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How to Grow Foxtail Lilies: Expert Tips

Pabio October 31, 2024

Fall is a busy time for gardeners. Even though there isn’t much growing at this time of year, it’s the ideal time to get your bulbs in the ground before the frost.

If you are looking for the best perennial bulbs to plant in fall and you are having difficulty making your final decisions, you should consider Eremurus. Also known as foxtail lilies, due to their flower spikes reminiscent of animal tails, it’s no wonder these remarkable flowers are on the list of best high impact light bulbs.

The good news is that there is still time to plant foxtail lilies for next summer’s display. Here, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to growing foxtail lilies so you can start planting them this season.

How to Grow Foxtail Lilies

Flowering in summer, foxtail lily spikes come in a range of colors – from shades of orange to white and even pink – making them a valuable addition to a range of garden ideas and styles. No matter the color Eremurus you choose, there are a few key elements you need to know to develop them successfully:

Facts to Consider About Growing Foxtail Lilies

Orange foxtail lily

(Image credit: Iva Vagnerova via Getty Images)

Foxtail Lilies Thrive Everywhere Hardiness Zone Five in the United States has zone eightflowering from late spring through summer.

“This is a beautiful perennial bulb that is sadly underutilized,” says a horticulture and bulb expert. Peggy-Anne Montgomery. “They make a strong architectural statement in any sunny border or rock garden.

“They look particularly pretty against a dark background. Deer tend to avoid them, but pollinators love them. I can never bring myself to do this, but they also make excellent cut flowers.

As perennials, it is important to cut back foxtail lilies after flowering to encourage the flowers to return next year. In doing so, be careful to avoid size errors this can affect the ability of your foxtail lilies to regrow.

“They will go dormant in the summer after they flower. When the foliage fades, that’s the best time to cut them back,” notes Peggy Anne Montgomery.

Another element that makes these bulbs attractive is their underground appearance. “Bare roots look like starfish,” says Peggy. This interesting structure makes Eremurus one of the best unusual bulbs to plant in autumn.

They are incredibly low maintenance once planted. “Along with pruning after flowering, correct soil and watering, always try to keep each clump solitary. By not keeping them too crowded, they will produce their best growth,” advises Ian Mendozahorticulturist and plant expert from the PlantIn app.

Peggy-Anne Montgomery

Peggy Anne Montgomery is a horticultural professional with more than 30 years of experience in the United States and abroad in garden marketing and communications. An account executive for the Garden Media Group, she currently represents Dutch Royal Anthos, a trade organization for Dutch bulb growers and exporters in the United States and Canada.

Foxtail Lily Growing Guide

Foxtail lily

(Image credit: Olga Seifutdinova via Getty Images)

Ground: “The best soil for foxtail lilies is a soil mixture rich in organic matter but well drained,” says Ian. If you are growing foxtail lilies in pots as part of a potted gardentry using this potting soil from Amazon. You can also make your own mix: “You can mix this substrate using sandy loam with gravel or pebbles. A good mix would be around 60% garden soil, 10-20% coarse sand, 20-30% pebbles and 10% compost,” suggests Ian. When you plant your Eremurus bulbs, plant them about four to six inches deep and at least 11 inches apart to avoid crowding. “Plant them as soon as possible after they arrive so the rootstock doesn’t dry out. It helps to cover the planting area with mulch to protect the roots and emerging foliage,” says Peggy.
Watering: Once your bulbs are planted, you need to water them well to help them settle into their new home. In the future, avoid overwatering these bulbs. “They need average water during the growing season. Once the plants go dormant in summer, you can stop watering unless there is a prolonged drought,” says Peggy. Use this Amazon moisture meter can help identify when it’s time to water your plants. When the top layer of soil is dry, it is time to supplement the water levels of your foxtail lilies.
Light: Of course, it’s also important to properly position your foxtail lilies if you want them to put on an impressive display in summer. “Foxtail lilies thrive best in full sun. Full exposure will help them produce more flowers that can reach a very tall height, up to around nine feet,” says Ian. Eremurus maybe a light bulb for partial shadebut it will not flower as well as in full sun. “Sites protected from the wind are best, and in areas prone to late frosts it’s a good idea to cover them with an upturned clay pot for extra protection,” adds Peggy.
Size: As mentioned previously, the flowers of foxtail lilies will fade in late summer. This is when we need to dead head prepare them for the colder season and encourage the plant to focus its energy on growing flowers for next year. “Cut them close to the ground to allow them to develop new foliage,” advises Ian. “If you keep the flowers, they can self-seed and dry out. Then you can cut them and harvest the seeds,” he suggests. Allowing foxtail lilies to go to seed can be beneficial if desired. collect seeds plant elsewhere, or allow these beautiful plants to self-seed and grow elsewhere in your garden. When you reduce your Eremurusmake sure to use essential pruning tools make clean cuts, like these Fiskars bypasses Amazon pruners.

Ian Mendoza

Ian Mendoza is a forester and horticulturist in the Philippines, having worked in the landscape maintenance and management sector for over five years. He is also a freelance botanist for the PlantIn app.

FAQs

Do you need to fertilize foxtail lilies?

Foxtail lilies can benefit from fertilizing in spring, just as their active growing season begins. It is best to use a plant fertilizer rich in potassium. plant fertilizer numberpromoting the overall healthy growth of foxtail lilies. This high potassium fertilizer from Amazon is a good choice.

Do foxtail lilies need staking?

It may be beneficial to stake foxtail lilies if they are having trouble supporting themselves. You will know if your the plant needs staking because they will start to collapse, rather than straighten up. Due to the height foxtail lilies reach, this can happen. It may also be a good idea to stake your foxtail lilies if they are in an exposed position where the wind can knock them over.

There’s no doubt that planting foxtail lilies as part of your summer display will add impact. Try adding perennial plants to combine to further improve your display. Don’t forget to add this to your fall gardening checklist and start planting before the first frost.

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How to Grow Foxtail Lilies: Expert Tips

How to Grow Foxtail Lilies

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How to Grow Foxtail Lilies: Expert Tips

How to Grow Foxtail Lilies

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