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Lilium candidum

Madonna lily

Common names: White lily, Mary's lily

Madonna lily

This description was machine-translated.

Description

The Madonna lily is one of the oldest garden plants in Europe, producing pure white, strongly fragrant funnel-shaped flowers in June. Unlike most lilies, it forms a flat leaf rosette in autumn and pushes its flower stems out of this rosette in early summer.

Care instructions

Plant the bulbs in August or September, covering them only 3 to 5 cm of soil; otherwise the autumn rosette will not form. Choose a sunny, well‑drained location in calcareous soil and water sparingly, as waterlogged conditions cause bulb rot. Leave the plant undisturbed; it blooms most prolifically after one or two years of establishment.

Soil & site

Soil pH

4.0pH 6.5–88.0

Soil type

sandy, loamy, well-drained, lime-loving, nutrient-rich

LightFull sun
HardinessHardy with protection
Water needMedium

Feeding

Medium feeder

Companion planting

Good neighbors

Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.

Diseases & pests

1 relevant

From the knowledge base, automatically linked by affected species. How to spot and prevent them is covered in full in the lexicon.

PesthighApr–Aug
Lily beetle

Lilioceris lilii

The lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii) is a striking, bright red beetle that specializes in lilies, Fritillaria imperialis, and Fritillaria meleagris.

More on Lily beetle

Notes from real gardens

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