Lilium 'Bonsoir' (VIIIa-b/b)

RHS Plant Profile
lily 'Bonsoir'

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Bulbs Herbaceous Perennial

A bulbous perennial, to around 90cm high, with upright stems and lance-shaped, glossy dark green leaves. Large, outward-facing, bowl-shaped lightly fragrant orange flowers, with darker orange streaks along the midveins, are produced in summer, with up to 6 flowers per plant

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

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

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

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or 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

These hybrid lilies not in another division have upward and outward-facing flowers

How to Grow

Cultivation

Plant bulbs in the autumn. Grow in well-drained soil enriched with leaf mould or well-rotted organic matter. Ideally, grow in full sun with the base of the plant in shade. Suitable for containers, see growing lilies for more advice

Propagation

Propagate by division or scaling, see bulb propagation for details

Suggested planting locations and garden types

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

Pruning

No pruning required, but deadheading will improve their appearance

Pests

May be susceptible to lily beetle, aphids, slugs, thrips, leatherjackets and wireworms, as well as small mammals such as rabbits and voles

Diseases

May be susceptible to lily disease, other fungal diseases, and virus diseases; for more advice, see lily diseases