Do Tiny Bee Asiatic Lilies Rebloom?

Seasonal Bloom

• A true lily from the genus Lilium, "Tiny Bee" grows from a bulb. As with most bulbs, it blooms once per year and then begins to store energy for the next year's growing season. Its large yellow flowers appear in midsummer and last approximately two to three weeks. In hot, humid conditions, blooms may fade more quickly. The upward-facing flowers carry light freckles at their throat and, like all Liliums, consist of three petal-like sepals and three true petals that surround the pollen-carrying anthers and filaments at their center.

Annual Bloom

• After blooming in summer, Asiatic lilies begin to replenish the bulb's energy stores to fuel the next year's flowers. The bulbs require a cool dormancy period of at least eight weeks over winter for successful midsummer blooms. To help "Tiny Bee" prepare, carefully remove spent flowers when finished blooming so energy isn't diverted into seed production. Leave the stiff stem and deep green, strap-like foliage to die back naturally to the ground. They'll continue to put energy into the bulb to maximize blooms the next year. Since "Tiny Bee" reaches only 12 to 14 inches in height, neighboring plants will help camouflage the fading stems.

Culture

• Prolific blooms depend on optimal care. Your lily will do best when planted in a location with full sun to part shade. As long as the soil is well drained, "Tiny Bee" adapts easily to most soil types and pH levels. Consistent moisture helps support flowering, but overly moist soils can lead to rot. Incorporating organic matter into the soil at planting time helps maintain moisture levels. Mulching also helps conserve moisture, promote root growth and prevent tender shoots from appearing prematurely in spring and potentially reducing later blooms.

Troubleshooting

• If your "Tiny Bee" flowers sparsely or not at all, start with your planting location and plant health to look for clues. Bulbs benefit from general all-purpose fertilizer high in phosphorus, which promotes bulb growth, and lower in nitrogen, which promotes foliage. Too much water or not enough can significantly reduce blooms. Competition for nutrients from other plants or cutting foliage back too quickly the previous year may also be to blame. If your lily has been in one location over three years, it may be time to divide the plant. Dig the bulb gently in fall, divide and replant the tiny bulblets. In two growing seasons, they should be large enough to bear blooms of their own.