Lilium 'Silk Road'
Best fragrant perennial for gardeners seeking dramatic, early-blooming floral displays.
Discover the Lilium 'Silk Road', an exceptional Orienpet Lily renowned for its massive, 8-inch blooms that fill the air with intoxicating fragrance. These stunning flowers are presented on spires reaching up to 2 feet wide, offering an extended display of beauty. As a hybrid of Oriental and Trumpet Lilies, it boasts large, fragrant flowers and robust garden performance, blooming about two weeks earlier than many Oriental varieties. This lily, a four-time winner of the North American Lily Society's popularity poll, thrives in well-drained soil with 6-8 hours of sun daily, bringing graceful stature and vibrant white to magenta colors to your garden.
$25.00
Owner Satisfaction
4.7
/ 5
Category Rank
16
/ 3088
#16 in Plant & Flower Bulbs
Price vs Category Average
+6%
Above average
Common Name
Orienpet Lily
/ Orienpet Lily
Who it's for
- Cold-climate growers needing reliable, disease-resistant perennials
- Gardeners seeking a bold, architectural focal point
- Fragrance lovers wanting a perfumed outdoor living space
Who should skip it
- Urban gardeners with limited space or container setups
- Low-maintenance gardeners avoiding extra structural support tasks
- Busy growers unable to monitor for pest infestations
Performance breakdown
Bloom Impact
Massive eight-inch flowers create an immediate, high-drama visual focal point.
Fragrance Intensity
Potent, intoxicating scent profile fills outdoor spaces with ease.
Garden Resilience
Hybrid vigor ensures sturdy, reliable performance across diverse garden conditions.
Bloom Timing
Early-season flowering extends the display window beyond standard Oriental varieties.
Cut Flower Utility
Long, robust stems make these ideal for dramatic indoor floral arrangements.
Growth Stature
Impressive height provides significant vertical interest in perennial garden beds.
Key Specs
Common Name
Orienpet Lily
Hardiness Zone
5-8S/9W
Exposure
Sun to Part Shade
Blooms In
Jul-Aug
Mature Height
4-6 feet
Spacing
12 inches
Bulb size
18-20 cm
Fragrance
Yes (Highly Fragrant)
Features
- Huge, 8-inch fragrant flowers
- Spires up to 2 feet wide
- Hybrid vigor from Oriental & Trumpet lilies
- Blooms approximately 2 weeks earlier
- Sturdy garden performance
- Striking white to magenta colors
- Excellent for cut flowers
- Perennial garden favorite
What customers say
The Lilium 'Silk Road' is celebrated as a garden superstar due to its spectacular visual impact and reliable performance. Reviewers consistently praise the magnificent scale of the blooms and the striking color transition from creamy white to deep raspberry edges. The intense, sweet fragrance is another major highlight, transforming garden areas. Customers report excellent perennial health, noting the lilies return stronger each season, confirming long term value. While the initial cost is premium, the consensus is that the showstopping results and dependable beauty easily justify the investment. This lily is viewed as an essential, high quality purchase for gardeners seeking maximum impact.
Know before you buy
As an Orienpet hybrid, 'Silk Road' combines the intense fragrance and large bloom size of Oriental lilies with the robust, heat-tolerant performance of Trumpet lilies. It also blooms about two weeks earlier than most traditional Oriental varieties.
You should space these bulbs 12 inches apart. Given their mature height of 4 to 6 feet and wide spires, this spacing ensures adequate airflow and room for the plants to develop their full stature.
The 'Silk Road' is a perennial hardy in zones 5 through 8S/9W. In these regions, the bulbs will return year after year, provided they are planted in well-drained soil to prevent winter rot.
Yes, these lilies are excellent for cut flowers. Their large, 8-inch blooms and strong stems make them a dramatic choice for vases, and their intoxicating fragrance will easily scent a room.
For the best performance, plant them in a spot that receives 6 to 8 hours of sun daily. While they can tolerate partial shade, full sun helps ensure the sturdiest stems and most vibrant color development.
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$25