August lily

Questions about August lily

Does August lily need sun or shade?

August lily grows in part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun), part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light). It is one of the few that also put up with deep shade.

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does August lily grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 9. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does August lily flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid August to mid September. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should August lily be planted?

2½ ft (75 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 ft (90 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 24 in (60 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many August lily plants do I need?

At 2½ ft apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 2 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 5 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 6 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is August lily poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to dogs, cats and horses. Can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in pets if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension and the ASPCA. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like August lily?

These come closest to doing what August lily does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Hairy alumroot 'Autumn Bride': the same job in a bed and the same colour; 6 in narrower, flowers late August to early October.
• White wood aster: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 12 in narrower, flowers late August to early October.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat August lily?

They may. NC State does not list it as resistant to deer or rabbits. Where they visit, protect it, or plant it among ones they avoid.

What flowers after August lily?

August lily is over by mid September. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• October daphne: from mid September to late October, 8 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Toad lily: from mid September to mid October, 2½ ft tall.
• Blue-stemmed goldenrod: from early September to mid October, 2½ ft tall.

What does August lily look like in winter?

August lily dies down, but leave the stems standing: the seed heads stand through the winter, and songbirds eat the seed. Cut them down in early spring, before the new shoots come.

Is August lily good for bees and butterflies?

August lily is visited by pollinators, bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and songbirds.