Many people ask,
what is the difference between Asiatic and Oriental lilies? Are these same? No, there is a difference. Main differences between Asiatic and Oriental lilies are discussed regarding their flowering time, shape and colour of flowers, plant height, leaf shape and quality of fragrance.
Oriental Lily Leaves | 
Asiatic Lily Leaves |
How to grow Oriantal and Asiatic Lilies
Out of several Lilium species of lilies, Asiatic lilies and Oriental lilies are the most common type of lilies that are grown for garden displays for their very showy and fragrant flowers. Both are hybrids, they have some common characteristics, but how to tell the difference between these two lilies.
Oriental vs Asiatic Lilies
Asiatic lilies are the hybrids of many different Lilium species and originated from several areas of Asia, whereas Oriental hybrids were developed from only a few species native to Japan.
I grow both the lilies this spring so I can distinguish between Oriental and Asiatic lilies.
You can distinguish between different lilies by considering the following.
Lily Flowers
Both the lilies are easy to grow although Orientals are a bit trickier. Whereas Asiatic lily flowers are usually with no fragrance, Oriental lilies are heavily scented, with much larger flowers. For some people the ;fragrance is unpleasant, but I like it.
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| Oriental Lily Flower |
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| Asiatic Lily Flower |
Flowering Time
Asiatics are early-bloomers beginning in spring, while Orientals flower when the Asiatics have finished in summer and mid fall. So it is a good idea to plant both of them for a longer display in your garden.
Flower Shapes And Colour of Oriental and Asiatic Lilies
Asiatic lilies have the greatest range of flower shape and colours from Pastels to Crayola colours except the blue. Except Lollypop, Asiatics usually have a single colour. Orientals blooms are white, yellow and pink, with a different colour on their rims, or with a combination of two or three colours.
Height of Oriental and Asiatic Lilies
Asiatic lily plants reach a height of one to six feet and are easiest to grow and earliest to bloom. On the other hand, the oriental lily plants can go two to eight feet high and bloom from mid to late summer, just when Asiatic lilies are beginning to fade. So it is better to plant both the lilies to have a prolonged display of magnificent flowers.
Leaf Shape of Oriental and Asiatic Lily Plants
Asiatics generally have 4 to 5 inch long shiny and skinny leaves spaced close to one another on the stem. The leaf colour is typically bright green. Oriental leaves, on the other hand, are wider in the middle and longer, and are usually spaced further apart on the stem. Leaf colour is typically dull green.
Growth Rate of Oriental and Asiatic Lily Plants
An Asiatic bulb can double itself from one year to the next. They produce many smaller offspring near the soil's surface. Oriental bulbs also increase in size with increased number of blooms on taller stems each year. They spread slowly by the bulblets on the stem, produce multiple bulbs from natural division over a period of time, it is better to lift and divide bulbs every 3 to 5 years to avoid over-crowding.
