Lilies Planting Guide

June

lilies this June — what to know

Whether you're sowing, transplanting, or harvesting, lilies needs the right timing. Check your zone below for exact dates.

Sun full sun

Water moderate

Days to harvest 70–120

Plant depth 5″

Spacing 12″

How to water lilies
Consistent moisture matters more than volume for lilies. Little and often beats occasional drenching.
Where to put lilies
South-facing beds are ideal for lilies. Shade from nearby trees or fences costs real production.
Check your local forecast before planting
Your zone determines the exact week to plant lilies. Pick your county below and we'll line everything up against your frost dates.

Pick your county for exact lilies timing →

Lilies (Lilium spp.) are among the most impressive summer-blooming bulbs, delivering bold, upward- or outward-facing trumpet blooms on tall stems from June through August. Asiatic hybrids are the most cold-hardy, earliest to bloom, and easiest to grow; Oriental hybrids bloom later with intensely fragrant, larger flowers. Orienpet (OT) hybrids combine the hardiness of Asiatics with the fragrance and size of Orientals. True lilies (not to be confused with daylilies, which are Hemerocallis) form scaly bulbs that persist and multiply underground, returning reliably each year with increasingly large clumps.

Lilium spp. · Flower · Liliaceae family · 70–120 days to maturity

Perennial Blooms in Summer Pollinator-friendly Good for cutting Fragrant

Why it matters: If you're just starting a flower garden in your area, Lilies is a forgiving first pick. It tolerates imperfect soil, mild drought, and the occasional missed watering. The reward: weeks (sometimes months) of continuous color.

Get Your Personalized Lilies Planting Dates

Enter your ZIP code to see exact planting dates, soil compatibility, and growing tips specific to your county.

Where Can You Grow Lilies?

Zone Compatibility for Lilies Zones 3a – 9a

1a 1b 2a 2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b 12a 12b 13a 13b

Ideal (data available) Suitable Marginal Not recommended

Planting Dates by Zone

Zone	Start Indoors	Direct Sow	Transplant	Bloom
Zone 3a	—	—	May 29	Aug 21 – Oct 16
Zone 3b	—	—	May 24	Aug 16 – Oct 11
Zone 4a	—	—	May 20	Aug 12 – Oct 14
Zone 4b	—	—	May 15	Aug 7 – Oct 9
Zone 5a	—	—	May 9	Jul 18 – Oct 10
Zone 5b	—	—	May 2	Jul 11 – Oct 10
Zone 6a	—	—	Apr 17	Jun 26 – Oct 2
Zone 6b	—	—	Apr 10	Jun 19 – Sep 25
Zone 7a	—	—	Apr 1	Jun 10 – Sep 30
Zone 7b	—	—	Mar 18	May 27 – Sep 16
Zone 8a	—	—	Mar 8	May 17 – Sep 6
Zone 8b	—	—	Feb 18	Apr 29 – Aug 19
Zone 9a	—	—	Jan 27	Apr 7 – Jul 14

Why are some columns showing "—"?

Start Indoors shows "—" because Lilies is typically direct sown outdoors rather than started indoors. It germinates quickly and doesn't transplant well.

Direct Sow shows "—" because Lilies benefits from being started indoors first, then transplanted after the last frost.

How to Plant Lilies

Planting Depth

12"

Between Plants

18"

Between Rows

Growing Conditions

☀️ Sun

Full Sun (6-8+ hours)

💧 Water

Moderate — regular watering

Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Consistent moisture produces the best results.

🧪 Soil pH

6 – 6.5

Prefers neutral to slightly acidic soil — ideal for most garden beds.

🗺️ Hardiness Zones

Zone 3a – 9a

📅 Days to Maturity

70–120 days

Medium-season crop. Start early for best results in shorter seasons.

👪 Plant Family

Liliaceae

Rotate with other families yearly to prevent soil-borne diseases. Don't plant in the same spot where Liliaceae family crops grew last year.

Succession Planting Lilies

Lilies matures in just 70–120 days, making it ideal for succession planting. In a typical 180-day growing season, you can get up to 2 successive plantings by sowing every 8 weeks.

Your actual succession count depends on your local frost dates. Enter your ZIP code to get personalized succession planting dates for your area.

Companion Planting for Lilies

✅ Good Companions

Hostas Daylily Phlox Black Eyed Susan Salvia

Check more combinations with our Companion Planting Checker →

Growing Tips for Lilies

Plant bulbs in fall (preferred, September–October) or spring, setting them 3 times their diameter deep (typically 4–6 inches) with the pointed end up. Lilies need excellent drainage — they will rot in wet or heavy clay soils. Site with full sun on stems and blooms but cool, shaded soil at the base (ground cover or shallow-rooted annuals at their feet is ideal). Remove spent blooms but leave stems and foliage until they yellow naturally, as the bulb needs the foliage to photosynthesize and rebuild energy stores. Red lily beetle is a serious pest in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest; inspect plants regularly and hand-pick adults and larvae. Never plant Oriental or Asiatic lilies near cats — all Lilium species are highly toxic to cats. Year 2+ bulbs produce the most stems and largest blooms.

Saving Lilies Seeds

Recommended for Your Garden

🌱

Seed Starting Trays $8-20

Start seeds indoors with reusable cell trays and humidity domes.

🧪

Soil Test Kit $12-25

Test your soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels before planting.

🏷️

Garden Plant Markers $6-12

Keep your garden organized with durable, weather-resistant plant labels.

Reader favourite

Seed Saving & Storage Guide

$27 $157 value

Most saved seeds go bad before next season. This shows exactly when to pick, how to dry, and where to store seeds from 200 plants so yours don't.

200 plants, step-by-step: life cycle, pollination type, isolation
Exact temperature + humidity ranges that keep seeds viable
Bonus: searchable Google Sheets tracker + custom GPT assistant

Save a lifetime of seed money →

Lilies by State

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to grow Lilies?

Lilies (Lilium spp.) takes 70 to 120 days from planting to harvest. Exact timing depends on your variety, growing conditions, and USDA zone.

What zones can Lilies grow in?

Lilies can be grown in USDA zones 3a through 9a. Use the planting calendar above to find the exact dates for your zone.

How much sun does Lilies need?

Growing Lilies requires Full Sun (6-8+ hours), Moderate — regular watering, and soil pH of 6 to 6.5.