The Madonna lily or white lily, as it is also called, is a noble plant – which is not only a highlight in the garden because of its appearance. The powdery, gentle and yet fresh scent is pleasant and turns the Madonna lily into a wonderful cut flower.
Table of Contents
find location
The Madonna lily, with the botanical name Lilium candidum, needs a warm location. And this should be as sunny as possible.
Cold wind or heavy downpours make it difficult for the plant. As well as dark shadow. Whether it is planted outdoors in the garden or cultivated in a container, the south side or sunny east and west are best suited. Lilium candidum thrives best near the corner of a house or protected by hedges, bushes and other plants.
Culture in the bucket
As already mentioned, it is possible to grow the Madonna lily in a bucket. Regarding the location, the following factors should also be considered with the white lily.
- A lot of sun
- Sheltered location that retains heat
- Avoid strong wind and rain
- Can be provided with underplanting
- Too much shade is bad
time for planting
The Madonna lily should be planted out in August. It is sufficient to place the bulbs so deep in the substrate that there are two fingers of soil between the shoots and the surface.
But you have to wait until next year for flowering and strong shoots.
Requirements for the substrate
The Madonna lily needs a permeable, dry and calcareous soil. It can also be stony, but it should definitely have a loose structure.
A mixture of potting soil or dry garden soil and sand, gravel or lime is ideal as a substrate. This can be added to the combination of compost and soil activator. Organic manure or cattle manure that has almost completely decomposed is also suitable.
Heavy, wet garden soil or an obstructed drainage of the water damage the Madonna lily. If these conditions prevail in the garden, the Lilium candidum does not have to be planted. In this case, a large hole should simply be dug. This is laid out on the ground with stones and gravel so that the water can drain off sufficiently. It is then filled with a suitable substrate mixture.
The care
Mixing an appropriate soil can also prove to be difficult, but caring for the Madonna lily as a whole is not.
For these, it is only necessary to water as needed and fertilize once a year. Even blending requires little effort.
watering and fertilizing
Because the Lilium candidum gets along well with drought, watering in the garden is rarely necessary. As a rule, the Madonna lily takes care of itself completely independently, rainfall is sufficient.
It is different with persistent drought and culture in the bucket. It may well be necessary to water in addition. If the Madonna lily is covered, watering should be done about once a week. Small amounts are enough.
If it doesn’t rain, you only have to water as a replacement.
Watering Notes:
- Hard water such as tap water can be used
- The water should not be too cold, but should instead be at room or outside temperature
- Alluvial watering and waterlogging must be avoided at all costs
- Ensure sufficient drainage in the bucket
The Madonna lily is frugal when it comes to fertilization – provided the substrate contains sufficient nutrients. If compost has been added to the soil or if the soil has already been fertilized before planting, annual fertilization in August is sufficient.
The chosen medium should contain little nitrogen, so the white lily can adjust to the winter. A liquid complete fertilizer is best suited for this. However, compost or cattle manure can also be used. However, this can be quite unpleasant, especially when cultivating in a bucket, and it can certainly attract unwanted insects – so complete fertilizer is the better choice for this type of planting.
The propagation
The cheapest and simplest form of propagation is the cultivation of brood or daughter onions. These can easily be obtained when repotting or converting.
The chances of finding such onions are best after about two to four years in the same location.
Obtaining and growing from daughter onions:
- Dig the original bulbs out of the tub or garden after two to four years.
- Remove residues from the substrate.
- Carefully cut off the onions growing on the mother onion. Sharp knives are ideal for this.
- Use the daughter onions obtained in this way at a suitable location. Pay attention to the right substrate.
The optimal time for this is – regardless of the type of planting – August. The mother onions can be brought back to their original location or they can also be moved.
Propagation by seeds
It is also possible to propagate the Madonna lily by seeds. However, obtaining the seeds is difficult and is only possible with fertile species. In addition, a long waiting time must be expected as a result until the first flowering. If you still decide to sow, you should try it indoors first. A normal room temperature of 20° to 25°C is optimal. Only when the white lily has reached a size of about 20cm can it be planted in the garden or in the tub outdoors.
This should again be done in August so that it can develop enough roots and grow properly by winter.
Turn over and repot
The Madonna lily usually does not have to be transplanted. In fact, it thrives better if it is allowed to remain undisturbed in the same location for several years. In these cases, it rewards hobby gardeners with numerous flowers.
However, if it does not thrive here due to insufficient light conditions or the substrate is used up, a change should of course take place. The same applies to a container that is too small.
Again, August is the best month for this. This applies both to the free culture in the garden and to the bucket. The mixture described above or other suitable soil should be used as a substrate.
In addition, the roots can always be easily shortened when their foothills have become matted. This is particularly the case when cultivating in pots and tubs, as soon as the root network lacks sufficient space.
The Madonna lily as a cut flower
It is now known that the white lily can be kept as a noble plant in the garden or outside in tubs and containers. But a culture in a pot is also possible. When kept at room temperature, the Madonna lily flowers much faster and earlier. Instead of flowering in June, you can expect white splendor as early as April. In addition, the Lilium candidum can then be better used as a cut flower.
Optimal locations are bright window sills and conservatories. The bulbs can be planted at any time. With regard to substrate and fertilization, the requirements do not differ here. However, regular watering is required.
The blending
Lilium candidum tends to turn brown. Just after flowering. Then it is also necessary, because the Madonna lily pulls together its energy stores and forces in the bulb to prepare for the winter.
A timely but not too early pruning is advisable at this time. However, the cut should only be made after the initial withering of the flower. But then he can be radical. Optionally, the plants can be shortened directly to the surface of the earth or left a few centimeters above it.
Safe hibernation
Because the Madonna lily does not thrive to the full if it is removed and replanted frequently, the bulbs should not be dug up in winter either.
It is better to cover the free-standing perennials in the garden with straw and fir branches to protect them from the effects of frost and cold wind. If the Madonna lilies are in the bucket, they should be brought inside. A bright, cool and yet frost-free room is then necessary. Well-insulated basements, garages and conservatories are ideal.
If the white lily is cultivated indoors all year round, special protection is not necessary. Neither is there a serious change in care. Due to the lower incidence of light, which occurs automatically in winter, the watering should then be restricted.
Typical pests and diseases
The biggest enemy of the Madonna lily is rot. This always occurs when the plant is kept too moist and too cool. Or the substrate does not offer sufficient drainage.
Well-coordinated, species-appropriate care is therefore the best prevention. If bulbs and substrate have been attacked by rot fungi, moving them can be the last resort. To do this, the soil that is too moist and mixed with pathogens must be changed and the Madonna lily placed in fresh substrate. Especially in the winter quarters, it is also important to limit watering to a minimum. However, if the perennial has already been severely infested, it will appear soft and greasy and should be removed and destroyed.
The lily cockerel can also cause great damage to the Madonna lily. These are strikingly beautiful, bright red beetles. These themselves are not the actual pests, but their larvae are. Whole plants can be destroyed by them. It is therefore particularly important to watch out for such an infestation in the spring. The beetles stand out because of their coloration. Their clutches look like small heaps of excrement or remains of earth on the underside of the leaves of the white lilies.
If the pests are found on the plant, they should be removed. This is the only way to prevent them from feasting on the leaves too much.
Is the Madonna Lily poisonous?
The Madonna lily is only partially poisonous. In fact, it is even one of the medicinal plants.
In large quantities or ingested by sensitive humans and animals, it can cause serious health problems. It starts with the intense scent, which can lead to nausea and vomiting if you smell it too closely and too closely. Consuming them can in turn lead to symptoms of poisoning, such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, chills and cramps.
If you have curious pets and small children in the household, you should exercise caution. And make sure at all times that they do not have access to the white lilies.
