Lilium 'Red Velvet' (Ic/d)

RHS Plant Profile
lily 'Red Velvet'

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lily 'Red Velvet' RHS
lily 'Red Velvet' RHS / Joanna Kossak
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Bulbs

'Red Velvet' is a bulbous perennial to about 1m with upright, red-flushed stems bearing narrow, mid-green leaves. The fragrant flowers, appearing in mid- to late summer, are deep, rich red, with reflexed petals and orange stamens

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Liliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
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
Accepted
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

Pendent-flowered lilies have bell-shaped, downward-facing or nodding flowers, often with recurved petals

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained soil enriched with leaf mould or well-rotted organic matter in full sun with the base of the plant in shade. In a container, grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added grit and leaf mould. Water freely and apply a high potash liquid fertiliser every two weeks. Keep moist in winter

Propagation

Separate offsets after the foliage dies down

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

In autumn, once foliage has yellowed, cut back to ground level

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

May be susceptible to grey moulds and a virus; see lily diseases