Lily
bulb
⚠️ EXTREMELY TOXIC TO CATS — all parts. Plant bulbs 4–6 inches deep. Keep roots cool and shaded (mulch), tops in sun. Raised beds provide essential drainage. Stake tall varieties. Do not cut more than ⅓ of the stem when harvesting flowers.
At a glance
- USDA Zones
- 3–9
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hrs)
- Water
- Medium — water when top inch of soil is dry
- Soil
- Loam
- pH
- Acidic, neutral
- Spacing
- 12 in. between plants
- Per square foot
- 1 plant per square
Planting & harvest windows
Northern Hemisphere timing. Adjust ±4–6 weeks based on your last/first frost dates.
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Harvest |
Plant Harvest
Good companions
Recommended varieties
- Asiatic Lilystart
Earliest bloomer, upward-facing flowers in brilliant colors — no fragrance.
- Oriental Lilystart
Late summer, intensely fragrant, large showy blooms — 'Stargazer' type.
- Orienpet (OT Lily)start
Giant tree lily hybrid — tallest, fragrant, very long-lived.
- Martagon Lilystart
Turk's cap style, shade-tolerant — excellent perennial performer.
Add Lily to your raised bed — the planner handles spacing and companion warnings automatically.
Open the planner →