Eight types of lilies to grow

There are more than 100 species of lily and numerous named varieties, including many bred for the cut flower industry. Lilies are classified into nine divisions, depending on their parentage as well as flower shape, which can be trumpet, bowl, funnel-shaped, and reflexed or turkscap. Most lilies have prominent stamens topped with brownish pollen, which can stain skin and clothes. Note that all parts of all lily plants are toxic to cats.

We list the eight types of lily below. Most are easy to grow and thrive in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.

Asiatic lilies

Asiatic lilies are hybrids of many different species of lilies from different regions of China and Japan. They are among the earliest of the colourful hybrids to come into bloom. With large clusters of flowers borne on strong stems, they are popular as cut flowers as well as for growing in containers and in borders. They come in a magnificent range of colours including white, pink, yellow, red, orange, and purple. Flowers are mostly upward or outward facing, and are usually unscented. Shorter varieties of Asiatic lily are around 45cm tall, while most grow around 90-100cm high.

• Buy Asiatic lilies from Farmer Gracy, Dobies, J Parker's, Hart's Nursery

Oriental lilies

Oriental lilies are renowned for their rich fragrance as well as for beautiful, enormous, open bowl-shaped blooms. The extensive range of colours includes many bright and rich shades of pink, red, and orange, some bicoloured in contrasting shades, as well as softer pinks and yellows, and pure white. The blooms of oriental lilies are often attractively marked inside with contrasting spots. Height ranges from 60-120cm.

• Buy oriental lilies from Crocus, Hart's Nursery, J Parker's, Farmer Gracy

Martagon lilies

Often called Turk's-cap lilies, this group of lilies is shade-loving and thrives in borders under larger shrubs and trees that cast dappled shade. Growing from 1.2m to 1.8m high, the stems bear many small blooms with swept-back petals that resemble a turban shape, hence the name. Flower colours include purple, orange, white and yellow, often heavily freckled. Flowers are borne from mid to late summer.

• Buy Turk's-cap lilies from Farmer Gracy, Sarah Raven, Peter Nyssen, Crocus, Hart's Nursery

Candidum lilies

The exotic looking, but fully hardy Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) is parent to these large-flowered, sweetly scented hybrid varieties, which come in pastel shades of orange, pink, and yellow. Blooms are trumpet-shaped and borne on stems up to 1.2m tall, from early to mid-summer.

• Buy Madonna lily from Farmer Gracy, Hart's Nursery, J Parker's, Crocus

Easter lilies

Easter or trumpet lilies (Lilium longiflorum) have long, trumpet-shaped blooms in whites and pastel shades, which are highly fragrant. Flower stem height is around 60-90cm tall, ideal for containers, raised beds, and borders.

• Buy longiflorum lilies from Farmer Gracy, Hart's Nursery, J Parker's

Tree lilies

Tree lilies are hybrids of trumpet and oriental lilies. Tall and elegant, they bear clusters of large flowers, often scented, with up to 20 blooms per stem, which can be up to 1.8 m high. Flower shapes can be trumpet, bowl, or reflexed in shape, with colours including apricot, purple, white, and yellow. The petals may be a single colour or barred or spotted in a contrasting shade. Flowers are borne in mid-summer.

• Buy tree lilies from Suttons, Hart's Nursery, Thompson & Morgan

Interdivisional hybrids

Longiflorum and Asiatic (LA) hybrids have tall stems bearing two to three large flowers in shades of red, orange, yellow and pink, with a light fragrance. They last longer than Asiatics, both in the ground and as cut flowers.

• Buy longiflorum and Asiatic hybrids from Hart's Nursery, Thompson & Morgan, You Garden

Species lilies

There are around a hundred lily species, originating from Asia, North America, and Europe, among which are the original wild parents of the hybrid lilies in the first eight groups. One of the best and easiest to grow is the Regal lily (Lilium regale), a beautiful trumpet-shaped lily that is one of the best lilies for perfume. Large clusters of white blooms, flushed with pink outside and touched with yellow within, grow to around 100cm tall, and flower from early to mid-summer. Lilium longiflorum is known as the Easter lily, despite flowering in midsummer. The trumpet-shaped, pure white flowers are exceptionally fragrant and borne on stems around 100cm high. This species shouldn’t be confused with the big white Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) which has very specific growing requirements that are different to most lilies and grows around twice as tall.

• Buy species lilies from Hart's Nursery, J Parker's, Riverside Bulbs

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common types of lilies?

The most common types of lilies that are widely available to buy in a range of varieties and colours are the Asiatic hybrids, interdivisional hybrids such as LA lilies, Oriental lilies, trumpet lilies and the species Lilium regale (regal lily).

What are the big white lilies called?

The biggest white lily of all is the Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) which bears clusters of pristine white, trumpet-shaped, fragrant flowers in early summer, on tall stems up to 1.8m high. The growing requirements of Madonna lily are different to that of other types of lilies – shallow planting is essential, with the top of the bulb just below the soil surface, and it needs soil with a neutral to alkaline pH.

What flower is mistaken for a lily?

Many flowers are similar to those of true lilies (Lilium) species and hybrids. These include bulbous plants such as Cape lily (Crinum) and glory lily (Gloriosa), and the herbaceous perennial day lily (Hemerocallis).

What type of lily is toxic to cats?

All types of the lily (Lilium) genus are toxic to cats if ingested. Even if cats don’t actually nibble at lily leaves or flowers, the pollen from lily blooms could fall onto their fur and become consumed as cats wash themselves. The safest approach is not to have lilies at all in the house or garden if you have cats, or to place the plants and flowers well out of the way.