Our Martagon Lilies are finally blooming! I planted them fall before last, but last year they just sent up stems with no flowers. Apparently that is par for the course with this type of Lily. This year, though, there are bountiful orange flowers with maroon markings. and brick-red anthers. This variety is called ‘Sunny Morning’.
A wonderful thing about Martagon Lilies is that they actually prefer light shade. They will also tolerate full sun and part shade, but not deep shade. In the wild, there are several Martagon species that grow in woodlands and wood margins from Spain to Siberia. It’s generally hybrid varieties, though, that you find in catalogs. But I am not complaining.
Martagon Lilies generally grow about 3 or 4 feet tall. They like moist, well-drained soil.
We have two Martagon Lilies in the Back Raised Bed and five near the neighbor’s fence and the Chokecherry tree. All are ‘Sunny Morning’ Only four of those five are blooming, though, as I accidentally broke one of the stems.
The good news, though, is that Martagon Lilies will multiply if they are happy, to the point where they need division. I fervently hope that they are happy in our shady Back Garden. If you want your Martagon Lilies to multiply, snip off the flower spikes when the blooms are done.
This Lily has interesting whorled leaves on mostly leafless stems.
They catch the sunlight nicely, don’t they?
Blooming in front of the Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus).
Martagons are also super hardy, ranging from USDA zone3 (sometimes eve zone 2) to 7, though they don’t like hot climates. There’s a variety called ‘Manitoba’, which should tell you something.
There’s lots of information on Martagon Lilies on the website of the North American Lily Society.
There is always the danger of Lily Beetles, of course, though thank goodness we have had no sign of them yet. Even so, I’m very glad I took a chance on Martagon Lilies.
What about you – do you grow Martagon Lilies? Do you have a different favorite Lily?
gardeninacity 
Those are quite handsome looking.
I think so.
They are fabulous Jason. I do grow them but they never look as good as this. Martagon lilies are particularly susceptible to lily beetle here.
Eek, I’m sorry to hear that. I suppose it is only a matter of time before they show up in my garden. I’ll just have to get maximum enjoyment until then.
Oh, my goodness, here you are with another enticement for shade! I might just have to invest in some of these for my shady back corner along with the allium you just showed us the other day. You are a menace!
These are really just gorgeous and isn’t it wonderful that they like some shade, there aren’t too many things that flower well in shade, even semi shade so finding one that I had never even thought about and is a wonderful color as well is great!
I had to have these after seeing a big clump of them blooming in a wooded part of the Chicago Botanic Garden.
I have been searching for Martagon lilies for years, every catalogue! where can I get some bulbs, I especially want white martagons
https://www.johnscheepers.com/
https://www.americanmeadows.com/
https://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/category/lilium-fall-planted-bulbs/?s=lilium&post_type=product&limit=20&orderby=title&v=7516fd43adaa
Lovely colour, they really show up in the shade. I have a dark purple one, but it doesn’t show up like yours, I know what to do!
Buy more bulbs!
I have to say these are gorgeous lilies. My favorite lily is the one blooming now. ha… I have tried Martagons before. They didn’t like my garden. I think it gets too dry and hot here. If we ever had a cool summer again I would try them again.
I guess they like moisture but also need well-drained soil.
They do indeed catch the sun! And they bring some sun of their own, too. What an amazing shade flower. I think it and the Goatsbeard are enjoying each other’s company.
They really seem to catch the sun in a spectacular way, don’t they.
Wow.. those look really good!
Thanks!
Oh, I love them, how straight and tall they are. I bet you wept when you broke that stem.xxx
I used to grow fragrant Oriental lilies like “Stargazer” but the beetles finished them off.
I love the color of this one. I’ve seen whorled lily leaves like those in the woods but have never found them blooming. Big yellow Canada lilies are what I usually find.
The beetles have not yet appeared in our garden, knock on wood. My favorite of the Orientals is ‘Casa Blanca’.
I never grew that one. I hope the beetles will leave you alone. They do a lot of damage.
I haven’t tried to grow these, but I’m thinking maybe I should. They look beautiful in your garden!
Give them a try, definitely!
Beautiful flowers!
Thanks!
Fabulous lilies! If we weren’t so plagued with lily beetles, I would be tempted to try them.
Drat those beetles!
They are awful.
I’ll just enjoy looking at yours, they look lovely, especially with some sun filtering through them.
Yes, they look good catching the sunlight.
They are really pretty, and wonderful that they grow in shade. I have avoided lilies since I met the lily beetle a few years ago and it is pretty yukky!
They are bad news, for sure,
The only native lily I’ve found in east Texas looks much like these, although it’s a low grower and produces only one or two (sometimes three) blooms per stem. It also likes dappled shade, and the color fairly glows. These are beautiful, and more appealing to me than the day lilies that are everywhere here just now.
Wild lilies tend to have multiple turkscap flowers.
These are beautiful, Jason! I tried growing them once but I mustn’t have had the conditions right because I lost them. In our woods, we enjoy the wild L. canadense, but so do the deer, so we’re lucky to see the ones they miss!
I have seen lots of wild native lilies at the Butler garden in Minneapolis.
I think yours are lovely ! .. I also think these beauties take some patience as well. I have two and I wonder if I will ever get to see both of them blooming at the same time . I know one is “Fairy Morning” which was supposed to be Guinea Gold .. some how the distributor mixed them up but I am happy. I have no idea what the second one will be since something clipped off it’s buds .. we have a BIG problem with lily beetles here so I am trying to keep ahead of them with neem oil spraying .. I try to be mindful of that as well and make sure it is only going to the lilies and rubbing them with a gloved hand .. otherwise I will have to pull up all my lilies eventually and that would be sad. A garden is so beautiful with a few lilies.
I have never used Neem oil. Hope you can keep the beetles at bay.
I was just thinking about Michigan lilies the other day. Are these related to those?
Not really sure …
These beauties are really splendid, Jason! I tried some years ago, but couldn’t provide.the right conditions I guess, because they only lasted a couple years. Congratulations on your success.
Well, we’ll have to wait and see if they settle in.
I love martagon lilies and want to have them in the garden, but we do get lily beetle coming in so we confine our lilies to pots on the patio (where it sun-bakes) and close to the washing line where we can be continually monitoring for these horrible pests. I hate being restricted on plants because of pests. I hope the lily beetles don’t find these gems.
Pests have stopped me from using some favorite plants, though fortunately not lilies – yet.
Nice blog tthanks for posting