Growing advice for Steppe Lily
Steppe lilies, Eremurus, know the art of creating a wow experience with their distinctive tall spires. The flowers open from top to bottom along the stem and come in colours ranging from white and pink to yellow and orange. These impressive perennials tower over other plants and add excitement to your garden. Eremurus originates from the dry grasslands of Afghanistan and Iran. The steppe lily is an exotic plant in our latitudes but not impossible for that matter. Give it a sunny, sheltered spot with permeable soil. They are relatively cold tolerant and thrive best in very well-drained soil. By choosing a sheltered spot and draining the planting site well, as well as winterising, it can cope with colder climates.
After flowering, the leaves wither and the plant goes dormant until next year. During summer, autumn and winter, it is important that the roots are in dry soil, rather than constantly moist.
Planting steppe lily
Plant the tubers in fertile soil with a very good drainage. When preparing the planting area, add organic matter to lighten the soil and, if possible, raise the soil level to improve drainage. A sandy loam is ideal. You can also mix up the soil on the site with coarser gravel, or plant on a slope or hill.
Choose a warm spot where the plants get full sun and the tall flowers are protected from strong winds. Bear in mind that the roots of the steppe lily are shallow and they don’t like to be forced to compete with neighbouring plants. Eremurus roots almost resemble large spiders: a prominent clump surrounded by long, fleshy roots. Handle them carefully and plant as soon as possible. Don’t worry if the roots appear spongy and discoloured, but if they are completely dry they are unlikely to grow.
Dig a planting hole about 20cm deep that is wider than the roots. Make a mound of sand in the middle of the hole and centre the roots on top of the sand. Then fill in the hole. It is important not to plant too deep. The crown (where the roots meet the stem) should only be a 2-4 cm below ground level.
The ideal planting distance is about 1 metre apart and mark the spot so you know where they are until they appear.
In windy conditions, you may need to support the stems, but as a rule they are stable. Once flowering is over, you can cut the stem away completely. If you want to take seed from the plant, leave the seed pods. As for the leaves, as with other flowering bulbs, wait until the foliage has completely yellowed before removing it.
Although the steppe lily dislikes wet soil, they need constant moisture in spring when the plants are actively growing. This is also the best time to fertilise them, preferably with potash fertiliser which favours flowering over leaf mass.
If you want to move your steppe lily, do so in late summer or early autumn. Be extra careful not to damage the fine roots. Carefully divide the root clumps and re-level them so that the crown is only just below the soil surface.