“In a heated indoor area,
hydroponic growers can
produce lilies year-round with
the use of pre-planting bulb
chilling followed by flower
‘forcing’ under warm conditions
and good light levels.”
Left: Lily shoot growth, two weeks after planting bulb. Right: Lily flowers are large and make a
statement in any garden.
Lilly Types
There are several different lily types
suited to hydroponic production. The
most well-recognized is the Easter lily
(Lilium longiflorum), a white flower
native to Japan and Taiwan that is tradi-
tionally grown for the Easter market
trade. Different varieties of this lily are
used as a greenhouse crop for the cut
flower trade and as dwarf potted plants.
The second group of lilies are the
large-flowered, colored Orientals, which
have been bred to produce outward-fac-
ing, scented flowers. The flowers are often
six to eight inches across with recurved
petals, and they come in colors includ-
ing pure white, purple, pink, dark red,
and bi-color. Oriental lily types tend to be
tall growing and are sometimes called
“stargazers” as the flowers appear to look
upward. Oriental lilies make excellent
cut flowers; however, some find the strong
scent to be a little overpowering.
Next, Asiatic lily hybrids have upright or
outward facing flowers, mostly in white,
pink, orange, gold, or yellow. The flowers
are smaller in size than the Orientals or
Easter lilies, being four to five inches in
diameter and unscented. Different from
the tall-growing types often produced as
cut flowers, dwarf Asiatic lilies are bred
for containers and grow to an average
height of 14-23 inches.
Apart from these three main groups
of lilies, interbreeding has developed
new types and hybrids that are grown
commercially and by home gardeners.
These include the LA hybrids, which are
derived from L. longiflorum and Asiatic
hybrids and come in a range of colors,
and OT types, which are Oriental and
Trumpet lily crosses that have large,
heavily scented flowers up to 10-inches
across. There are also LO types, which
are L. longiflorum and Oriental hybrids
that have six- to 12-inch wide flowers
with mainly white trumpets and
darker centers. These trumpet-shaped,
outward-facing flowers have recurved
petals and a mild fragrance.
grow cycle
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