A detailed guide to new lily propagation techniques: grow lilies with ease

Lilies not only have elegant, brightly colored flowers, their tender fleshy stems are also rich in nutrients and have special medicinal and health benefits, making them a popular health food on the market. Several bulb propagation methods for lilies are as follows:

1. Seed propagation Sow mature lily seeds to obtain large numbers of lily bulblets in a short time, for bulb production and cut flower cultivation. Lily species suitable for seed propagation include: Lilium brownii, Lilium longiflorum, diploid Lilium lancifolium, Lilium concolor, Lilium regale, Lilium formosanum, Lilium davidii, Lilium cernuum, Lilium tsingtauense, Lilium henryi, Lilium speciosum, and others. Lily seed germination has two types: epigeal (cotyledons emerge above ground) and hypogeal (cotyledons remain underground). In the former, the cotyledon tips emerge above the soil surface 15-30 days after sowing, as in Lilium regale, Lilium davidii, and Lilium longiflorum. In the latter, the seeds form overwintering small bulbs in the soil, and only in the following spring does the first true leaf of the above-ground part grow from the small bulb, as in Lilium cernuum, Lilium tsingtauense, and Lilium speciosum. The sowing soil can be prepared with 2 parts fertile soil, 2 parts coarse sand and 1 part peat, with a small amount of phosphate fertilizer added. For epigeal lily types, sowing in March-April is best, with a soil covering thickness of 1-2 cm; some varieties can flower after 6 months, while Lilium regale, Lilium henryi and others do not flower until the following year. For hypogeal germination types such as Lilium speciosum, autumn sowing is best; by November the radicle emerges, in February-March of the following year the first true leaf emerges above ground, and flowering occurs only after 3-4 years. Transplanting lily seedlings is best done when the cotyledons have just emerged above the soil surface up to when the cotyledons are fully extended. Seed propagation is the best method for propagating lilies, as it produces robust disease-free plants and new hybrid types. Any species from which normal seeds can be obtained can be propagated by sowing to produce bulblets. 2. Stem bulbil propagation For lily species from which seeds are difficult to obtain, stem bulbils can be used for propagation. That is, using the bulbs that grow from the base of the above-ground stem and from the stem nodes buried in the soil. First bury the mother bulb appropriately deep; when flower buds appear at the top of the above-ground stem, remove the buds early to promote more and larger bulblets; alternatively, after the plant flowers, cut the above-ground stem into small sections, bury them flat in moist sand with the leaves exposed, and after about a month bulblets will also grow from the leaf axils. Generally, collect the bulblets in October and plant them at a row spacing of 25 cm and a plant spacing of 6-7 cm, cover with 4-5 cm of burnt soil, and cover with grass to retain moisture; the following year they can grow into commercial seed bulbs weighing about 40-50 grams. Usually the bulblets produced on 1 hectare of land can supply 2-3 hectares of field planting.

3. Bulbil propagation Lily species that can produce bulbils in the leaf axils, such as Lilium lancifolium and other hybrid lilies, can be propagated by bulbils. The size of the bulbil is related to the variety and the nutritional status of the mother plant; large bulbils are only 0.2-0.3 cm in diameter. When the bulbils have grown mature on the stem, appear slightly purple, and fall off at a touch, harvest the bulbils and sow them in sandy soil, covering with soil just enough to barely cover the bulbils, set up a shed for shade, keep moist, only spray water without watering; they will root in 1-2 weeks, emerge in 20-30 days, and one week after emergence they can be transplanted to the seedbed. Pay attention to shading in daily care, and keep the seedbed soil from freezing in winter; the following year they can grow into commercial seed bulbs capable of flowering. For varieties that cannot form bulbils, cut stem segments with single or double nodes and insert them with leaves for cuttings, which can also induce bulbils to grow from the leaf axils. 4. Leaf cutting propagation Some lily species, such as Lilium longiflorum, can also be propagated by inserting the above-ground stem leaves to obtain small bulbs. The method is: pull the leaves off the stem, insert them into a moderately moist substrate, maintain around 20°C, provide 16-17 hours of light daily, and after about 3-4 weeks callus tissue will form at the base and small bulbs will form; after a month and a half, the small bulbs grow new roots and become new plants. 5. Scale cutting propagation For lily species from which seeds are difficult to obtain and which also do not easily produce bulbils or bulblets, the scales of the mother bulb can be used for cutting propagation. In addition, although propagation by small bulbs allows rapid multiplication, it is prone to degeneration, and bulb yield gradually declines; generally every 4-6 years renewal, purification and rejuvenation are needed, for which scale cutting is most suitable. The method is: in autumn, select large bulbs free of pests and diseases and remove the scales, insert them with the wound side facing down in a sandy soil seedbed, but be sure not to let them contact fertilizer directly to prevent rot. The row spacing is 15 cm and the plant spacing is 3-4 cm; pay attention to moisture retention and cold protection. In February-March of the following spring, the scales form callus tissue and differentiate into small bulbs. The number of seedlings raised by scale cutting on 1 hectare is equivalent to the propagation number of stem bulblets on 3 hectares. 6. Bulb cutting propagation For wild Lilium brownii, or other large varieties, when there are few bulbs and you want to propagate while also achieving early flowering and viewing, the bulb cutting method can be used. That is, in autumn dig up large bulbs, cut them into 4-5 pieces, and cultivate them in clean sandy soil; the following year more small seedlings will form, which can then be divided and grown on.