Claude Shride

Every year about this time — mid June to the later part of the month, the martagon lilies bloom in all their upside-down splendor.

Some people enjoy growing the martagon lily simply because it is different.  They are graceful, intricate and alluring with their slender curved petals.  The outside of the petals is just as important as the interior.

The reason more people don’t grow martagon lilies may be due to the price.  The bulbs are not easily reproduced in commercial situations and, as a result, they can be expensive. However, if you can find some, consider making an investment.

Martagon Basics

A martagon lily bulb can produce 30 or more 2-inch blooms on a single stem.  This is the perfect lily for shade.  Plants are 3-6 feet tall with lace shaped leaves that form whorls that circle the length of the stem.  Flowers bloom from July to September, ranging in color from prink to white, with dark maroon specks on the interiors of the curved petals.

It’s a long-lived perennial with few pests and disease issues.  They don’t need to be divided.  They attract monarchs, swallowtail butterflies and hummingbirds.

How to Grow

Martagons grow best in dapples shade to shade, particularly afternoon shade. Plant bulbs in early August

Well drained soil is essential.  A lily bulb root can be 8 inches long and the bulb is susceptible to rotting in wet soil. 

Deadhead martagons by clipping them down to the leaves if you don’t want seeds.  Stems can be cut back in the fall once the leaves turn yellow.

Mulch with organic matter and fertilize in the spring when the shoots pop out, then again in early June. 

Sources:  Northern Gardener, Summer 2023

                 Northern Gardener, Summer 2014