How to Grow Ixiolirion Plants in your Garden
Gardener's HQ Guide to Growing Mountain Lily, Tartar Lily and Siberian Lily
Members of the Ixiolirion genus can be grown as either hardy bulbs or annuals in the garden.
They reach from 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 inches) in height and carry delightful funnel shaped flowers of blue.
Their size makes them good plants for rock gardens use to fill in the gaps of dry stone walls.
Some of the common names for Ixiolirion include Tartar Lily, Siberian Lily and Lily of the Altai.
Ixiolirion by Knoxilla; Creative Commons.
Ixiolirion Plant by Knoxilla.
Ixiolirion Growing and Care Guide
Common Names: Mountain Lily, Siberian Lily, Tartar Lily, Lily of the Altai
Life Cycle: Hardy bulb commonly grown as an annual by gardeners.
Height: 15 to 20 inches (38 to 50 cm).
Native: Southwest Asia.
Northern America: Annual: zones 3 to 6. Perennial in zones 7 to 10.
Flower Details: Blue, purple. Funnel. Sword shaped petals.
Foliage: Grass-like.
Seed: cover seed. Just before the last frost. Spacing 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12 cm).
Bulb: bury 5 inches (from bulb base). Plant in spring, or in autumn in warmer areas.
Sow Inside: Germination time: one to three months. Temperature 50°F (10°C). Two to three months in advance. Transplant outdoors following the last frost.
Miscellaneous: Can take up to four years for seed grown Ixiolirion to flower.
How to Grow Mountain Lily, Tartar lily and other Ixiolirion Plants in the Garden
The bulbs of tartar lilies (Ixiolirion Plants) should be buried about 5 cm (2 inches) deep.
Space bulbs at 10 cm (4 inches) apart in the spring; into a sunny part of the garden.
Ideally the soil should be dry and sandy. If you are growing Tartar lilies and other Ixiolirion species members from seed then sow on the surface and lightly cover the seed; this should be done before the last frost of spring.
If you are first planning to grow Ixiolirion indoors then they should be started about two to two and a half months before putting out (following the last frost of spring).
Tartar lilies will take from one to three months to germinate at a temperature of 10 degrees centigrade (50°F).
Caring for Tartar lily and other Ixiolirion Genus Members
Once growing it is necessary to apply a top dressing of manure in the spring.
In very cold areas, bring the bulbs of Ixiolirion indoors and store in a cool dry place through the winter.
I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Ixiolirion plants. You may also enjoy my gardening guides on how to grow Miscanthus, Lapeirousia plant, and Rhodohypoxis plants.
If you enjoy the information on this site, then you'll love my book: The Gardener's HQ Plant Growing Guide. Available for Kindle (MOBI), iPad (ePub) and as a PDF.
Genus Index I
