By Jennifer Poindexter
The martagon lily is a unique flower with traditional shaped petals that form non-traditional heads. This plant becomes as tall as three to six feet, but the heads of the plant are relaxed and droop down. When this happens, it resembles a hat, so it’s sometimes called “Turk’s cap.”
If you’re interested in growing this plant around your home (either in the ground or in a container), be sure to understand what it needs to succeed before you begin. I’ll walk you through the growing basics, so you’ll know the appropriate growing conditions, planting steps, and how to care for this flower.
Here’s what you should know when learning how to grow martagon lily:
Growing Conditions for Martagon Lily
The martagon lily blooms in a range of colors. This plant produces flowers in pink, light orange, deep red, white, lavender, and yellow. Each plant can produce between ten to thirty blooms per stem, so expect plenty of color wherever you decide to grow this flower.
The martagon lily is native to Europe. However, if you live elsewhere in the world, expect the plant to remain hardy in planting zones three through nine.
Be mindful that the growing conditions change depending upon the planting zone you’re growing in. For instance, if you’re growing the martagon lily in the ground in planting zone nine, it’s best to plant the bulbs in a location with partial shade.
This will protect the plant from receiving too much heat. In other areas, you may select a location with morning sunlight and afternoon shade. The main thing to consider when growing this flower is if you grow it in a container, ensure the pot is large enough to support the plant.
Also, whether grown in the ground or in a container, ensure the soil is well-draining. If the soil is too heavy and doesn’t drain adequately, the bulb will rot in the ground. By supplying the right amount of light and the appropriate soil type, you should create a successful growing environment for your martagon lily.
How to Plant Martagon Lily
Planting the martagon lily is a simple process. Begin by finding a growing location which meets the specifications mentioned above.
If growing the flower in a container, plant one bulb per pot. Dig a hole deep enough to support the bulb and plant it. Once done, water the bulb and wait until early summer for the plant to bloom.
If planting martagon lilies outdoors, it’s best to do so in the fall or spring. Dig a hole that’s approximately five inches deep. Plant the bulbs in groups of five and leave a half foot of space between each set of bulbs.
Expect these flowers to bloom in early summer. Once your flowers prosper, you can propagate by division to produce even more martagon lilies around your landscape.
If you notice the plants are beginning to struggle after a few years of growth, dig up the bulbs. Separate the clump of bulbs into sets of three.
Then transplant the new groups into areas that provide the desired growing conditions. Continue to do this as needed to keep your plants healthy and thriving while also adding more plants to your landscape without spending extra money.
You now know how to plant the martagon lily in a container, in the ground, and how to propagate these flowers. Utilize these tips to begin growing this flower around your home and brighten your landscape.
Caring for Martagon Lily
The martagon lily is a low-maintenance plant. It requires water, fertilizer, staking, and pruning ahead of winter.
I’ll share with you the process for each of these steps, so you can do what’s necessary to keep these plants healthy and thriving under your care.
To begin, you should focus on watering your martagon lilies. They should be watered at the time of planting.
After this initial watering session, wait until you see sprouts appear from where the bulbs are planted. At this point, it’s time to start checking the moisture in the ground.
Insert your finger into the soil and if it’s dry to your first knuckle, it’s time to start watering the flowers deeply.
This means you’ll water the plants longer, fewer days of the week. The deep watering method reduces the amount of watering sessions you must hold each week while also encouraging the flower to produce a deeper root system.
As the days progress and the plants need more water (between watering sessions), they’ll dig their roots into the ground to seek it. This encourages an overall healthier plant.
Be sure to check the soil each time prior to watering. When you feel no moisture at your first knuckle, it’s time to apply more.
This should help you provide what the plant needs without overdoing it and causing the bulb to rot in the ground from oversaturation.
The next thing you must do is fertilize the martagon lily. These flowers should be fertilized, using a balanced granular fertilizer, at the time they sprout and again after flowering is complete for the year.
As mentioned earlier, these plants can reach heights between three and six feet. Plus, they produce ten to thirty heads per stem.
That can get heavy and cause the plant to flop over. Deter this from occurring by staking the plant as needed.
Finally, you should prune the martagon lily before winter sets in each year. You’ll notice signs that the plant is heading into dormancy because the leaves will begin turning brown and drying out.
When this occurs, cut the foliage back. You can provide a layer of mulch to add insulation to the plant if overwintering outdoors.
Should the plant be in a container, it’s wise to cut the foliage back and move it to a cooler, dark location protected from frost. A dark corner of your basement, a garage, or even a closet could make a good spot to overwinter the martagon lily.
You shouldn’t need to water your martagon lilies while they’re dormant. Once spring arrives, you may pull the container out, place it in a protected location which receives partial sunlight, and begin by providing an initial watering.
After the plant wakes up, provide care to the plant as described above, and you may move it outdoors once all threat of frost is over.
These are a few ways you can provide care for your martagon lilies whether growing outdoors in the ground or in a container.
Provide excellent care to your flowers to encourage healthy growth and optimal beauty around your home.
Garden Pests and Diseases for Martagon Lily
The last thing we should discuss when growing the martagon lily is how to protect this plant from pests and diseases.
It’s common for slugs, snails, and aphids to enjoy munching on your martagon lilies. Avoid aphids by treating the flower with an insecticide upon your first sighting of this pest.
They multiply quickly, so it’s important to treat for aphids before they have time to do too much damage to your plants.
Should you see snails or slugs on your lilies, you may hand pick them, or sprinkle your lily with diatomaceous earth.
You may also sprinkle coffee grounds around the base of the plant. These things create dangerous terrain for snails and slugs which tends to treat the issue.
The most common diseases the martagon lily runs into are rust and powdery mildew. Both of these are fungal based issues which should be treated with a fungicide.
You may also deter these problems by planting in an area with well-draining soil, adequate lighting, and watering the lily at its base to avoid the foliage of the plant being wet for prolonged periods.
All of these things can deter fungal issues from developing on your plant as fungal disease thrives in cold, damp locations. By providing proper drainage and a warm growing location you’re stopping the problem at its source.
Finally, be mindful of where you grow the martagon lily as this plant is extremely toxic to cats. They’re even allergic to pollen. Keep this in mind, when deciding where to place this flower in or around your home.
These are a few things to keep in mind when growing this flowering plant. Hopefully, the tips provided here will keep your martagon lilies healthy, so you may enjoy them for many years.
Martagon lilies could be a great addition to your home or landscape when you need a splash of vibrant color around your home.
Learn More About Growing the Martagon Lily
https://aggie-hort.tamu.edu/ornamentals/cornell_herbaceous/plant_pages/Liliummartagon.html
https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/faq/what-are-martagon-lilies
Leave a Reply