Lilies are some of the most beautiful houseplants you can grow. They are also great for adding a burst of color to any home or office, especially in the spring and summer. Many types of lilies are also easy to grow from cuttings or seeds, making them a wonderful choice for new gardeners or those who would like to start growing their own houseplants. Most popularly grown as indoor plants, many varieties of lilies prefer partial sun or bright filtered light for their best growth. Given proper care and conditions, most lilies will live for many years from their bulb.
Propagating a potted lily by taking cuttings is an easy way to expand your collection and multiply existing plants without buying new ones. The process may seem daunting at first, but with just a little know-how and patience, it wonג€™t be long before youג€™re an expert in the art of lily propagation!
What is the method of reproduction of lily?
Lilies propagate through both seeds and cuttings, but they also can grow from tubers. In general, lilies are seedless plants that are propagated by taking cuttings or by dividing the plantג€™s underground bulbs into smaller clumps. Lilies also have a tendency to take root in damp soil or water, so planting them in pots with some soil is ideal for many varieties of lilies.
To propagate a potted lily by taking cuttings, submerge the cutting in a moist mixture of equal parts sand, peat moss and perlite (sawdust). Then place the pot inside a ziplock bag and seal it shut. After about 10 days, remove the bag and examine your new plantlets. Place them in individual pots with additional moist potting mix and wait for growth to resume.
How do you propagate lilies from cuttings?
If youג€™re looking to propagate lilies from cuttings, the first step is usually to remove some of the old damaged leaves and stems. You can then fill your pot with moist soil, plant your cutting in it (just barely above ground level), and place it in a spot with bright filtered light or partial sunlight. As long as you keep the soil moist and provide good drainage, your lily cutting will quickly become a healthy new plant. It will take anywhere from four to six weeks for a cutting to grow roots and become mature enough to transplant into another pot.
The newly rooted plants can be divided by cutting off the stem just below the crown of leaves, meaning that you have two new pots with at least one plant each. You can also place these new plants in separate locations so they donג€™t compete for nutrients or space!
Do lilies reproduce with seeds?
Lilies reproduce with seeds, but not every lily will produce a seed. Some commonly grown types of lilies have flowers that are too small to produce viable seeds and will only grow from cuttings. The best time for propagating lilies is in the fall or winter when the warmth of the soil helps the bulbs store energy for a long dormant period.
How fast do lilies reproduce?
Lilies grow in cycles. Each cycle is generally comprised of 4 stages:
ג€¢ Root growth
ג€¢ Bulb formation and flowering
ג€¢ Bulb ripening, dying, and falling off the plant for seed production
ג€¢ Dead leaf fall and new green leaf growth (in some varieties)
