Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Lilium superbum (IXc/d)

Turk's cap lily

A vigorous stem-rooting lily with purple-mottled green stems and linear bright green leaves; in late summer and early autumn it produces long racemes of up to 40 pendent turkscap flowers, to 7cm across, with red-flushed orange tepals, green towards the bases and spotted maroon

Other common names
great American Turk's cap lily
swamp lily
see moreTurk's head lily
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Orange Purple Red Green
Autumn
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Liliaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Potentially harmful
Ornamental bulbs - not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. TOXIC to pets if eaten (cats) - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Genus

Lilium are bulbous perennials with erect stems bearing whorled or spirally arranged leaves and terminal racemes or umbels of bowl-shaped, trumpet-shaped, funnel-shaped or turks cap shaped flowers, often fragrant, and white, yellow, orange or red

Name status

Correct

Plant range
E United States

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in neutral to acid well-drained soil enriched with leaf mould or well-rotted organic matter

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown, when ripe, in containers in a cold frame or separate offsets after the foliage dies down

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Patio and container plants
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to lily beetle, aphids, slugs, snails, Thrips, leatherjackets, and wireworms, and to damage by rabbits and voles; plants in containers may be susceptible to vine weevil

Diseases

Grey moulds and a virus may cause problems, see lily diseases

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.