Turk’s Cap Lily is a gorgeous fiery lily, very popular in Rhode Island but also found all around eastern and central North America.
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Features of Turk’s Cap Lily:
Turk’s Cap Lily is a tall flower, averaging 1 to 2 meters in height.
The blooming period begins in early summer, although it can also be delayed to midsummer, depending on local weather.
Most plants produce up to seven flowers during the flowering season. Some special plants that grow in optimal conditions can have dozens of flowers per stem. The record is held by a tree with 40 flowers on a single stem.
Turk’s Cap Lilies has almost no scent.
The flowers of Turk’s Cap Lily are attached to the stem via long stalks. A stem with several hanging flowers will resemble a natural chandelier.
Depending on its growing conditions, the color of Lilium Superbum can vary from deep yellow to fiery orange with red petal tips. The flowers have a green star in their center. This feature is what distinguishes it from other breeds that are often mistaken for Turk’s Caps.
Each flower has 3 beautiful petals and 3 sepals, all with sleek curves, their tips reaching up towards the sun. The sepals and petals are identical, which is why many people assume that these flowers have 6 petals. The flowers are quite large, with an average width of 5 to 10 cm.
Each flower contains 6 stamens with brown anthers. The seed pods develop in early fall.
The green leaves are elliptical in shape, arranged in clusters around the stem. The leaves are about 15 cm long.
Growing Turk’s Cap lilies
It can thrive in partial shade if it gets light for a minimum of 16 hours per day. Ideally, you should plant lilies in a location with plenty of morning sun and filter or partial shade in the afternoon.
These lovely lilies thrive in moist, acidic soil. You should check the soil moisture regularly and never let the soil dry out completely. Remember that natural habitats or Lilium Superbum include moist grassland and moist woodland. However, make sure your soil has good drainage properties, as soggy soil is not ideal for these plants. You can improve the drainage characteristics of the soil by adding some compost or other organic material to a depth of about 30 cm. Humus, sand, or peat are also great ways to regulate drainage.
When planting bulbs, make sure the soil is relatively porous so that the roots are not obstructed when germinating. Use a garden trowel to dig a hole 13-15 cm deep. You can also use a special bulb grower that you can find at most gardening stores.
Place the bulbs in the holes, cover with garden soil, and top with a layer of natural mulch. This will trap moisture while also maintaining a steady temperature. During the first growing season, you may want to place these plants in a greenhouse where they can grow at an average temperature of 10-18°C.
The soil temperature should be around 9°C. If you are going to transplant these plants, you should do this in the spring. Prune the plants at the tops before transplanting.
Watering Turk’s Cap Lily
This species prefers light watering sessions. Ideally, they should drink about an inch of water per week during the growing season. There is a simple process you can follow to determine how long your garden needs to be watered to get an inch of water. Simply place a plastic bucket near your sprinkler. It depends on the sprinkler, but in most cases it takes about an hour to get an inch of water. Divide into three waterings lasting 20 minutes. Regular watering is especially important during the first two years of the plant.
Breeding Turk’s Cap Lily
The easiest and most effective way to propagate Turk’s Cap Lily is through tuber division. It’s best to do this in the spring so the young plants can get a fresh start into the full growing season.
The division of the bulbs is quite easy. Simply dig up a mature plant, shake off excess soil and gently separate all the bulbs. Twist and shake the bulbs back and forth to split them gently. While working, cover the bulbs in wet newspaper so they don’t dry out. You should plant them in individual pots and transplant them outdoors when they are a year or two old. When planting bulbs, make sure that the pointed ends are facing up.
