How Do Lilies Reproduce? A Detailed Guide to Common Propagation Methods

1. Cultivating seed bulbs Lily's young bulbs must be cultivated continuously for several years and reach a certain size before they can be harvested for consumption. The bulbs used for planting in the year of harvest are called seed bulbs.

1) Cultivating seed bulbs with bulbils This method is suitable for varieties that can produce bulbils, such as Yixing lily. In Yixing lily, more than half of the leaves and leaf axils can grow bulbils, and each plant can produce more than 40-50 bulbils.

2) Cultivating seed bulbs with daughter bulbs Daughter bulbs, namely small bulbs, grow in the soil at the base of the aboveground stem. Many lilies can form daughter bulbs, such as Lanzhou lily. Each lily plant can generally produce about 20, and at most more than 30. When harvesting lilies, store the small bulbs separately and grade them according to size. Large bulbs of 30-50 grams can be used directly as seed bulbs for producing commercial lilies, while those below 30 grams need to be cultivated. They are generally divided into grades of 20-30 grams, 10-20 grams, and below 10 grams. Daughter bulbs weighing 20-30 grams can be used as seed bulbs after 2 years of cultivation, while the others need 3 years of cultivation to reach the seed bulb standard.

3) Cultivating seed bulbs with scales This is referred to as the scale propagation method. The scale propagation method is the most commonly used asexual propagation method for lilies, and it also has the highest propagation coefficient. This method is most suitable for Longya lily, because it does not produce bulbils, and it can also be used for Lanzhou lily. Generally, after a scale is peeled off and kept at a humidity of 80%-90% and a temperature of 20-24°C for 10-15 days of culture, one or several small bulbs can grow near the base of the wound. After 10-15 days, basal roots can grow from the base of the small bulbs, and after about 30 days, basal leaves grow. Given certain conditions of light, temperature, fertilizer, and other factors for culture, in 60-70 days they can grow into small daughter bulbs with a diameter of 1.2-1.5 cm. After another two years of field cultivation, they can become seed bulbs for commercial production. The scale propagation method generally includes the following types: Seedbed cutting method: First, choose sandy soil that drains well, is loose and fertile, and has not previously grown onions, garlic, or solanaceous crops. Make a seedbed about 1.3 m wide and 25 cm high, with the length depending on the terrain. The cutting period is generally August-September (in southern regions), while in the north it is carried out after the soil thaws in early spring. Indoor sand culture method: Choose 1 room with a shady, cool, and ventilated location, a relatively low air temperature (about 20°C), and a relatively stable mud floor. First spread a 5 cm thick layer of clean wet sand on the ground, 1 m wide and of unlimited length, then place a layer of scales and cover with a layer of wet sand; place 5 layers in total, then cover with another 5 cm thick layer of wet sand. The pile height should preferably be 25-30 cm, and it must not be too high. Afterward, evenly sprinkle water over the sand pile as needed (it is best if no water seeps out at the bottom) to keep it moist. Generally, after about 15 days, 3 cm long basal roots can grow. Within 1 month, they can be transplanted together with the scales, small bulbs, and roots to a field seedbed. Continue growing. Scale air culture technique: Scale air culture is a cultivation technique in which peeled lily scales are exposed to air for artificial culture. After 60-80 days of indoor culture and then one natural growing season, the growth amount obtained is equivalent to the growth amount of the scale soil cutting method over two growing seasons. It can effectively shorten the growth cycle of lily flowering and harvest, and the daughter bulbs grow well.

4)Seed core propagation method Select plants that are disease-free, have large, white bulbs, no diseased spots, well-developed roots, clearly separated cloves, and compact clustering as seed sources. Longya lily generally consists of 2-3 daughter bulbs per mother bulb. When processing dried slices, separate the daughter cloves so that each daughter clove carries the basal plate at the bottom of the stem and the root system. Peel off the large outer scales of each daughter bulb and keep the seed core as propagation material. Store it in sand to overwinter the summer, and plant after the autumn turns cool.