Several varieties of lily form small bulbils on their stems from late summer to autumn, from which new plants can be propagated. If they fall off the plant, they rarely grow into large plants, so it's best to remove the bulbils by hand and plant them in pots. Grow the bulbils on until the following summer, then plant them out where you would like them to flower. Be patient; it can take up to three years before they start producing flowers.

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You Will Need

  • Lily plant
  • 30cm pots
  • Multi-purpose, peat-free compost

Total time: 30 minutes


Step 1

Removing lily bulbils from the plant
Removing lily bulbils from the plant

Carefully remove the tiny bulbils growing from the leaf axils of the plant.


Step 2

Planting the lily bulbils
Planting the lily bulbils

Treat the bulbils as if they were large seeds. Plant several in a pot or multi-stemmed tray of multi-purpose compost, spacing them 2.5cm apart.


Step 3

Watering the lily bulbils
Watering the lily bulbils

Cover with a layer of compost and water well, allowing the water to drain. Place the pot or tray in a cold frame or on a sunny windowsill.


Step 4

Young lily plant
Young lily plant
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Seeds will germinate within a couple of weeks. Once the roots are poking out from the bottom of the tray or pot, carefully transplant each seedling into individual pots to grow on.

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