Great lilies to plant in your southern garden

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South Carolina has an ideal environment for planting many different species and types of lilies. These varieties listed below are also well suited for planting zones 4 , up to 9 making them lovely and ideal choices to plant this Spring in your garden for years of enjoyment.

Dreamcatcher Carpet Lily 

Dreamcatcher Carpet Lily is more compact version of taller Lilies.  It is ideally grown in containers and along borders in your yard. Every year the plants produce more flowers than they year
before.
Botanical Name:
Lilium 'Dreamcatcher'
Form:
Hardy bulb
Sun Exposure: 
Partial Shade/Full Sun
Height/Habit: 
15 - 18"
Spread: 
6 - 9"
Spacing:
6 - 9"
Hardiness Zone: 3 - 8 (-40° F)
Foliage Type: Dark green, lance shaped, 3-4" long in whorls around sturdy stems.
Flower Form: 
Full upright flowers. Several flowers per stem.
Flower Color: 
Pink
Flowering Date:
Early to mid summer
Planting Requirements:
In the garden, 5-6" deep and 9-12" apart. In pots and containers 5-6" deep and 5" apart.
Soil Requirements: 
Prefers well-drained soil but will tolerate heavier soils.
Growth Rate: 
Moderate

Unique Characteristics:
Border lilies are referred to as the 'garden charmer'. Extremely suitable for planting in containers or front position in a border.

Pruning: 
Don't remove leaves until they have died down in fall. They help provide nourishment to the bulb for next season's blooms.

Time of Pruning: Fall

Commander in Chief Lily



This gorgeous lily has deep scarlet red blooms that grow up to 48 inches tall
in your garden. This lily produces a ton of blossoms and loves both full sun or part shade making it an extremely versatile plant for your garden.

Botanical Name:
Lilium 'Commander in Chief' (Asiatic)
Form:
Hardy bulb
Sun Exposure: 
Partial Shade/Full Sun
Height/Habit: 
3' - 4'
Spread: 
15" - 18"
Spacing: 
10" - 12"
Hardiness Zone: 
3 - 9 (-40 degrees F)
Foliage Type: 
Dark green, lance shaped, 3" - 4" long, 1/2" - 3/4" wide
Flower Form: 
Large upright facing flared flowers in bold terminal panicles
Flower Color: 
Scarlet (dark red)
Flowering Date: 
Mid summer
Planting Requirements: 
Plant with 4" of soil above the bulb
Soil Requirements: 
well drained is important.
Growth Rate: 
Moderate once established. It takes 6 - 8 weeks for a good root system to develop
Unique Characteristics: 
Strong growth and extremely hardy. It has 6-8" diameter flowers that are scarlet red.
Pruning: 
Cut back spent flower stems by 1/3
Time of Pruning: 
After flowering in Fall
Unique Characteristics: 
Border lilies are referred to as the 'garden charmer'. Extremely suitable for planting in containers or front position in a border.
Pruning: 
Don't remove leaves until they have died down in fall. They help provide nourishment to the bulb for next season's blooms.

Double Tiger Lily

English: Lilium lancifolium, Liliaceae, Tiger lily, flower. The fresh, blooming plant without bulb is used in homeopathy as remedy: Lilium tigrinum (Lil-t.) Deutsch: Lilium lancifolium, Liliaceae, Tiger-Lilie, Blüte. Die frische, blühende Pflanze ohne Zwiebel wird in der Homöopathie als Arzneimittel verwendet: Lilium tigrinum (Lil-t.) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This beautiful orange lily has been an old time favorite for gardeners throughout generations, and many will continue growing and existing long after the old homestead has perished. This double blooming variety has more than 25 petals per flower, blooms in midsummer and can grow up to 48 inches tall.

Zones:
4-9
Light: 
Full Sun to Partial Shade

Botanical Name: 
Lilium lancifolium flora-pleno

Form: 
Hardy bulb

Sun Exposure:
Partial Shade/Full Sun

Height/Habit: 
30 - 48"

Spread: 
9 - 12"

Spacing: 9 - 12"

Hardiness Zone: 
4 - 9 (-30 degrees F)

Foliage Type: 
Narrow, lanceolate leaves 4" long, thick and glossy.

Flower Form: 
Approximately 3-6" orange flowers with black/dark brown spots.

Flower Color: 
Orange

Flowering Date: 
Mid summer

Planting Requirements:
Plant 6" deep and 9 - 12" apart.

Soil Requirements: 
Well drained soil, but will tolerate heavier soils.

Growth Rate: 
Moderate

Unique Characteristics:
On old time favorite Lilium which was first introduced in 1870. Perfect for cut flower gardens. More then 25 petals per flower. A very special classic Lily!

Pruning: 
Don't remove leaves until they have died down in fall. They help to provide nutrition to the bulb for next season.

Related articles by this author:

• The Southern Magnolia 
• Gardening tips for zone 8 in Autumn