Tiger Lilies: Everything You Should Know Before Planting

The very first perk of having this flower in your garden is that it indiscriminately serves as a pest repellant. Imagine never having to purchase pest and disease repellents as a matter of urgency? Yup, Gardenia writes that the tiger lily helps protect other plants from pests, even more so as it multiplies in bulbs underground.

Another way to use tiger lilies in your garden is for their aesthetic appeal — we mean, what's the point of having flowers that don't add all the color and pop and beauty to your garden? Additionally, the multiplication rate of this downward-facing, spotty orange flower is fast, providing you with the crème de la crème of lily beauty, says One Green Plant.

Lastly, if you live in climes that are susceptible to drought and you want a flower that will thrive nonetheless (because, let's face it, what's the point of growing flowers only to have them die after one season?), you should grow the tiger lily, writes The Gazette.

Now that you have your tiger lily plant well-established in your garden, the next step will be to ensure it blooms and doesn't die, as well as how to maintain it even after blooming. We have a lot of information for you, so you might want to get a pen. Just kidding — this plant is very easy to take care of; lazy gardeners will easily find it a favorite.

As you know, the standards are six to eight hours of sunlight daily. However, according to the experts at Michigan Bulb Co., tiger lilies can also tolerate part shade. The only major maintenance you have to do with this plant is the water control issue. Remember that we recommended tilling the land before planting? Well, that was to ensure that you have a sufficient draining system as too much water can rot the roots of the tiger lily, and then all your work will have been for nothing.

When it comes to pruning the plant, you should bear in mind that after blooming the foliage of the tiger lily plant tends to turn yellow. Once this happens, uniformly, it's time to prune to ground level and dispose of it. Finally, on the drainage matter, it is important to add humus or compost every once in a while to help the drainage process and to, of course, prevent rot.

Right, now the toxicity question. Each time we do a piece on a new plant, we feel obliged to tell you that it is important that you know the toxicity levels before planting it. Toxic plants can cause a serious problem for your pets, toddlers, and even you; ignorance is not an option. It might seem like we're reading you the riot act, but it's better than a sick pet — you'll agree, won't you? Great!

Eat the Weeds say that the tiger lily is an edible plant. It has been used to make stellar concoctions like traditional meals in Japan, writes Pro Garden Tips. However, just because it is edible doesn't mean it is toxin-free. Come along, we'll explain what we mean.

First off, if you're a cat mom, or dad, or granny, in general if you are a cat person it is important to note that this plant is deathly toxic to your furry kitten, says Pet Poison Helpline. So, you might want to keep the tiger lily off your garden list — unless, of course, you can manage the risks (we would not recommend this though). Next up, while it is edible to humans, some sources say that tiger lily pollen can be toxic to humans. Weird combo — we found it fishy so we decided to dig in. What we found out was that if you get exposed to the pollen, it's likely nothing will happen to you.

So you may be asking how to take care of tiger lilies in the wintertime. Plant Care Today says we need to cut these flowers back and prune them once a year for them to last longer and keep their lush beauty. If you've never grown tiger lilies before, you might be fooled into thinking they've died when they have entered their dormant stage. This happens just before winter, so it's important to cut them back in the fall before this occurs. You may mistake that this hardy plant is dying towards the end of summer when the leaves begin to turn yellow. In reality, it's preparing for its dormant stage.

You want to allow the yellow leaves to remain but cut back the ones that die. This will give the plant the best chance for survival through the winter months and subsequently thrive the following spring. The annual pruning of your tiger lilies is also important to its overall health because it will help prevent both disease and pests. Trimming and removing the dead leaves will prevent rot that develops in the roots, and additionally helps guard against pests being attracted. Beware of over-pruning, however, and wait until they turn brown, never removing too many at once, or the plant is at risk of losing its ability to flower. According to the Farmers' Almanac, you'll also want to cut the dead stalks back in late fall or early spring. Before winter, add about 4 to 6 inches of mulch to protect the roots from the snow and freezing temperatures, and leave it in place until after the last frost is over. Remove only gradually, when the shoots begin breaking through in the spring.

Farmers' Almanac says that deadheading our lilies is recommended for optimum health. You can remove the blooms and the stem once they fade, but avoid cutting the leaves until completely brown and dead, as previously directed. Lilies, in general, need energy and the leaves help them last through winter, so they should not be removed until the end of their season in the fall. You'll be cutting back the dead stalks then, too. But the blooms will take up energy making seeds if not removed, so when the flowers lose their vibrancy and wilt, it's time to deadhead. You won't need the seeds because you have the plant's bulb, which will lie dormant over the winter but will regrow in the spring.

Tiger lilies are a perennial plant, which means paying careful attention in the fall especially will pay off year after year, with gorgeous, exotic blooms. Every three to four years, you'll want to divide your plants as they begin growing in the spring by separating the clumps of bulbs and replanting them with some compost. For tiger lilies, using fertilizer heavy with potassium is best. Though these flowers are strikingly lovely, deadheading them will not enable them to bloom again since they only bloom once a year. Still, it is recommended for optimal health of the plant.

According to Garden and Happy, it's easy to confuse day lilies with tiger lilies, and the care differs greatly between them. Not only that, it is very important to remember that real tiger lilies are toxic if eaten, causing severe problems for children and will kill cats or small animals. Therefore if you have cats, do not plant actual tiger lilies, and take care that small children do not go near them. Day lilies, in contrast, are edible to most people. However, one in 50 people report experiencing serious stomach issues after digesting it, so it's best not to snack on it.

So how do you know which is which? Great question! The easiest way to tell is by the blooms. A real tiger lily has bright orange flowers with black speckled or spotted petals that point downward. Day lilies are more trumpet-shaped, and the blooms point upward. Both kinds do have different colored varieties. Additionally, as previously discussed, tiger lilies grow from bulbs, with one stem growing from each bulb and each stem producing up to 10 blooms that grow in groups around the stem. Day lilies grow in groups, and multiple stalks grow from the center of the plant. Depending on the variety, many day lilies only last for one day; hence, the name.