The genus Lilium belongs to the family of plants known as Liliaceae. True lilies belong to this genus and, despite their names, some species such as the Peace lily or Day lily are not true lilies, despite the ‘lily’ part of their name.

Description
True lilies have long, narrow leaves growing along the length of the stem and large, flamboyant flowers that are either single or in clusters. They grow from scaly bulbs. Many of the species are highly fragrant and typically range in height from 30cm − 120cm, although some can be much taller.

Habitat
Different species of Lilium originate from different countries. For example, species like the Lilium monadelphum and Lilium pyrenaicum originate from European countries such as Turkey and Spain respectively, while the likes of Lilium auratum and Lilium lancifolium hail from Asia.

Availability
With so many different species of lily, the flowering time for these plants can vary. Varieties of the Lilium genus are widely available throughout the UK, at garden centers and stockists.

Species
Popular species include the fragrant white Lilium Candidum, or Madonna lily and the Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum), that originates in Taiwan and has clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers and shiny leaves.