Lilium King Pete (Asiatic Lily)

Lilium ‘King Pete’ is a fascinating Asiatic Lily with showy, upward-facing, wide-open flowers with broad and bright yellow petals contrasting with a darker yellow heart and chocolate freckles.

Lilium 'King Pete' is a fascinating Asiatic Lily with showy, upward-facing, wide-open flowers with broad and bright yellow petals contrasting with a darker yellow heart and chocolate freckles. Amazingly decorative, this tremendous Lily won the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society (2002). Easy to grow, it will add drama to your garden and brighten it up!

  • Blooming in early-mid summer, this Lily constitutes an excellent border plant, providing striking color and contrast to the perennial border and mixes beautifully with annuals and other summer flowering bulbs.
  • It is well suited to containers and the cutting garden as it makes excellent fresh-cut flowers. Plant in groups of 3, 6, or 12 bulbs for a striking display!
  • Growing up to 3 feet tall (90 cm), it performs best in full sun or part shade and enjoys fairly fertile, well-drained soils. Good moisture is required and dry soils should be avoided.
  • Reliable, easy to grow, beloved by bees and butterflies
  • Toxic to cats (though not for dogs or any known species)
  • When flowering is over, cut back leaves and stems after they turn yellow. This plant may self-seed.
  • Plant in fall or early spring in the garden. Potted plants may be planted at any time between spring and fall.
  • This Lily is a member of the Asiatic Hybrids Division (I) which includes lilies with small to medium-sized flowers, usually bowl-shaped, flat, or with recurved tepals and with an open center. The flower color is generally uniform or with contrasting tepal-tips and/or throat. Spots are often absent. The flowers have little or no scent and their leaves are scattered with a narrow to medium width. There are 9 different types of lilies classified by the Royal Horticultural Society. And they are all real eye-catchers!

Requirements

Hardiness 4
– 8

Heat Zones 1
– 8

Climate Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, A1, A2, A3
Plant Type Bulbs, Perennials
Plant Family Lilium – Lilies
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early,Mid)
Height 2'
– 3'
(60cm
– 90cm)
Spread 10"
– 1'
(25cm
– 30cm)
Spacing 8″ (20cm)
Depth 8"
(20cm)
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Plant of Merit, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Bees, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Cutting Garden, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden