Lily flowers are admired for their bold colors, elegant forms, and often noticeable fragrance. True lilies belong to the genus Lilium and include naturally occurring species as well as thousands of cultivated hybrids and varieties grown in gardens and used as cut flowers.
Learning lily flower names in English makes it easier to recognize different blooms and understand how their names are used. This guide covers familiar lily names, major types of true lilies, popular hybrids and cultivars, colors, flower shapes, fragrance, and the important difference between true lilies and other plants commonly called lilies.
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Lily Flower Names You Can Recognize by Their Blooms
Some lilies are easier to identify than others because they have distinctive colors, markings, flower shapes, or bloom directions. These familiar examples provide a useful starting point for recognizing lilies from pictures.
Tiger Lily
Tiger Lily has bright orange flowers covered with dark spots. Its petals curve strongly backward, creating one of the most recognizable lily shapes.
Stargazer Lily
Stargazer is an Oriental lily cultivar with large upward-facing flowers. Deep pink centers, pale edges, dark speckles, and a strong fragrance make it easy to identify.
Easter Lily
Easter Lily produces long, pure white trumpet-shaped blooms. The flowers are usually fragrant and have a clean, elegant appearance.
Casa Blanca Lily
Casa Blanca is an Oriental cultivar with very large white flowers, broad petals, and a powerful fragrance. Its blooms usually face outward.
Regal Lily
Regal Lily develops long white trumpet flowers with yellow throats. The outside of each bloom may show pinkish or purplish coloring.
Madonna Lily
Madonna Lily bears clear white flowers with prominent yellow anthers. Its blooms generally have a more open trumpet or funnel shape.
Martagon Lily
Martagon Lily produces numerous smaller flowers that hang downward. Its petals bend sharply backward, giving the blooms a distinctive Turk’s-cap appearance.
Turk’s Cap Lily
Turk’s Cap Lily is recognized by nodding orange to reddish flowers with dark spotting and strongly recurved petals.
Canada Lily
Canada Lily carries hanging bell-shaped flowers on tall stems. The blooms may be yellow, orange, or reddish and often contain darker markings.
Golden-Rayed Lily
Golden-Rayed Lily has large white flowers marked by golden bands and reddish-brown spots, creating a highly distinctive patterned bloom.
Henry’s Lily
Henry’s Lily produces orange flowers with recurved petals. Dark markings and raised structures inside the flower help distinguish it from many other orange lilies.
Orange Lily
Orange Lily develops vivid orange, usually upward-facing flowers. Its comparatively simple flower form separates it from heavily spotted Tiger Lilies.
Black Beauty Lily
Black Beauty is an interdivisional hybrid with dark raspberry to reddish flowers, pale margins, and recurved petals.
Golden Splendour Lily
Golden Splendour is a Trumpet/Aurelian cultivar with elongated golden-yellow blooms and darker coloring on the outer surface.
Forever Susan Lily
Forever Susan is an Asiatic cultivar known for striking burgundy flowers with contrasting orange coloring toward the edges and center. Iowa State describes it as an upward- or outward-facing Asiatic lily.
Complete List of Lily Flower Names in English
Lily names do not all represent the same botanical level. Some describe broad horticultural groups, some refer to naturally occurring species, and others are names given to cultivated hybrids or cultivars. The list below brings these useful names together for vocabulary and identification.
- Asiatic Lily
- Oriental Lily
- Martagon Lily
- Candidum Lily
- American Lily
- Longiflorum Lily
- Trumpet Lily
- Aurelian Lily
- LA Lily
- OT Lily
- OA Lily
- Easter Lily
- Madonna Lily
- Tiger Lily
- Regal Lily
- Canada Lily
- Turk’s Cap Lily
- Orange Lily
- Wood Lily
- Golden-Rayed Lily
- Henry’s Lily
- Stargazer Lily
- Casa Blanca Lily
- Black Beauty Lily
- Golden Splendour Lily
- Pink Perfection Lily
- African Queen Lily
- Forever Susan Lily
- Connecticut King Lily
- Grand Cru Lily
- Matrix Lily
- Lollipop Lily
- Landini Lily
- Navona Lily
- Sorbonne Lily
- Muscadet Lily
- Acapulco Lily
- Mona Lisa Lily
- Dizzy Lily
- Siberia Lily
- Brindisi Lily
- Tiny Padhye Lily
- Rosella’s Dream Lily
- Lady Alice Lily
- Anastasia Lily
- Scheherazade Lily
- Silk Road Lily
- Conca d’Or Lily
- Purple Prince Lily
- Royal Sunset Lily
- Robina Lily
- Saltarello Lily
- Touchstone Lily
- Claude Shride Lily
- Guinea Gold Lily
- Sunny Morning Lily
- Perfect Joy Lily
- Pink Flight Lily
- Hotel California Lily
- Viva la Vida Lily
Major Types of True Lilies
Garden lilies are traditionally organized into nine horticultural divisions based mainly on parentage and flower characteristics. The system includes Asiatic, Martagon, Candidum, American, Longiflorum, Trumpet/Aurelian, Oriental, interdivisional hybrids, and species lilies.
Asiatic Lilies
Asiatic lilies are among the earliest garden lilies to flower and offer one of the widest ranges of color. Their blooms may face upward, outward, or downward, and they generally have little or no fragrance.
Well-known examples include Forever Susan, Connecticut King, Grand Cru, Matrix, and Pink Flight.
Martagon Lilies
Martagon lilies usually grow tall stems carrying numerous smaller, downward-facing flowers. Their petals curve backward strongly, and many varieties display freckles or spots.
Examples include Claude Shride, Guinea Gold, and Sunny Morning.
Candidum Lilies
Candidum hybrids form a relatively small horticultural group related to Lilium candidum and several European species. The famous Madonna Lily is closely associated with this part of the lily family.
American Lilies
American hybrids were developed from lily species native to North America. Their ancestry includes species such as Lilium pardalinum and other North American lilies.
Familiar North American species include Canada Lily, Wood Lily, and Turk’s Cap Lily.
Longiflorum Lilies
Longiflorum lilies are best recognized by their elongated trumpet-shaped flowers. The group comes largely from Lilium longiflorum and related parentage, with white blooms especially characteristic.
The best-known example is the Easter Lily.
Trumpet and Aurelian Lilies
Trumpet and Aurelian lilies often produce tall stems with large, strongly scented blooms. Flower forms range from narrow trumpets to broader bowls and recurved shapes, while colors include white, yellow, gold, pink, and other shades.
Examples include Golden Splendour, African Queen, Pink Perfection, and Regal Lily.
Oriental Lilies
Oriental lilies are known for large, dramatic flowers and strong fragrance. Many trace their ancestry to species such as Lilium auratum and Lilium speciosum.
Popular examples include Stargazer, Casa Blanca, Sorbonne, Muscadet, and Siberia.
Interdivisional Hybrid Lilies
These lilies result from crossing plants belonging to different horticultural divisions. Important examples include LA, OT, and OA hybrids, which combine characteristics from their parent groups.
Species Lilies
Species lilies are naturally occurring members of the genus Lilium. They provide much of the genetic foundation from which modern garden hybrids have been developed.
Examples include Tiger Lily, Regal Lily, Martagon Lily, Madonna Lily, Canada Lily, and Golden-Rayed Lily.
Modern Lily Hybrid Names
Some modern lilies are commonly identified by abbreviations that reveal their parent groups.
| Hybrid Name | Parent Groups | Typical Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| LA Lily | Longiflorum × Asiatic | Large flowers combined with many bright Asiatic colors |
| OT Lily / Orienpet | Oriental × Trumpet/Aurelian | Large blooms, strong stems, and often noticeable fragrance |
| OA Lily | Oriental × Asiatic | Traits from both Oriental and Asiatic parentage |
| LO Lily | Longiflorum × Oriental | Large, often elongated blooms with Oriental influence |
The North American Lily Society specifically recognizes LA, OT, and OA crosses within the interdivisional group.
Popular Lily Names at a Glance
This table helps distinguish whether a familiar lily name refers mainly to a species, horticultural group, hybrid type, or named cultivar.
| Lily Name | Name Type | Recognition Clue |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger Lily | Species/common name | Orange, spotted, recurved flowers |
| Easter Lily | Species/common name | Large white trumpets |
| Regal Lily | Species | White trumpet blooms with yellow throats |
| Martagon Lily | Species/group name | Nodding flowers with recurved petals |
| Golden-Rayed Lily | Species/common name | White petals with gold bands and spots |
| Stargazer | Cultivar | Pink-and-white upward-facing spotted blooms |
| Casa Blanca | Cultivar | Large fragrant white flowers |
| Forever Susan | Cultivar | Burgundy and orange contrasting petals |
| Black Beauty | Hybrid cultivar | Dark recurved flowers with pale margins |
| Golden Splendour | Cultivar | Golden trumpet-shaped blooms |
| African Queen | Cultivar | Apricot-orange trumpet flowers |
| Purple Prince | OT cultivar | Large purple-toned blooms |
| Royal Sunset | LA cultivar | Golden centers with pink-red edges |
| Conca d’Or | OT cultivar | Creamy lemon-yellow flowers |
| Claude Shride | Martagon cultivar | Dark mahogany-red nodding blooms |
Cultivar descriptions and hybrid placement for several of these lilies are documented by Iowa State Extension.
Lily Flowers by Color
Flower color provides one of the simplest ways to describe and recognize lilies. However, individual cultivars can vary in shade, markings, and petal edges.
White Lilies
White lilies range from clean white trumpets to broad, fragrant Oriental flowers.
Common examples include:
- Easter Lily
- Madonna Lily
- Casa Blanca Lily
- Siberia Lily
- Navona Lily
Pink Lilies
Pink lilies may appear in pale blush, rose, raspberry, or stronger magenta shades.
Examples include:
- Stargazer Lily
- Sorbonne Lily
- Pink Perfection Lily
- Brindisi Lily
- Acapulco Lily
Orange Lilies
Orange appears naturally in several lily species and is especially common among Asiatic types.
Examples include:
- Tiger Lily
- Orange Lily
- Henry’s Lily
- African Queen Lily
- Forever Susan Lily
Yellow and Golden Lilies
Yellow lilies range from pale lemon to rich golden tones.
Examples include:
- Golden Splendour Lily
- Connecticut King Lily
- Grand Cru Lily
- Conca d’Or Lily
- Guinea Gold Lily
Red and Dark Lilies
Some cultivars develop burgundy, raspberry, deep red, or very dark purple-red coloring.
Examples include:
- Landini Lily
- Black Beauty Lily
- Purple Prince Lily
- Matrix Lily
- Touchstone Lily
Bi-Colored Lilies
Bi-colored lilies combine contrasting shades on the same bloom. Their centers, margins, stripes, or petal tips may have visibly different colors.
Examples include:
- Forever Susan Lily
- Royal Sunset Lily
- Stargazer Lily
- Tiny Padhye Lily
- Perfect Joy Lily
Lily Flower Shapes and Bloom Direction
Color alone does not always identify a lily. Flower shape and the direction a bloom faces can provide stronger clues.
| Flower Form | What to Look For | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Trumpet-shaped | Long tube widening toward the opening | Easter Lily, Regal Lily, Golden Splendour |
| Recurved | Petals bend strongly backward | Tiger Lily, Martagon Lily, Turk’s Cap Lily |
| Upward-facing | Flower opens toward the sky | Many Asiatic lilies, Stargazer |
| Outward-facing | Flower projects sideways from the stem | Many Oriental and hybrid lilies |
| Nodding or pendant | Bloom hangs downward | Martagon Lily, Canada Lily |
| Bowl-shaped | Broad open petals create a shallow cup | Some Trumpet/Aurelian hybrids |
Asiatic lilies can be upward-, outward-, or downward-facing, while Martagon flowers are characteristically nodding with recurved petals. Trumpet/Aurelian lilies can also vary from trumpet forms to bowls and recurved blooms.
Fragrant and Unscented Lilies
Fragrance is another useful clue when identifying major lily groups.
Oriental lilies are particularly known for large, often strongly scented flowers. Cultivars such as Stargazer and Casa Blanca are commonly grown partly for their fragrance.
Trumpet and Aurelian lilies are also frequently fragrant. Their scent often accompanies large trumpet, bowl, or flared blooms.
Asiatic lilies, by contrast, are generally not scented. Their appeal comes mainly from their broad range of colors, early flowering, and varied bloom orientation.
True Lilies vs. Flowers Commonly Called Lilies
Not every plant with the word lily in its common name is a true lily. Botanically, true lilies belong to the genus Lilium. Several well-known flowering plants belong to completely different genera or families.
| Flower Name | True Lilium? | Botanical Group |
|---|---|---|
| Asiatic Lily | Yes | Lilium hybrids |
| Oriental Lily | Yes | Lilium hybrids |
| Tiger Lily | Yes | Lilium |
| Easter Lily | Yes | Lilium |
| Madonna Lily | Yes | Lilium |
| Regal Lily | Yes | Lilium |
| Daylily | No | Hemerocallis |
| Calla Lily | No | Zantedeschia |
| Water Lily | No | Nymphaeaceae |
| Lily of the Valley | No | Convallaria |
| Peruvian Lily | No | Alstroemeria |
| Peace Lily | No | Spathiphyllum |
| Canna Lily | No | Canna |
| African Lily | No | Agapanthus |
For a vocabulary learner, these names are still useful because they commonly appear in everyday English. However, keeping them separate prevents unrelated plants from being presented as true Lilium lilies.
Species, Hybrids, and Cultivars: What Is the Difference?
Lily names can describe several different levels of classification. Understanding these terms makes long lists of lily names much easier to interpret.
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Species | A distinct botanical species occurring in nature | Lilium regale |
| Hybrid | A lily produced from parents belonging to different species or horticultural groups | Oriental × Trumpet hybrid |
| Cultivar | A selected cultivated plant maintained under a particular name | Stargazer |
| Horticultural Group | A broad cultivated grouping based mainly on parentage and flower characteristics | Asiatic Hybrids |
| Type | A general everyday word for a recognizable kind of lily | Trumpet Lily |
This distinction matters because names such as Oriental Lily, Tiger Lily, and Stargazer Lily do not all represent the same botanical rank.
How to Recognize a Lily From a Picture
When identifying a lily from an image, start with the most visible characteristics rather than relying on color alone.
Look first at the flower shape. A long tube suggests a Trumpet or Longiflorum type, while sharply backward-curving petals point toward Martagon, Tiger, or Turk’s Cap forms.
Next, check the direction of the bloom. Some lilies face upward, while others extend outward or hang downward. Spots, stripes, contrasting centers, pale margins, and recurved petals can further narrow the possibilities.
Finally, consider color and flower size together with those structural clues. Two lilies may both be pink, for example, but one may have broad fragrant Oriental-type flowers while another has smaller upward-facing Asiatic blooms.
FAQs
True garden lilies are traditionally arranged into nine horticultural divisions: Asiatic, Martagon, Candidum, American, Longiflorum, Trumpet/Aurelian, Oriental, interdivisional hybrids, and species lilies. These divisions mainly reflect parentage and flower characteristics.
Well-known lilies include Tiger Lily, Easter Lily, Stargazer, Casa Blanca, Regal Lily, Madonna Lily, Martagon Lily, Golden-Rayed Lily, and Golden Splendour. Their distinctive colors, markings, bloom direction, or flower shapes make them relatively easy to recognize.
Asiatic lilies generally flower earlier, come in a very broad range of colors, and usually have little or no fragrance. Oriental lilies tend to produce larger, dramatic blooms and are particularly valued for their fragrance.
Oriental and Trumpet/Aurelian lilies are especially associated with noticeable fragrance. Asiatic lilies, on the other hand, are generally unscented, although characteristics can vary among individual hybrids and cultivars.
Common examples include Daylily, Calla Lily, Water Lily, Peace Lily, Lily of the Valley, Peruvian Lily, Canna Lily, and African Lily. These plants belong to botanical groups other than the genus Lilium, despite having “lily” in their common names.
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