The answer to how many times a lily blooms each year depends entirely on whether you are referring to a true lily, which belongs to the genus Lilium, or the commonly misidentified Daylily. The majority of true lilies follow a strict annual cycle, producing their spectacular flowers only once per growing season. This single bloom period is determined by the plant’s biological need to conserve energy stored within its underground bulb. The individual stalk will not flower a second time within the same year.
The Single Bloom Cycle of True Lilies (Lilium)
A true lily is a bulb-grown perennial that stores the energy for the entire season’s growth and flowering over the dormant winter months. The individual flower stalk, known as a scape, will emerge in spring and is programmed to produce one major floral display before the season ends. This single flowering event is the culmination of the energy reserves built up in the previous year.
The timing of this single bloom varies significantly depending on the specific type of lily planted. Asiatic lilies are typically the first to flower, offering their upward-facing blooms in early to mid-summer. Oriental lilies, known for their large, fragrant flowers, follow later, often extending the bloom season into late summer. Regardless of the variety, the bulb’s energy is spent in that single season’s effort.
The Rebloomers: Distinguishing Daylilies (Hemerocallis)
The perception that a lily reblooms often stems from the confusion between true lilies (Lilium) and Daylilies (Hemerocallis), which are not related. Daylilies are clump-forming plants that exhibit a different flowering mechanism known as recurrent blooming. While each individual Daylily flower lasts only for a single day, the plant produces a continuous succession of new flower stalks, called scapes.
Cultivars bred for recurrent blooming will develop these new scapes throughout the season, allowing the plant to flower multiple times from late spring into fall. This is a process of continuous new growth, not the original stalk re-flowering. This consistent production of successive scapes gives the impression of a plant blooming non-stop over several months.
Why Lilies Fail to Bloom
When a true lily fails to produce flowers at all, the cause is usually related to insufficient energy reserves or improper growing conditions. Lilies require a period of cold exposure, known as vernalization, to break dormancy and induce the hormonal changes necessary for flower formation. Without adequate chilling, the bulb may produce foliage but no blossoms.
A lack of sufficient sunlight is another common inhibitor, as lilies need a minimum of six hours of direct sun daily to photosynthesize and create the energy for a flower. Overcrowding is also a factor, as bulbs multiply and compete for limited soil nutrients, leading to reduced flower production. The Scarlet Lily Beetle (Lilioceris lilii) can severely impact blooming by feeding on the leaves and developing buds. This defoliation prevents the plant from building the necessary energy reserves to support flowering.
Extending the Bloom and Post-Flowering Care
Maximizing the length of the single annual bloom requires specific maintenance immediately after the flowers fade. The practice of deadheading, which involves removing the spent flower heads, is important to prevent the plant from diverting energy into seed production. By snipping off the withered flowers, you signal to the plant to conserve its resources.
It is necessary to leave the green foliage and the main stem intact after deadheading. The leaves act as solar panels, continuing the process of photosynthesis for several weeks. This energy is transported down to the underground bulb, where it is stored to fuel the next year’s single bloom. The stem should only be cut back once the foliage has turned completely yellow or brown and died back naturally.