A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 How much shade can Lillies tolerate?

I'd like to know what the big deal is, about lillies & the Sun.

There is a Tiger Lilly at the SW corner of my house that gets about 1/4 of the day's sun, & seems to do fine. At the opposite side of the house there is another Tiger Lilly & an Easter Lilly & a Day Lilly & a couple Calla lillies that get 3/4 of the day's sun & they do fine there, as well. I think that last year the Tiger on the shadier side of the house bloomed a couple weeks later & the blossoms lasted a little longer, than the Tiger with more sun.

My question is, don't lillies do just as well in the shade (or partial shade) as they do in the sun? Are full-sun lillies healthier? Do lillies in shade/partial shade only tolerate their location & maybe not make as many babies, or something?

The Sun does help them bloom. BUT Day lilies can live and bloom full sun and part shade, as long as the ground is good. Lilies are multi purpose flowers in my view...They can live and thrive in all sun exposures....
My plants do that too..In my front yard I have 2 Fake pear trees..<<can't remember the name>>>The one that gets a little more sun blooms a few days before the other...

Did I answer your question?

Okay let me try again..Day Lilies all varieties...need part sun, to bloom. They can survive, thrive and bloom in full sun exposure.

Calla lilies grow best in partial shade to full shade..They can grow, thrive and bloom without direct sunlight. Not in complete darkness though.

I have heard that this it has a lot to do with zone. Of course a zone 8 plant would need more shade than a zone 5.

In my zone 6 the sunshine is not as strong. But I still get good results in shade. I have daylilies, lilies in the shade and they bloom good, I too like the shade grown better because they bloom later and last longer.

Patty...the full sun issue has more to do with light than heat. In my area, with summer temps soaring above 105 some years, shade is DEFINITELY an issue for many plants...that doesn't mean they don't need FULL SUN...at least 4 to 6 hours a day of direct sunlight. But they benefit from some shade in the hottest part of the day.
The term FULL SUN is applied to so many plants that can thrive in various conditions. roses, for instance, can thrive in dappled shade...they are an understory plant in the wild.
Bulbs will often bloom very well for at least the first year in fairly deep shade, they have all of their energy stored in the bulb already.
Tomatoes are tricky...they need lots of sun to grow and produce, and yet shading them from the hot summer temps here in Oklahoma will prolong the fruiting period.
Azaleas are misunderstood as well, for some reason...many varieties tolerate full, hot, extreme conditions here, 'though they're considered shade to part shade plants overall.
In my experience, anything that requires FULL SUN

OOPS! Allow me to finish. Anything that requires FULL SUN can thrive with between 4 to 6 hours of full sunlight a day, and some can thrive in partial shade.
Just remember, we all learn from our mistakes...

It's amazing how many varieties of lillies there are.
Although many varieties have minimal requirements regarding sunlight and soil chemistry, just keep in mind that some varieties need to be separated every few years for optimum performance.
Fortunately, where i live, the ground rarely freezes and that task can be performed this time of year with little trouble. Last weekend i started separating some that have been in the ground for several years. Not only does this give them "breathing" room and allow u to expand their growing "space", but also provides opportunity to amend the soil.

Full Sun and Lilies......
First off, FULL SUN , means just that.. The plants need the sun and the heat to grow well. Also the type of soil makes a world of difference.
If they say full sun, you better believe it.. You will notice, most of your garden centers provide the type of plants for your area.. Ask them..It is you best guide.

Hope I dont bore you..
dodge

New to this forum. Ive had day lilies, Easter lilies and surprise lilies grown in Missouri outside. I now live in southern florida. I now have this lily in a pot bought at Home Depot. I think it is a calla but it is dark pink and looks a bit different then the white callas. It seems to be dying at the base..I would like to identify this lily if possible to research what problem it might have..what should I do?

Happy Gardening!
Rein