Representing purity, innocence, and rebirth, Lilium flowers, also commonly referred to as ‘lilies’, have remained extremely popular among gardeners for many decades now because of how beautiful many of them are in their appearance, but the truth is since there are so many variations, a lot of us will only know about a handful of them.
There are literally thousands of lily varieties that are all unique in their own ways, whether it’s because of a specific pattern that helps them stand out from the rest, or an interesting color scheme that can’t be found on any other flower, it’s always fun to learn about the many different lily flowers, especially since a lot of them are jaw-dropping when it comes to their natural beauty.
Because of just how many types of Lilium flowers there are, it can often be a little tricky to scroll through them all when you’re curious as to which ones look the best, so to make things easier, we’ve compiled 8 of the most beautiful Lilium varieties right here for you to check out.
1) Lilium Altari
It’s hard for raspberry to ever look bad on a flower, but when it’s mixed with a creamy white along with light green stalks and leaves, it creates a medley of colors that really is a sight to behold, especially during the summertime.
These flowers are known for being one of the bigger and much bolder lily variations, with their petals being able to spread to almost a foot wide, and they are also well known for the extremely sweet scent which can be picked up on from a few steps away, making it easy to know if you’re approaching one of these gorgeous flowers when out on your travels.
Their bright appearance makes them a favorite among pollinators, and since they require total exposure to the sun in order to grow and develop, they make for one of the most eye-catching Lilium flowers that you can easily grow in a back garden.
2) Lilium Bolanderi
Native to the mountainous regions of the western United States, you will struggle to find a flower with a pattern as unique and colorful as the Lilium bolanderi, featuring a deep yellow center surrounded by dark brown speckles which eventually turns into a deep and rich pinkish-red color.
It is considered to be a ‘Trumpet’ type of lily because of the size and shape of the petals, along with its very heavy and sweet fragrance, making it very recognizable and easy to notice.
Unfortunately, this is a fairly rare flower to find out in the wild, so if you do manage to get a hold of it, it’s crucially important to care for it properly since it is considered somewhat of a hidden treasure to many gardeners.
Always keep in mind that the Lilium bolanderi performs extremely well in drought conditions, and should never be overwatered otherwise it can end up affecting its growth and well-being, along with damaging its appearance later down the road.
3) Lilium Fire King
Because of just how big, bright, and vibrant the Lilium fire king is, it can be easy to think that it’s not a lily at all and could be more related to a dahlia flower, but the truth is that their fierce and fiery orange appearance can often mask how small they actually are.
Fire king flowers only grow up to four feet tall which is a little smaller than most lilies which are considered to be on the bigger side, but what makes the fire king look like it’s a lot larger is not only the wide and wild orange petals, but also the fact that they bloom halfway down their stalk, providing at least ten blossoms for each plant.
They enjoy having a lot of exposure to the sun but still require a little bit of shade to avoid getting damaged, and in terms of the correct soil to use, you have the choice between chalk, clay, loam, and sand.
4) Lilium Auratum
The golden splendor lilies have some of the largest lily blossoms in existence, producing flowers that can measure over six inches, and because of just how bright these golden yellow trumpet flowers are, you can be sure that they are downright dazzling when they start to form in clusters.
While they will look down towards the ground when the temperatures begin to fall, as soon as the sun rises again, they immediately look back up to the sky in the morning.
Many people will know this flower for its very intense yellow color, after all, it is named after its appearance, but one aspect that many people often miss which is actually vital to make them as beautiful as they are is the dark red burgundy that surrounds them around the outer edges.
These small splashes of color compliment the petals, allowing them to stand out even more than usual, and considering these flowers love nothing more than basking in the sun, they are always full of color and a real sight to behold.
5) Lilium Distichum
These small and fiery ‘flat-faced’ lilies can be found sprouting across the floors of forests in many parts of East Asia, and while they may not be very impressive in their size, their scent is very distinctive and is really the best way to know if you’re close to one when outside.
They can be very hard to spot, and because of this, they tend to be incredibly difficult to cultivate, which has earned them quite the mythical reputation in the gardening scene as a bit of a hidden gem when it comes to lily varieties.
However, while they are extremely difficult to see in person, many people agree that their curled burnt orange petals are beautiful to look at, and the brown speckles and thin light green stems only help to make this flower look even more stunning.
6) Lilium Candidum
Between the months of June and July, the ‘Madonna’ is often presented in churches, but this is also the period when it begins to bloom as it extends its large soft white petals resting atop the stern and fairly rough green stems which gradually get lighter the higher up they go.
They perform extremely well in full sun or partial shade, and are actually incredibly easy to grow, simply requiring a moderate amount of water and some well-drained soil to keep them healthy.
If you feel like this lily seems a little familiar, this might be because of the sheer amount of names that it goes by.
Madonna lily, white lily, French lily, and St Joseph’s lily are just a few of the names that have been given to this flower, and depending on the language being spoken by a person, the name could be something entirely different.
A major reason for this is because of just how prominent these lilies have been throughout history, being mentioned by Bible translators, the Romans, Egyptian and Syrian emperors, and even royal knights.
7) Lilium Monte Negro
With deep crimson petals and dark red spots in the center, the Monte Negro, named after the popular city in Spain, is a lily flower that you will be able to see from miles away because of just how spectacular and eye-catching it is in its appearance.
A very unusual feature about the Monte Negro lily is that the stamens can also come out red, which is very strange since for many other flowers, they will not follow the color of the petals and will usually remain to be hollow or light green.
The rich colors of this flower really pop out the most during their blooming season in the mid-summer, and when used as part of a garden, many people will surround them with lighter-colored lilies so that the crimson red can become even more striking and noticeable.
In fact, a lot of people will actually present this flower as a Valentine’s gift because of how beautiful they are, and the symbolic connections of love and passion that relate to the color red.
8) Lilium Iridollae
While the ‘panhandle’ lily was first discovered along the coastal areas of Florida, over the years it has become a lot rarer and much harder to find, and this is primarily due to its extremely unique design which has seen many people take them out from the ground over the years.
The sharp dotted petals on this lily curve away slightly from the stamen which are fully exposed. While the petals are a slightly darker shade of yellow, they actually become a lot lighter the further up they go, even turning pink in many cases.
Because they are considered to be incredibly rare, it’s now very hard to come across these uniquely gorgeous lilies, but they are known to still grow in both moist and dry areas across Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Virginia.
Summary
Many people aren’t aware of just how many astonishingly beautiful lily flowers are out there, so it never hurts to learn about a few of the best-looking ones for yourself so you can tell your friends about them, or even try to grow them yourself in the back garden.
I love sharing my experiences with individuals in this community, and I enjoy sharing some of the best tips I have learned over the years caring for my own garden at home.
In my articles, you will find the best flowers, most fragrant flowers you can plant in your garden, how to care for your favorite plants, informative guides and how-tos so you can have the best backyard in town!
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