17 Types of Red Lily Varieties For Your Flowerbeds
Are you looking for some red lilies to line your flowerbeds this season? From bright red to deep maroon, there are a number of different lilies that blossom with stunning red blooms. In this article, certified master gardener Liz Jaros looks at her favorite red lilies, with names and pictures of each!
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In nature, the color red can be either alarming or attractive. It can be exotic or traditional. And it can be romantic or frightening. A viewer’s reaction to the color depends mostly on context and perception.
In the floral industry, red is typically associated with love or passion, and lilies are no exception. Popular for its long vase life, bold color, and diverse fragrance profile, the red lily is a florist’s go-to for romantic bouquets and events. It is also a gardener’s favorite for timeless beauty and style.
While red is not the color found most frequently in the Lilium genus, it is one of the most sought-after. To help differentiate between some of the red lily species and cultivars you may already know as well as introduce you to a few new ones, we’ve gathered photos and details of our favorites.
Black Out
botanical name Lilium (Asiatic) ‘Black Out’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 2-3 feet | |
hardiness zones 4-8 |
Bowl-shaped blooms are blood red with centers that read almost black. Each 2-3 foot stem features 4-5 flowers with a classic lily profile. Foliage and early buds are bright green, which provides a lovely contrast.
Leaves are scattered with a medium width and length. Like most Asiatic lilies, Black Out is mostly unscented and pairs well with other sweet-smelling plants.
Gran Paradiso
botanical name Lilium (Asiatic) ‘Gran Paradiso’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 3-4 feet | |
hardiness zones 3-8 |
Petals, stamen, and anthers are all tomato red, with hints of dark orange on this stunning Asiatic lily. Flowers are plentiful on each stem, averaging widths of 4-5 inches.
With coloring that is mostly uniform, Gran Paradiso is a florist’s favorite for its bold neutrality and lack of scent. Plant in groups of 3 or 5 for a bouquet effect in the yard, and make sure you include extras for cutting.
Monte Negro
botanical name Lilium (Asiatic) ‘Monte Negro’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 2-3 feet | |
hardiness zones 4-8 |
Bowl-shaped blossoms are brick red, but petals fade to pale orange at the margins on Monte Negro. Stems are strong with glossy, dark green foliage that is spirally arranged, and each plant offers up 7-10 flowers on average. Anthers and stamen are also burnt red on this mostly monochrome cultivar.
Plant Monte Negro with perennials in the orange, yellow, or cream color families for a harmonious effect. Pack tightly in a container for an exotic patio display, or work into the back of a mixed lily border.
Push Off
botanical name Lilium (Asiatic) ‘Push Off’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 1-4 feet | |
hardiness zones 4-8 |
This bi-color Asiatic lily features blooms with burgundy-red centers that splatter onto creamy white tips. Foliage is a dark, waxy green with striping on the leaves and a whorled growth pattern.
Available in both standard height (3-4 feet) and carpet height (12-18 inches), Push Off can be either a showpiece or a front border planting. It pairs well with other whites like daisy or alyssum.
Red Velvet
botanical name Lilium (Asiatic) ‘Red Velvet’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 3-7 feet | |
hardiness zones 3-8 |
Blooms on this popular lily droop downward and have a silky sheen that sets them apart from other red varieties. Petals are recurved and slightly brown at the base. Some brown freckling dots the centers as well.
Flowers are 4 inches wide and very abundant, filling out even more with each passing season. Foliage is bright green and angled upward on strong stems.
Flashpoint
botanical name Lilium (Oriental Trumpet) ‘Flashpoint’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 3-4 feet | |
hardiness zones 4-9 |
Petals are rosy red with white margins and anthers. Blooms are recurved with an open, traditional star shape. Foliage is dark green, ovate, and scattered along sturdy stems.
Flashpoint has a particularly strong scent that most find pleasing. Plant it in locations where this will be an asset, like beneath the kitchen window or near the patio table. Red centers also make it attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Claude Shride
botanical name Lilium (Martagon) ‘Claude Shride’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 3-5 feet | |
hardiness zones 4-9 |
Once established, each plant can produce up to 50 pendant-style flowers on this Martagon favorite. In typical Turk’s Cap form, blooms are recurved and down-facing with an average width of 3 inches. Petals are blood red with dark orange rims and freckling.
Plant Claude Shride at the forest’s edge or beneath a light tree canopy, as Martagon lilies prefer a bit of shade. Give it a few seasons to take off, and you’ll be enjoying this one for many years to come.
Scheherazade
botanical name Lilium (Oriental Trumpet) ‘Scheherazade’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 4-7 feet | |
hardiness zones 5-9 |
Huge raspberry red blossoms average 7-10 inches wide on this Oriental Trumpet hybrid lily. Each plant can produce up to 40 down-facing flowers at maturity, and the cultivar is often referred to as a ‘Tree Lily’ thanks to its 7-foot stature.
Blooms have a cream-to-gold throat and similar edging. The stamens are long and white with brown anthers. Scheherazade will not perennialize in regions with extreme winter temperatures. It should be selected for gardens in zones 5 or higher.
Silk Road
botanical name Lilium (Oriental Trumpet) ‘Silk Road’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 4-7 feet | |
hardiness zones 5-9 |
Blooms on this giant hybrid have crimson throats and creamy white exteriors. Averaging somewhere between 8 and 10 inches wide, flowers face outward on stiff, upright stems with a spiral leaf pattern.
Silk Road is prized for its particularly long bloom time, as a second wave of bulbs opens when the first round begins to fade. You can expect to enjoy this oversized, strong scented beauty for up to a month in most settings.
Sumatra
botanical name Lilium (Oriental) ‘Sumatra’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 3-4 feet | |
hardiness zones 3-8 |
Petals are blood red to dark burgundy with white edging on this striking Oriental hybrid lily. Flowers face outward and have bright green anthers with orange heads. Foliage is dark green and substantial in width, providing a strong contrast.
Formerly grown only in greenhouses for the floral industry, this cultivar now comes in bulb form and can be added to your backyard cutting garden. Divide every few years and it will keep multiplying.
Coral Lily
botanical name Lilium pumilum ‘Coral Lily’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 4-7 feet | |
hardiness zones 5-9 |
This charming lily has a classic Turk’s Cap shape with small, waxy red blooms that max out at 2 inches wide. Petals are shiny and recurved. Flowers droop downward in quantities of 20-30 per stem.
Coral Lily is a pollinator magnet and grows well in less-than-perfect soil conditions. Bulbs will multiply and spread easily, so this is a good lily for areas with rocky soil or tree roots.
Red Carpet
botanical name Lilium (Asiatic) ‘Red Carpet’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 9-12 inches | |
hardiness zones 3-8 |
This beautiful dwarf lily features large, cardinal-hued flowers that average between 5 and 6 inches in width. Short, dense foliage is whorled and dark green in color, creating a carpet-like effect beneath these bold red blooms.
Use this cultivar along walkways for a formal effect or in small, informal clusters scattered throughout the garden. Monochrome flowers and flower parts work well as a solid backdrop to other perennials in yellow, orange, or white color groups.
Sensi
botanical name Lilium (Oriental Trumpet) ‘Sensi’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 6-8 feet | |
hardiness zones 3-10 |
Impressive height and sweet-smelling blossoms make Sensi a popular addition to the lily garden. Flowers have rosy, red petals with ruffled edges, and they face both upward and outward on shrub-like stems.
Use Sensi as an anchor plant in an exotic mixed bed. It has a light, fruity scent that is pleasant but not overpowering. Divide every few years to keep from overcrowding.
Zeba
botanical name Lilium (Oriental Trumpet) ‘Zeba’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 3-4 feet | |
hardiness zones 3-8 |
Flowers can be up to a foot wide on mature specimens of this Oriental Trumpet hybrid lily. Petals are a creamy green color with bold red centers and freckles that attract hummingbirds and butterflies to the garden.
Because blooms are so large and heavy, Zeba should be staked for stability. Choose a location that concentrates sun in the morning to midday hours as it may wilt in locations with unfiltered afternoon rays.
Touchstone
botanical name Lilium (Longiflorum Oriental) ‘Touchstone’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 4-7 feet | |
hardiness zones 3-8 |
This highly fragrant lily features 9-inch blooms with plum-red petals that face upward and recurve slightly in classic form. Each sturdy stem offers 3-4 flowers with yellow throats that are attractive to bees and butterflies. Foliage is a waxy, dark green and provides a nice contrast.
As a ‘super hybrid,’ this cultivar boasts all the desirable characteristics a gardener could ask for in a lily, including large flower size, long bloom time, pleasant scent, and disease resistance.
Red County
botanical name Lilium (Asiatic) ‘Red County’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 2-4 feet | |
hardiness zones 3-8 |
Petals are deep, rich red with hints of dark orange at the margins. Centers are slightly darker with red freckles and anthers. Flowers face upward on strong stems with foliage that is dark and whorled.
Like most Asiatic lilies, Red County has minimal fragrance. It also spreads easily and will return faithfully for many years to come.
Blacklist
botanical name Lilium (Asiatic) ‘Blacklist’ | |
plant type Bulb, perennial | |
sun requirements Full sun to part shade | |
height 2-3 feet | |
hardiness zones 3-8 |
With centers that are a deep, dark burgundy and petals that are a rich, blood red, this lily can bring major drama to any garden setting. Foliage is substantial and bright green, while anthers are a vivid orange. The combination of colors is quite unusual, making Blacklist a showstopper.
Pair this cultivar with other dark perennials for a moody ambiance, or plant it with any shade of orange for a complementary palette.
Final Thoughts
For a little spice in the yard or in the vase, consider working some red lilies into your flowerbeds. Lilies are easy to grow and provide plenty of garden interest. With an intensity that varies from bold to bashful, red lilies are just as comfortable in the spotlight as they are in the background.
Give new plantings well-drained soil, adequate sunshine, and a little room to spread out. After a few years, when they begin to look crowded, or you notice a reduction of blooms, dig them up, break off new bulblets, and replant. If you run out of room in your own yard, share a few of your red lily babies with the neighbors. It’s all part of the fun.