The Red Highland Lily is a striking plant known for its vibrant red blooms, bringing a bold splash of color to garden spaces. Its robust nature makes it a favored choice for many gardeners seeking a manageable perennial, producing abundant, fiery flowers.
Understanding the Red Highland Lily
The Red Highland Lily (Lilium asiatic ‘Red Highland’) is an Asiatic lily known for its upright growth and ease of cultivation. Its fiery red, star-like, upward-facing blooms often have a darker center and typically measure five to seven inches across. Each sturdy stem can produce up to twelve individual flowers.
Stems generally reach 36 to 48 inches, providing a strong vertical element. Narrow, lance-shaped leaves complement the blooms. This bulbous perennial naturalizes easily, multiplying over time. It is hardy in USDA Zones 3 through 8, sometimes Zone 9, and attracts pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Cultivating Red Highland Lily
Light Requirements
Red Highland Lilies need ample sunlight, ideally full sun to partial shade, meaning a minimum of six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. While blooms thrive in sun, keeping the root zone cool is also important.
Soil Composition
Red Highland Lilies prefer well-drained soil to prevent waterlogging. While they tolerate heavier types, adding organic matter like compost or leaf mold improves structure and fertility. A slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.0) supports nutrient uptake and growth.
Watering Needs
Consistent soil moisture is important, especially during the active growing season. Lilies need about one inch of water per week from rainfall or irrigation. Allow the top inch of soil to dry slightly between waterings. Avoid overwatering, as saturated conditions can lead to bulb rot.
Temperature and Humidity
Hardy in USDA Zones 3-8, Red Highland Lilies tolerate cold winters. In late fall, apply a layer of mulch over bulbs for winter protection. Remove this mulch in early spring as new growth appears.
Fertilization
Fertilization supports vigorous growth and abundant flowering. Apply a balanced fertilizer or specialized bulb food in spring as new growth begins. Fertilize every four to six weeks during the active growing season, stopping after blooming. A granular fertilizer (e.g., 10-10-10) or organic options like Espoma Organic Bulb-tone work well. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which promotes foliage over flowers.
Propagating Red Highland Lily
Red Highland Lilies are primarily propagated by dividing their bulbs, a natural process as they form clumps. This method allows separating mature bulbs into viable sections, each growing into a new plant. Carefully lift clumps and detach offsets or smaller bulbs to expand your collection.
Another propagation method uses tiny black bulbils that form in leaf axils along the stems. These pea-sized structures can be collected and planted, developing into new, genetically identical plants.
Addressing Common Challenges
While resilient, Red Highland Lilies can face pests and diseases. The red lily leaf beetle (Lilioceris lilii), a bright scarlet insect, causes damage by feeding on leaves and flowers. Hand-picking beetles (especially in the morning) and checking for slug-like larvae on leaf undersides helps manage them. Aphids can also infest lilies; a strong jet of water can dislodge them.
Fungal diseases like Botrytis blight (gray mold) appear as brown spots, especially in moist, warm conditions. Good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering prevent its spread. Root and stem rots result from overly wet soil, highlighting the need for well-drained sites. Viruses cause streaky or distorted leaves and flowers, often spread by sap-sucking insects; remove infected plants to prevent transmission.
Safety Precautions
Red Highland Lilies, like all true lilies (Lilium species), are highly toxic, especially to cats. Ingesting any part—stems, leaves, flowers, or pollen—can cause severe kidney failure and be fatal. Even small exposures, such as a cat grooming pollen from its fur, can trigger a toxic reaction.
Dogs may experience mild gastrointestinal upset but do not typically develop kidney failure. Gardeners should wear gloves when handling lily bulbs or plants. Position Red Highland Lilies in locations inaccessible to curious pets and young children to prevent accidental ingestion.