most heirloom garden lilies originated in Asia. One of those, the tiger lily , can be found all over the southern U.S. There is some dispute as to how it came to North America from its home in Japan, Korea and China, where the bulbs are apparently used as food. However they arrived, the spotted orange blooms have been popular for decades with American gardeners. Like our native spotted lilies, they prefer a woodland setting with acidic soil and afternoon shade during their summer blooming season. I've seen incredible stands of the tiger lily from Texas to Louisiana and Georgia.

Some of my favorite collection stories involve the tiger lily, and this is probably because they are so easy to share and they are more often found in cultivated gardens (instead of abandoned old home sites). Tiger lilies form little black bulbils at the base of their leaves which can be collected while the flowers are blooming, and which naturally start to fall off towards the end of the bloom cycle. Gardeners find it fun to share the enjoyment of their blooming flowers with someone else, while simultaneously knocking off the black bulbils into a bag. It's kind of like a bunch of guys standing around a grill watching a steak cook, or shelling peas - collecting tiger lily bulbils together is a social event. Collecting bulbils is also easy to do without having to bend over, and it is a lot less intrusive than sticking a shovel in the ground and disturbing a garden. For these reasons, I often found myself knocking on doors and visiting with gardeners.
For example, this gardener told me how her grandmother first brought these tiger lilies down with her when they moved to Texas from Missouri.

We had fund collecting the bulbils together and visiting about gardening. I was 25 or so at the time, but gardening is one of those events that connects generations together!

One stand I found was in northeast Texas. As I drove by, I saw tiger lilies surrounding every tree at this old home. I knocked on the door and an older lady and her physically fit, middle-aged son answered. I explained what we do at the Southern Bulb Company, and the son said he would gladly share the black bulbils, (the tiny bulbs from which you can eventually grow a full sized tiger lily plant). The gentleman, who told me he had served our country in the Army's Special Forces, walked around with me and explained his unsuccessful experience in trying to save the bulbils. Apparently, he found, they do not like to be stacked and left in a coffee can in the garage. "You can't treat them like seeds," he told me. "They'll rot on ya!" I could tell that horticulture had become his passion, and I promised him I'd plant them right away. I thanked him, both for his military service and for his horticultural service.

We hope you enjoy tiger lilies as much as we do! Once they are established in your garden, the proliferous tiger lilies will be a joy every June. As their foliage begins to appear in March and April, give them plenty of water. Once the blooms are coming to an end, knock off the bulbils and gently scratch them into the soil. With rich organic soil and some moisture, you'll have a stand of them in just a few years.

If we ship the bulbs in late summer through winter, they are generally nice and dormant. As spring approaches, you might find the bulbs have some growth on them.


Shipping & Returns
Returns Policy
You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.
Shipping
We ship within the continental United States.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.
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