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Notes
Tiger Lily plants are prolific plants found in many plant lovers’ homes. They’re easy to care for and have a unique appearance and vibe.
In this post, we’re breaking down the nitty-gritty in caring for a Tiger Lily. We’ve also listed some recommendations if you want to buy this plant. Continue reading to find out more about this lily’s interesting features!
What Is Tiger Lily?
The Tiger Lily or Lilium lancifolium is sometimes called Devil Lily, Leopard Lily, and Pine Lily. It has green leaves that are linear-lanceolate in shape and are best known for being strappy. It has long, strong stems that produce many blooms. Pink tiger lilies, orange tiger lilies, double tiger lilies, and lilies with yellow flowers are some of the lily varieties that have become popular among gardeners.
As a perennial in the lilies family, this prolific plant thrives in well sunny locations but can tolerate part shade when grown as a houseplant. Outdoors, the Tiger Lily has a high survivability rate in USDA hardiness zones 3-9.
Origin And Family
The Devil Lily belongs to the lily genus in the lilies family. It comes from Eastern Asia. It produces small white, cream, yellow, pink, and red, all with black spotted flowers from spring to late summer. In recent years, this plant has grown in popularity, thriving in most households with moderate to high humidity. Carl von Linne (Linnaeus) discovered the Tiger Lily in 1753.
Where To Buy
Nowadays, there are several platforms accessible to obtain the ideal plant for your collection, including a Tiger Lily. You can find what you need in local nurseries or online shopping websites such as Etsy.
Tiger Lily Plant Size
The Tiger Lily is a slow-to-moderate-growing houseplant. It usually loves direct sunlight but can tolerate partial shade. It can reach an average height of 3–5 ft. and an average width of 7–8 inches indoors.
Tiger Lily Care Needs
Your Tiger Lily will grow well when it’s properly taken care of. Known for its beautiful black spots, this plant loves the sun and needs relatively moist, good-draining soil to stay healthy.
It is ideal to water this plant if the blooms look wilted or dry. Water deeply, enabling it to flow through the pot’s proper drainage hole. In terms of light, this impressive plant needs bright light to reach its maximum growth potential.
For more detailed tips, check out the detailed care guide below!
Care Difficulty
In terms of care difficulty, the Leopard Lily is typically easy to care for. The principal growing considerations are the amount of light and the amount of water that this plant has.
Growth Rate
Pine Lily’s growth rate is typically slow-to-moderate. As it matures indoors, it should reach about 3–5 ft. in height.
Tiger lily pic.twitter.com/LRtNxp7UM8
— Anna Schermerhorn-Co (@alscherm) August 6, 2022
Potting
Lily plants generally prefer a pot with good drainage. Drainage holes are necessary to keep excess water from drowning the roots of your Devil Lily.
Repotting
Moving your Tiger Lily into a bigger pot allows more space for its root system to expand. You will typically know that it’s time to repot when the foliage has died back. For best results, it is ideal to replace old nutrient-deficient soil with a fresh batch of fairly fertile garden soil that is slightly acidic when filling up the new pot.
Soil
For the Leopard Lily, fairly fertile and slightly acidic soil is a suitable choice. Add together components such as peat moss, sand, and straw to make your own soil mix. Keep in mind that this plant prefers moist soil as a growing medium.
A good idea to keep your tiger lily healthy is to make sure your chosen soil type accommodates good drainage and aeration so the roots can breathe better.
We recommend the following potting mixes:
| Photo | Title | Price | Buy |
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Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix 6 qt., Grows beautiful Houseplants, 2-Pack | $16.71 ($0.04 / Ounce) |
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Burpee, 9 Quarts | Premium Organic Potting Natural Soil Mix Food Ideal for Container Garden-Vegetable, Flower & Herb Use for Indoor Outdoor Plant | $12.99 |
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Sun Gro Horticulture 8-Quart Black Gold 1310102 Purpose Potting Soil With Control, Brown/A | $13.99 ($0.05 / Fl Oz) |
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Miracle-Gro Potting Mix | $37.20 |
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FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Mix Indoor Outdoor for Garden and Plants | Plant Fertilizer | 12 Quarts | The Hydroponic City Stake | $23.99 ($0.06 / Fl Oz) |
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pH
A soil pH of roughly 5.5 to 6.5, which is slightly acidic, is ideal for the Pine Lily. For newbies, who are concerned about the acidity of the soil, you can buy a simple pH meter device to evaluate it. The best way to lower pH levels is to add sulfur or aluminum sulfate. To raise the pH level, use wood ash, baking soda, calcitic or dolomitic lime.
Water
Proper watering is essential for Devil Lily. If you’re watering too much, you risk causing infections such as root rot. If you don’t water enough, your plant’s roots may dry out, especially during warm days. In general, Devil Lily should have a growing medium that is moist but make sure not to put too much water since, as plants that grow from bumbils, tiger lily bulbs are not fond of soggy soil.
There is an easy technique to tell if your plant needs to be watered. Plunge a wooden skewer or a pencil into the pot to see whether there is still moist, muddy soil attached to it. Alternatively, you can use your finger to feel for moisture. If the blooms look wilted or dry, it’s time to water your plant. Excess moisture may be discarded using a porous pot with drainage holes and an aerated, chunky soil mix.
Light
This houseplant prefers bright light for approximately 6-8 hours a day. Too much light damages the quality of the tiger lily flowers and the whole plant. If you’re worried that your Tiger Lily isn’t getting enough light, you may need to keep it closer to a window or put on artificial lights. Here are some basic options for you to consider:
Fertilizer
Any fertilizer is ideal for tiger lilies. During later spring, feed your plant to keep its roots cool during summers. In winter or in any cold weather, growth naturally slows down, so you don’t need to put in any more fertilizers.
Propagating Tiger Lily
Perhaps you’re impatient to see your Tiger Lily sprout new leaves. Pruning back the stem to stimulate new growth points is one planting strategy. Usually, the cuttings you’ve pruned back can then be propagated, so you can grow a new baby plant!
Check out the many propagation options available to you.
Division
Pine Lily can also be reproduced by splitting stem clusters with entangled root systems.
1. Dig up. Using a small shovel, tap around the pot to loosen the soil. Gently pull the plant until it comes out.
2. Separate. You should be able to identify the natural boundary of each stem. Separate them using your hands. You may need to cut the roots but be careful not to disrupt the main root balls.
3. Repot. Repot each section in smaller pots filled with the same soil that they’re used to.
Humidity And Aeration
Tiger Lily is an impressive perennial with beautiful perennial flowers. It prefers moderate to high humidity– often between 50-70%.
Consider the following methods for boosting humidity if you notice browning edges on your plant’s leaves:
• Group your houseplants together to form a humidity bubble.
• Purchase a humidifier.
• Set your pots on top of a tray of stones and water. This will cause vapor to form around your plant.
• Mist your plant occasionally, but not regularly, or you risk inviting fungal illnesses.
Tiger Lily. pic.twitter.com/zariyCWbaZ
— Mike Howell (@mjjh69) July 28, 2022
Temperature
As sun-loving plants, it prefers warm climates, so warmer temperatures are best for your Pine Lily.
Temperature fluctuations might be harmful to your Pine Lily. Close windows and cover any openings where chilly drafts can penetrate throughout the winter. Don’t place your plant near appliances that emit heat.
Flowers
The showy flower of a Tiger Lily can be significant white, cream, yellow, pink, red, or bright orange flowers in color, all with black or dark spots that bloom from mid to late summer, which is its flowering period.
Toxic
Unfortunately, the Leopard Lily is toxic to animals such as cats and dogs. If this plant is ingested, you can expect the following symptoms: decreased activity level, drooling, vomiting, and loss of appetite in cats. Most often, this plant is considered non-life-threatening.
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Pests, Diseases, And Other Problems
Even with competent care, things can go wrong on occasion. Pests and illnesses are inescapable in the garden. Overall, the Tiger Lily is a disease and pest-prone plant.
Read on for suggestions on detecting common issues and finding out how you may aid your plant go back to normal.
Spider Mites
Unfortunately, spider mites are a frequent concern, especially for plant collectors who have a Pine Lily. Spider mites can be identified by brown or yellow spots on the leaves, silky webbing between branches, and leaves that take a long time to unfold. Bring your affected plant to the sink, tub, or outside and intensely wash all the leaves with a forceful spray of water to tackle a spider mite infestation. Spider mites can also be eliminated by using neem oil, horticultural oil, and insecticidal soap on a regular basis.
If you prefer a non-chemical method, ladybugs, lacewings, and minute pirate bugs can help manage your spider mite population.
Fungus Gnats
Devil Lily is commonly attacked by fungus gnats. These insects lay eggs that hatch into larvae which mostly feed on organic wastes in the soil, but they will also eat the roots of your plant.
Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical solution that not only kills fungus gnats but also reoxygenates the roots of your plants. To your soil, apply a mix of four parts water and one part hydrogen peroxide. Because fungus gnats thrive in moist environments, keep your soil dry by increasing the time between waterings. These pests may try to enter your pot through the drainage holes, so cover those holes with a synthetic cloth that allows water to pass through.
White Flies
Whiteflies are soft-bodied winged insects that may be drawn to the Devil Lily. While adult whiteflies are normally harmless, they will lay eggs that hatch into larvae that feed on your plant’s leaves.
There are insecticides that can eliminate whiteflies in all of their development phases, but make sure to choose one that is safe to spray indoors. Here are some options we recommend:
Neem oil, horticultural oil, and insecticidal soap are great organic alternatives too!
Scale Insects
Scale insects might seem like lumps on the stems or leaves of lilies. These small bugs, which may be gray, green, brown, or black in color, usually remain sedentary once they’ve latched onto a plant.
If the infestation isn’t too serious, you can dissuade scale insects from attacking your plant by combining a teaspoon of neem oil in four glasses of water. Spray the plant aggressively with a spray bottle.
Horticultural oils and neem oil may not kill the bugs, but they will surely harm them. There are various pesticide sprays for scales that are considered safe for use inside.
Change is inevitable… growth is optional. To grow you must see the value in yourself to add value to yourself and others. You must know yourself to grow yourself, and it is hard to improve when you have no one but yourself to follow..
— Andy (@Andrew47096182) August 6, 2022
Tiger lily. pic.twitter.com/bGmMYsp1f2
Aphids
Aphids often appear as a swarm of bugs on your Leopard Lily. They might be green, black, red, brown, yellow, orange, or white in color. They proliferate exceedingly quickly and can devastate your plant in a matter of days!
Aphids are especially drawn to young shoots, flower buds, and regions of new development. As they feed on the sap, they leave behind ugly black and white splotches. If you see these icky crawlers, segregate your infected plant from the others right away. Apply a powerful spray of water to your plant to remove the aphids, but do not forget to cover the soil with plastic to collect any falling bugs and their eggs. Place the plastic somewhere away from your garden. A neem oil, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil spray can solve the problem, but you may need to spray your plant many times until the aphid population is entirely exterminated.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs may infest your Pine Lily. These little parasites damage your lily by inserting a feeding tube into the plant tissues and sucking on the sap. They can ultimately weaken or even kill your plant. To get rid of them, soak a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol, then use its tip to manually remove each mealybug. Neem oil spray can also be used on the leaves of tiger lily to suffocate these bugs.
Brown Leaf Tips
If your Devil Lily isn’t getting enough moisture, both from the air and from its roots, the edges of its leaves may turn brown. Water your plant on time and make sure the humidity level in its area is appropriate for its needs.
You may also need to assess the amount and frequency of applying fertilizers. Overfeeding can burn the foliage of your houseplants, and this is typically manifested as browning edges on their leaves.
Drooping Leaves
Drooping Tiger Lily leaves are usually an indicator that your plant is thirsty. In this situation, once hydrated, your plant will normally perk back up. It may also be beneficial to raise the humidity.
Be cautious! Plants infested with pests may initially have droopy and curled leaves, but they may gradually acquire additional symptoms such as spots, reduced development, and a general loss in health. If you suspect pests, always inspect the underside of the leaves.
Root Rot
Overwatering is a common cause of Pine Lily root rot. Excess moisture may either drown your plant or encourage fungal infections, killing its roots. Keeping your lily healthy requires determining the proper quantity of hydration. Instead of controlling the quantity of water you pour on your plant, you may simply provide a substrate that will drain and dry quickly. Mix in some chunky yet light components like perlite, pumice, bark, coal, coco cubes, river sand, and a lot more to your standard potting soil.
Of course, you must also ensure that your planter includes holes for water drainage. Choosing permeable pots made of terracotta or unglazed ceramic might also help the soil dry quickly.
Similar Plants
Love Tiger Lily? Here are other similar plant options you should try:
Peace Lilies – Perennial members of the Arums family include the Peace Lily. It is distinguished by its lance-shaped leaves and dark green foliage and is appreciated for its capacity to filter the air. Also called spathe flower and white sails.
Anthurium – The genus Anthurium is often recognized for its vividly colorful flowers and big, green leaves that may have white or yellow veins. There are almost 1,000 species of these common houseplants, which come in a range of leaf shapes, colors, and blooms.
Poinsettia – The Euphorbia pulcherrima, also known as the poinsettia, has oval crimson and dark green leaves that can provide a splash of color during holiday celebrations. Although the red sections of the plant are frequently mistaken for flowers, they are actually red bracts that are a component of the plant’s leaf structure.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a plant with a little flair, the Tiger Lily is a beautiful choice. With its strappy leaves and long stems that produce many blooms, this plant is a true treat that you will surely love!
You can’t get enough of lily plant guides, can you? Check out Two Peas In A Condo’s other posts to discover what else we have to offer!
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