Practical
Plants

Lilium longiflorum

White Trumpet Lily

a member of the Lilium genus in the family Liliaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Liliaceae
Genus
Lilium
Height
1 m
Spread
0.25 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Bulb - cooked[8]. Mild flavoured and slightly sweet[9]. A starch is also extracted from the bulb[2][9]. It can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes(Solanum tuberosum). Young leaves and stems - cooked[2][8][9]. Eating the leaves and stems severely harms the vitality of the bulb and is not recommended. Flowers[9]. No further details are given. The flower buds are eaten according to another report[8].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bulb is antiasthmatic, antitussive, expectorant, sedative and tonic (nutritive)[6][7]. It is used in the treatment of coughs, haemoptysis, insomnia and fidgetiness in the later stage of febrile disease[7].

Product or use
Antiasthmatic
Product or use
Antitussive
Product or use
Expectorant
Product or use
Sedative

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An essential oil is obtained from the flowers, used in perfumery[14][15][16].

Product or use
Essential

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Southern Japan, in the Ryukyu Islands.
Habitat
By the coast, often in pockets of coral rock[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - immediate epigeal germination[3]. Sow thinly in pots from late winter to early spring in a cold frame. Should germinate in 2 - 4 weeks[5]. Great care should be taken in pricking out the young seedlings, many people prefer to leave them in the seed pot until they die down at the end of their second years growth. This necessitates sowing the seed thinly and using a reasonably fertile sowing medium. The plants will also require regular feeding when in growth. Divide the young bulbs when they are dormant, putting 2 - 3 in each pot, and grow them on for at least another year before planting them out into their permanent positions when the plants are dormant[K]. Division with care in the autumn once the leaves have died down. Replant immediately[10]. Bulb scales can be removed from the bulbs in early autumn. If they are kept in a warm dark place in a bag of moist peat, they will produce bulblets. These bulblets can be potted up and grown on in the greenhouse until they are large enough to plant out[10].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers an open free-draining humus-rich loamy soil with its roots in the shade and its head in the sun[10]. Lime tolerant.[10], plants grow well in limestone soils[13]. Plants deteriorate rapidly if grown in deep shade[4]. A very ornamental plant[1] it is often cultivated for the cut flower trade[13]. It is only hardy outdoors in the mildest areas of Britain and even there needs to be grown in a warm sheltered position with protection from early frosts[4]. The dormant bulbs will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -5°c[11]. It can be grown as an annual, the plants can flower in 6 months from seed[4]. The flowers diffuse a pleasant jasmine-like perfume[12]. Hand pollination is required in order to ensure fertilization[4]. Stem rooting, plant the bulbs 20cm deep[4]. Early to mid autumn is the best time to plant out the bulbs in cool temperate areas, in warmer areas they can be planted out as late as late autumn[10]. The plant should be protected against rabbits and slugs in early spring. If the shoot tip is eaten out the bulb will not grow in that year and will lose vigour[10].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. ? The Plantsman. Vol. 4. 1982 - 1983. Royal Horticultural Society 1982-00-00

    ↩

  4. Woodcock. and Coutts. Lilies - Their Culture and Management. Country Life 1935-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  5. RHS Lily Group. Lilies and Related Plants.

    ↩

  6. Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.

    ↩

  7. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  8. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  11. Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994-00-00 ISBN 1352-4186

    ↩

  12. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  13. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-330-37376-5

    ↩1↩2

  14. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  15. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩

  16. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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