ID asiatic vs. oriental lilies

18 years ago

I've looked online to find the differences between asiatic and oriental lilies, but I'm not finding it. How do you visually tell the difference between them without digging them up? I've had some bulbs for 4 years. I got them at the San Francisco Garden show on the last day, from a bin, for REALLY CHEAP. By the last day, things have gotten shuffled, and you never know just what you're getting. My oldest bulbs have plants up top that are close to 3 feet tall, with very sturdy central stems, and leaves all around. Rotating pairs? I have some other bulbs, (newer, and in a much smaller pot) where the flowers are the same (as far as my eyes can tell) but the leaf pairs don't rotate around the stem, they are all in the same orientation to the stem, so I have pairs of leaves one above the next, all the way up. One of the planter tags that came with one purchase says asiatic lilies. The others didn't come with any ID beyond a hand lettered sign on the bin I chose them from.

I really like them, and they appear to be happy, but I'd like to know what the heck I'm growing. It's time to dig them back up and repot the little ones with some more space (and share with some friends) and I don't know what to tell them I have! Silly and frustrating.

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Comments (5)

hld6
18 years ago
Hi minflick,

I don't have many asiatics, but I have a number of orientals and trumpets. leaf placement isn't that different between Oriental hybrids and Asiatic hybrids. Asiatic leaves tend to be more slender, though not as "grass-like" as the trumpets.

The best way to tell Orientals and Asiatics apart is by their blooms. The most dramatic difference will be bloom time and fragrance.

Asiatics are the earliest blooming lilies and are blooming now in my zone, (in your zone they may be already finished ). Orientals don't bloom until July-August.

Orientals have a strong "spicy" fragrance while the great majority of Asiatics have no fragrance at all. (There are some new hybrids with a very light fragrance - not likely to be found in a bin.)

They also differ in the shape of their blooms and their arrangement on the stem. Both blooms have a overall bowl shape with a little recurve to the petals, but Oriental lilies have a "ruffled edge" and Asiatics a smooth edge on their petals. Oriental blooms are carried sequentially along the stem, Asiatic blooms all come from the tip of the stem in an "upside down umbrella shape called an "umbrel".

Also, many Oriental lilies get quite tall in good garden conditions. There are a couple shorter hybrids, Mona Lisa (2') and Muscadet (2'-3') but in general 3' is small for an established oriental.

Of course there are exceptions to every rule (especially among the species lilies), but the wide separation in bloom time will be the most reliable rule to use to distinguish them.

As for digging them up most Oriental bulbs are a bright yellow when freshly dug (the color fades) and Trumpet bulbs are purple. I think Asiatic bulbs are white, but I'm not sure. Maybe someone else knows that.

If the flowers are the same as far as you can tell, they may all be Asiatics.

-Helen
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minflick
Original Author
18 years ago
So I can have either kind of leaf arrangement and still be all Asiatics (if that's what I have here)? Leaf arrangement is just a quirk and it doesn't matter? My first bloom just opened today, but they're all in progress, nothing will be blooming by mid-July or August. I read in the FAQ that they bloom along with the daffodills, but my daffs were finished 2 months ago - I didn't even have much stem showing when my daffodils were in bloom. (Maybe that's a zone thing, or influenced by my daffs being in small 7 gallon pots, and my lilies being in a pot the size of a 30 gallon trash can) In my smaller plants I have one group of 3 blooms at the tip of the stem. The larger ones have several subsidiary stems of 3 buds each - the biggest one has, at last count - 18 buds! I do have some slight aroma on some of them, but it's not pungent. I'll see what color the bulbs are in a few months when I dig them all up.
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hld6
18 years ago
Hi again minflick,

It's not that leaf arrangement in just a quirk. But Asiatic hybrid lilies may come from 12 different species lilies. Consequently there can be a fairly large degree of variation between asiatic hybrids.

For example, Lilium Lankongense is an asiatic species lily that I have blooming in my garden now. They have dainty little turk's cap shaped blooms and a beautiful rose like fragrance. VERY different in shape, arrangement on the stem, and scent, then the majority of Asiatic Hybrids. The Lily Garden sells "Dr. North" Lankongense hybrids. If you look at their Asiatic Hybrid page the difference between Ariadne (a lankongense hybrid) and Avonlea is readily apparent.

The lily forum FAQ lists Asiatic bloom time as late spring to midsummer. Daffodils are usually early spring blooming.
My daffodils bloom much earlier than any lilies in the area.

If your lilys are blooming now then they are not orientals. My Davidii are just starting to bloom (like Lankongense it is an asiatic species) . My L. Regale is also starting to bloom. But it is an early trumpet lily, most bloom in July, and like trumpet lilies in general it is quite tall (over 5').

Your lilies are probably Asiatics. If they have a scent when in full bloom they could be an interdivisional hybrid, such as a longiflorum asiatic. If you look at the "easter lily hybrid" page on The Lily Garden's website maybe you will find your lilies there.

-Helen

Here is a link that might be useful: Some Lankongense Asiatics
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minflick
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks for explaining that way, that helps me understand why the variety. Yes, everything I have is either blooming or about to, and there's no scent that I can sniff, so I must have plain common garden asiatics. They sure are pretty - I have a jumbo yellow about to open up. Just beautiful.
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hld6
18 years ago
If I had more room I'd get "plain common garden asiatics" in a second! They come in beautiful colors, are easy to grow, and multiply well. And, they're a great early "lily fix". Unfortunately I live on a small lot in a neighborhood full of mature trees so I have very few sun or part sun spots good for lilies and limit myself to mostly Trumpets, Orientals, and Species. But I am constantly tempted! :)

Enjoy your lilies. And I'm sure your friends will enjoy them too!

-Helen
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ID asiatic vs. oriental lilies

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ID asiatic vs. oriental lilies

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