Plant Library

Other Names:  Jersey Lily, Naked Lady Lily, March Lily

Description:

A stunning amaryllis that is quite vigorous; extraordinary pink trumpet flowers emerge before the leaves on tall stems, making a bold visual statement in the garden or containers; toxic to wildlife, so critters will leave them alone; a great cut flower

Ornamental Features

Belladonna Lily features bold spikes of fragrant pink trumpet-shaped flowers with white overtones and gold throats rising above the foliage from late summer to early fall. Its sword-like leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the year. The plum purple stems can be quite attractive.

Landscape Attributes

Belladonna Lily is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a rigidly upright and towering form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Belladonna Lily is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Belladonna Lily will grow to be about 15 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets. It can be propagated by division.

Belladonna Lily is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.