By Erin Marissa Russell
If you love the blaze of color and stately presence of orange lilies in the garden, this article is for you. We’ve created a list of the prettiest orange lilies out there. Each listing comes with a description of the flower as well as basic care instructions, so you can determine which of the lilies on this list will fit into the conditions and climate of your garden.
Keep in mind that all lilies are toxic to dogs and cats, so don’t grow them where pets play unsupervised.
African Queen Trumpet Lily (Lilium ‘African Queen’)
Zones: 4 through 8
Unlike many of the lilies on this list, African Queen’s blossoms face down or out, like ringing bells. The petals are the buttery apricot of creamsicles, and they’re brushed with burgundy. The huge blossoms measure between six and eight inches long.
Plant your African Queen Trumpet Lilies where they will get full sun or partial sun. They are not particular about soil type or pH level as long as they have access to moisture and are provided with good drainage. These lilies grow to between four feet and six feet tall, with a spread of one to two feet.
Brunello Asiatic Lily (Lilium ‘Brunello’)
Zones: 4 through 8
The Brunello lily features huge tangerine blossoms that can reach up to eight inches wide. There can be up to 12 blooms on each stem of this prolific lily. The flowers face upward and have burgundy stamens.
Plant Brunello lilies in full sun to partial sun. Brunello lilies are versatile to a variety of soil types and pH levels. However, they do require soil that’s moist, moderately fertile, and offers good drainage. These lilies can grow to reach heights from two feet to three feet tall, with a spread of one to two feet.
Calla Lily (Zantedeschia)
Zones: 8 through 10
Calla lilies have a geometric cup-like sweeping shape. Orange varieties of calla lily include Cameo, Captain Amigo, Captain Safari, Fire Dancer, Fire Glow, Flame, Mango, Mercedes, Sunrise, and more. These range from pale peach to vivid deep burnt orange, with everything in between.
Calla lilies are toxic to people as well as to pets, so make sure not to plant it where children or pets play unsupervised. Plant in full or partial sun. In zones with hot, humid weather, some afternoon shade will be welcome. Provide calla lilies with acidic soil that is moist but offers plenty of drainage.These lilies grow to reach two to three feet tall, with a spread of one to two feet.
Canna Lily (Canna x generalis)
Zones: 8 through 11
Canna lilies have a tropical vibe, with their jungle-large leaves and bright flamenco colors. There are lots of orange ones for you to choose from, some of which have variegated leaves with yellow markings. Other varieties have darker burgundy or purple foliage for even more garden drama. Canna lilies also go by the name of arrowroot.
Find these flowers a spot that gets full sun. Cannas do best in soil rich in organic material that is moist and offers good drainage. Cannas can grow to reach four feet to six feet tall, with a spread of one to two feet.
Columbia American Lily (Lilium columbianum)
Zones: 5 through 9
The Columbia American Lily is not only beautiful—this flower is also prolific, with each individual bulb producing up to 20 blooms. Colloquially, the Columbia lily is sometimes referred to as a tigerlily, wild tigerlily, or Oregon lily. Columbia lilies have reflexed petals that fold backward and nodding heads, with six stamens that hang downward. The petals are freckled with brick red spots. Best of all, Columbia American Lilies have an especially long flowering period.
Plant these lilies in full sun to partial shade. Soil should be moist and rich, with a pH level from acidic to neutral. Columbia lilies grow to heights between two feet and four feet tall, with a one-foot to two-foot spread.
Enchantment Asiatic Lily (Lilium ‘Enchantment’)
Zones: 4 through 8
Enchantment lilies are bright orange-red with dark reddish brown freckles. The stamens are tipped in red-brown as well. The six-petaled flowers may be nodding or reflexed. Between the sweet speckles and the vivid color, these lilies will add some extra drama to the garden.
Plant Enchantment lilies either in full sun or in partial shade. They do best in rich, fertile soil that is moderately moist but offers good drainage. Mature plants grow three to four feet tall, with a spread of nine to 12 inches.
Fire King Asiatic Lily (Lilium ‘Fire King’)
Zones: 4 through 8
In spring and the beginning of summer, Fire King produces loads of outward-facing red-orange blossoms touched with purple freckles. The petals are curved backward to show off the pretty centers. Stamens are tipped with the same shade of purple as the freckles.
These lilies thrive in full sun or partial shade. Soil should be moist with plenty of drainage. Otherwise, Fire King is not particular about soil type or pH level. Plants grow to three to four feet tall, with a spread of one to two feet.
Leopard American Lily (Lilium pardalinum)
Zones: 5 through 8
In late spring and early summer, the nodding flowers of Leopard lilies appear. The blossom is bright red-orange with brown speckles on a background of yellow. Petals curve back to make a shape like that of Turk’s Cap lilies. Each stem can produce up to 10 blooms.
Leopard lilies should be planted in either full sun or partial sun. As long as the soil is moist and drains well, soil type and pH level are not important. Soil should be amended with leaf mold or other organic material. Leopard lilies are versatile and will grow happily in a variety of conditions. These lilies can grow six to eight feet tall, with a six-inch to eight-inch spread.
Michigan Lily (Lilium michiganense)
Zones: 4 through 8
Michigan lilies face downward and have reflexed petals. The flowers are deep orange with purple freckles, and they last for about a month, from early summer to midsummer. Each stem can generate up to eight blossoms.
Find your Michigan lilies a spot in the garden that gets full sun to light shade. Soil where Michigan lilies will be grown should be rich in organic material and moist, but should provide plenty of drainage. Michigan lilies can grow from two feet to five feet tall, with a one-foot to two-foot spread.
Orange Lily (Lilium bulbiferum)
Zones: 3 through 9
Orange Lily is also called Fire Lily. The wide-open flowers are vivid blaze orange and may be brushed with red or purple. The blossoms are tinged with yellow at the flowers’ throats and turn orange-red at the tips. Stamens are marked with deep brown.
Orange lilies do best in dappled sunlight, or they can have light shade in the summertime. Ideally, provide orange lilies with loose, loamy soil that drains well. However, orange lilies will tolerate a variety of soil conditions, including light sand or heavy clay.
Philadelphia American Lily (Lilium philadelphicum)
Zones: 4 through 7
The Philadelphia lily is also called prairie lily or wood lily. The petals curve gently backward on the upward-facing blooms. The lily’s throat is yellow, speckled with brown spots. The same brown appears at the end of the flower’s stamens.
Grow this lily in full sun. Although it can be grown in partial sun, the blooms will be affected. The soil should be loamy or sandy and moist, providing good drainage. Philadelphia lilies grow to one foot to three feet tall, with a spread of nine to 12 inches.
Royal Sunset Asiatic Lily (Lilium ‘Royal Sunset’)
Zones: 3 through 8
The Royal Sunset Asiatic Lily gets its name from its gorgeous florid colors that look like a sunset deepening on the horizon. Leaves are a vibrant orange that lightens to yellow in the center and hot pink on the tips of the petals. Dainty speckles decorate the petals near the center of the flower.
Royal Sunset lilies are easy to grow. Find them a spot that gets full sun to partial shade. Soil should be average and moderately moist, with plenty of drainage. Like many lilies, it’s best for the top of the plant to be in the sunshine while its roots are planted where they can get some shade. These flowers grow to between three and four feet tall, with a spread of nine to 12 inches.
Sunny Morning Martagon Lily (Lilium ‘Sunny Morning’)
Zones: 3 through 7
Sunny Morning Martagon Lilies are elegantly shaped, with strongly reflexed petals. The petals are a golden yellow orange like the sun, delicately dotted with deep brown speckles. The stamens are a rusty burnt orange hue. There can be up to 50 blooms on a single stem of this prolific producer.
You can grow Sunny Morning lilies in full sun or partial sun. These flowers do best in soil that is slightly alkaline, moderately moist, and offers good drainage. Sunny Morning grows to an average height of two to three feet, with a four-inch to eight-inch spread.
Tiger Lily (Lilium lancifolium or Lilium tigrinum)
Zones: 3 through 8
Tiger lilies resemble a Turk’s Cap Lily in shape, with recurved petals that bend backward. Unlike other spotted lilies that have spots in the throat of the blossom, tiger lilies are spotted all over with deep mahogany. In addition to orange, you can find tiger lilies in pink, red, yellow, and white.
Tiger lilies do best in full sun to partial sun. The soil should be acidic, loamy, and moist, with good drainage. Mature plants grow to between three and five feet tall, with a spread of seven to eight inches.
Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium superbum)
Zones: 4 through 7
Turk’s Cap Lilies also go by the name American Swamp Lily, or simply Swamp Lily. Despite the somewhat distasteful name, the flower is gorgeous. Turk’s cap lilies feature strongly reflexed petals on its downward-facing flowers. The stamens are large and decorative. The lily itself is golden orange in the center, radiating to red orange at the tips of the petals. The flower is covered with deep brown spots.
These lilies are especially easy to grow because they’re so resistant to disease. Find a spot in the garden for them that gets full sun or partial sun. Turk’s Cap Lilies need loamy or sandy soil that is acidic or neutral, moist with good drainage. These large lilies can reach six feet to nine feet tall, with a spread of six to nine inches.
Now you’ve been introduced to some of the prettiest orange lilies out there. Simply match the care preferences of some of your favorites to the conditions in your garden, and you’ll soon be enjoying the view as these lilies show off their blossoms.
Learn More About Growing Orange Lilies
https://crateandbasket.com/types-of-orange-lilies-and-how-to-care-for-them/
https://gardeniaorganic.com/types-of-orange-lilies/
https://wildyards.com/types-of-orange-lilies/
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