Eremurus stenophyllus
Foxtail lily
Common names: Desert candle, Narrow-leaved foxtail lily
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- Jun–Jul
- Hardiness
- Hardy
Photo: Salicyna · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
Description
The foxtail lily, botanically Eremurus stenophyllus, draws attention from June with its bright yellow candle‑shaped flowers. Above the narrow, grass‑like foliage, the stems shoot up to 1.2 m and open hundreds of small star‑shaped flowers from bottom to top. As a steppes plant from Central Asia, it prefers full sun and a warm, sheltered spot in the garden. The bulbous root star stores water and nutrients, making the plant surprisingly drought‑tolerant in summer.
Care instructions
Plant the star-shaped rootstock flat and gently in autumn in a well‑draining, sandy‑loam substrate; the foxtail lily does not tolerate waterlogging. A drainage layer of sand or gravel beneath the root star protects against rot in wet winters. After flowering, allow the foliage to die back before removing it so the tuber can store energy for the next year. In very wet sites, cover with straw or leaves over winter. Water only during longer dry periods while the plant is actively growing; thereafter it can thrive with minimal watering.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringJun–Jul
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, sandy, lean, dry
The foxtail lily needs above all one thing: no waterlogging. A sandy, well-drained soil with few nutrients comes closest to its home in dry steppe regions. Improve heavy, loamy soils with plenty of sand or fine gravel, otherwise the fleshy roots rot over winter. A sunny spot with a slightly alkaline to neutral pH suits it best.
Feeding
Light feeder
Foxtail lilies are adapted to nutrient-poor sites and reward overly generous feeding more with soft, flopping growth than with more flowers. A thin layer of mature compost in early spring around the emerging shoots is quite enough. More important than feeding is the choice of site: lean and well-drained beats any dose of nutrients.
Overwintering
The root crown of the foxtail lily stays hardy in the ground, but does not tolerate wet during dormancy. An airy mulch layer of leaves or brushwood protects the growing point from frost without trapping moisture. In heavy soils it is worth digging up the crown in autumn and storing it dry and frost-free until you replant it in spring.
Propagation
Methods
- Division
- From seed
The most reliable way to propagate the foxtail lily is by dividing the star-shaped root crown in late summer after dormancy, once the foliage has died back. Dig up the crown carefully, because the radiating roots break easily, and divide it into pieces, each with one growth bud. Sowing is also possible, but at three to four years to the first flower it takes much longer and suits patient collectors better. Replant freshly divided crowns straight away, as they dry out quickly.
For your garden
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