Renowned for their large, dazzling flowers and intoxicating fragrance, lilies are a timeless favorite among gardeners.
These regal blooms, known for their bold beauty and wide range of colors and forms, bring elegance, drama, and charm to any garden setting. Whether you’re looking to add vertical height, summer-long color, or irresistible scent, there’s a lily to match your needs.
With so many species and hybrids available, choosing the right ones for your garden can be overwhelming.
In this expanded guide, we’ll introduce you to 15 stunning lily varieties – both wild and cultivated – that are easy to grow and sure to impress.
1. Madonna Lily (Lilium candidum)
The Madonna Lily is an ancient species cherished for its pristine beauty and sacred symbolism. This lily features large, trumpet-shaped flowers with pure white petals and sunny yellow anthers. The slightly greenish throat adds depth to the bloom.
It thrives in sunny locations with well-draining soil and requires minimal maintenance. Madonna lilies bloom in early to mid-summer and fill the air with a soft, sweet fragrance. Once established, they naturalize well and return year after year.
2. Asiatic Lilies
Asiatic lilies are among the easiest lilies to grow and are ideal for beginners. These hardy perennials bloom early in the season and come in a rainbow of colors, including yellow, orange, red, pink, and white.
Their blooms typically range from 4 to 6 inches across and grow atop sturdy stems that reach 2 to 5 feet tall.
While they generally lack fragrance, they make up for it with vibrant color and dependability.
Popular varieties:
- ‘Night Rider’ (deep purple-black)
- ‘Netty’s Pride’ (bi-colored maroon and white)
- ‘Heartstrings’ (blush pink with red center)
- ‘Rosella’s Dream’ (pale pink with yellow and burgundy)
- ‘Starlette’ (vivid orange-red)
3. Turk’s Cap Lilies (Lilium superbum)
With their recurved petals resembling a Turkish turban, Turk’s cap lilies add whimsical elegance to gardens. Each tall stem can bear up to 40 small, nodding, butterfly-like blooms in shades of orange, red, and yellow, often with maroon spots.
These lilies are perfect for cottage gardens and wildflower meadows. They prefer moist, rich soil and do well in partial shade, blooming in mid to late summer.
4. Nankeen Lily (Lilium x testaceum)
The Nankeen Lily produces warm-toned, nodding flowers in pale orange to soft yellow hues with a faint pink blush. These charming blooms appear in late spring to early summer on stems that can reach up to 4 feet tall.
Nankeen lilies emit a gentle fragrance and do best in full sun or dappled shade. With 12 to 18 flowers per stem, they create an impressive visual display.
5. Oriental Lilies
Oriental lilies are some of the most fragrant lilies available. Their large, ruffled blooms in shades of white, pink, and red have a strong sweet scent that intensifies at night.
They bloom later than Asiatic varieties – usually from late summer to early autumn – making them excellent for extending your garden’s flowering season. Oriental lilies also do well in containers.
Popular choices include ‘Stargazer’, ‘Mona Lisa’, and ‘Casa Blanca’.
6. Canada Lilies (Lilium canadense)
Native to North America, Canada lilies boast slender stems and nodding, trumpet-shaped flowers in yellow, orange, or red. These midsummer bloomers grow well in woodland gardens and moist meadows.
Be mindful – rabbits and deer love them, so protective measures may be needed. Despite their delicate look, Canada lilies are hardy and resilient once established.
7. White Heaven (Lilium longiflorum ‘White Heaven’)
‘White Heaven’ features large, trumpet-shaped pure white flowers with a soft yellow throat and a mild, pleasant fragrance. These lilies bloom in early summer and are ideal for growing in pots or flower beds.
The plants reach 2 to 3 feet tall and typically produce 3 to 6 flowers per stem. Their clean color and graceful form make them a favorite for wedding arrangements and moon gardens.
8. Trumpet Lilies (Aurelian Hybrids)
Trumpet lilies, also called Aurelian hybrids, produce huge, trumpet-shaped blooms that can span up to 10 inches across. They come in various shades – white, yellow, apricot, pink – and often feature contrasting throats and edges.
Blooming mid to late summer, they grow 4 to 6 feet tall and carry a strong, sweet scent. Plant bulbs in fertile, well-drained soil and full sun for best results.
9. Longiflorum Lilies (Easter Lily)
L. longiflorum, known as the Easter lily, is a classic with its clean, white trumpet flowers and delicate scent. While commonly forced for early bloom indoors around Easter, in the garden it naturally flowers in midsummer.
These lilies grow 1 to 3 feet tall and are ideal for borders or pots. They prefer partial shade in hot climates and require rich, well-drained soil.
10. Orienpet Lilies (OT Hybrids)
Orienpets combine the best of Oriental and Trumpet lilies: fragrance, size, color, and resilience. These vigorous hybrids grow tall – often 4 to 8 feet – and produce massive blooms that can be upward-facing, outward-facing, or pendant.
They bloom from midsummer into early autumn, with strong stems that rarely need staking. Orienpets are excellent for back-of-border planting and cutting gardens.
11. Casablanca Lily (Lilium ‘Casa Blanca’)
A classic white Oriental lily, ‘Casa Blanca’ is famous for its stunning, pure white blooms and heady fragrance.
Recognized by the Royal Horticultural Society with an Award of Garden Merit, it’s a favorite in wedding bouquets and moon gardens.
These lilies bloom in midsummer, growing 3 to 4 feet tall and bearing 6 to 8 large flowers per stem.
12. Flore Pleno (Double Tiger Lily)
‘Flore Pleno’ is a showstopper with its double, ruffled orange blooms adorned with dark freckles.
Unlike standard tiger lilies, this variety has multiple rows of petals, creating a fuller and more dramatic look.
Blooming in late summer, Flore Pleno adds bold color and texture to borders and perennial beds. It grows 3 to 5 feet tall and naturalizes well.
13. LA Hybrid Lilies
LA hybrids (Longiflorum × Asiatic) merge the sturdy stems and early blooming habits of Asiatics with the larger blooms of Longiflorum types. These lilies are showy and bold, with up to 7-inch-wide flowers in a range of colors.
Though they lack fragrance, they’re long-lasting in the garden and vase. Reaching about 4 feet tall, LA hybrids bloom in early to mid-summer.
14. Splendens (Tiger Lily Hybrid)
‘Splendens’ is a vibrant and prolific bloomer with bright orange, downward-facing flowers covered in black spots. This tiger lily hybrid adds height and excitement to summer gardens.
It blooms later than many other lilies – usually from late summer into early fall – and is extremely low-maintenance. Though unscented, its fiery display is unforgettable.
15. Corleone (LA Hybrid)
‘Corleone’ is a striking LA hybrid lily that offers bold, deep red to burgundy blooms with a soft, spicy fragrance. These 4-foot-tall plants produce long-lasting flowers ideal for cutting and floral displays.
The vivid blooms and sturdy stems make Corleone a standout in garden beds, borders, and containers.
From the wild elegance of Canada lilies to the opulent fragrance of Orientals and the bold impact of LA hybrids, lilies offer something for every garden style and skill level.
With options ranging in bloom time, color, fragrance, and size, you can design a garden that features lilies from late spring all the way into fall.
