Guide to growing Bugle Lily - Watsonia

Watsonia are hardy bulbs that range from 30cm to 1.7m in height.

Foliage of sword shaped leaves and they bloom in towards the end of summer carrying trumpet shaped flowers on spikes; flowers may be red, pink or white.

A commonly used name for Watsonia grown in the garden is Bugle lily.

How to grow Bugle Lily

When growing Bugle lilies it is easiest to use bulbs purchased from a garden center or that someone has given you. Bugle lily corms should be planted at a depth of about 10cm in the autumn.

If growing Watsonia species such as Bugle lily from seed be aware that it will take about three years until they will first flower. Bugle lily seeds should be sown at a depth of 3mm in the autumn. The Watsonia plants should be spaced about 30cm apart in a sunny part of the garden that has a moist soil that has been enriched with manure.

If you first want to grow bugle lily indoors then start off about two months in advance. It should take Watsonia from one to six months to germinate at 12 to 18 degrees centigrade, transplant the bugle lilies outdoors following the last frost of spring.

Caring for Bugle lilies

As bugle lilies are quite large plants they should be staked once they have become established. They are both hungry and thirsty so supply them with a liquid fertiliser once when they are growing and keep well watered. If you require more plants then these lilies can be propagated by division of the cormels at the end of autumn.