Posted 8:37 pm Thursday, July 19, 2012
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Philippine Lily Thrives In Our East Texas Heat
By DEE BISHOP
Smith County Master Gardener
Lilies are hard to grow in the South because of our intense heat. However, a few do well. Philippine Lily is one of the best for our East Texas heat.
These regal lilies grow to 6 feet tall and have can have a dozen or more heavenly white trumpets. That would be enough, but they also exude a lovely aroma.
These tall lilies with their grass-like foliage need staking early on. They really grow heavy once the blooms form. They stand majestically in the white section of our Rainbow Border (IDEA Garden) on the south-west corner. The clump grows larger each year so you can let them make a real show in your garden.
They bloom in July, a hard time in the garden for most plants.
Philippine Lily needs rich moist slightly acidic soil and full sun. It will lean badly in shade. Once the blooms are finished, the seed pods become the focal point and are lovely. Enjoy then until they turn brown, then cut them for inside decoration.
Do not fail to cut them or next year you will have a thousand little lilies coming up. They will look like grass, but you can’t just pull them up. They form a bulb quickly and are even more difficult than nut grass to eliminate.
If you want seedlings, plant the seeds in a pot. There are jillions of seeds in each pod and each is readily waiting for a chance to sprout. I set the dry pods (on long stems) in my garage and once they begin to split, I shake them in a bucket until all the seeds are out. I made the mistake of carrying them inside to early one year and had all those papery little seeds everywhere in my living room! Introduce the lovely Philippine Lily to your garden and enjoy the white trumpets and luscious aroma.
Smith County Master Gardener
Lilies are hard to grow in the South because of our intense heat. However, a few do well. Philippine Lily is one of the best for our East Texas heat.
These regal lilies grow to 6 feet tall and have can have a dozen or more heavenly white trumpets. That would be enough, but they also exude a lovely aroma.
These tall lilies with their grass-like foliage need staking early on. They really grow heavy once the blooms form. They stand majestically in the white section of our Rainbow Border (IDEA Garden) on the south-west corner. The clump grows larger each year so you can let them make a real show in your garden.
They bloom in July, a hard time in the garden for most plants.
Philippine Lily needs rich moist slightly acidic soil and full sun. It will lean badly in shade. Once the blooms are finished, the seed pods become the focal point and are lovely. Enjoy then until they turn brown, then cut them for inside decoration.
Do not fail to cut them or next year you will have a thousand little lilies coming up. They will look like grass, but you can’t just pull them up. They form a bulb quickly and are even more difficult than nut grass to eliminate.
If you want seedlings, plant the seeds in a pot. There are jillions of seeds in each pod and each is readily waiting for a chance to sprout. I set the dry pods (on long stems) in my garage and once they begin to split, I shake them in a bucket until all the seeds are out. I made the mistake of carrying them inside to early one year and had all those papery little seeds everywhere in my living room! Introduce the lovely Philippine Lily to your garden and enjoy the white trumpets and luscious aroma.
