Its strappy leaves form a rosette at the plant’s base.
Foxtail lily grows best in full sunlight and well-draining sandy to loamy soil.
Choose a site for your foxtail lilies that receives protection from strong winds.
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see to it the site has well-draining sandy or loamy soil.
Space the plants at least 2 to 3 feet apart because they dislike crowding and like room to spread.
Add compost and an inch of coarse garden sand to the soil.
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This plant does not like to be disturbed, so ensure you do not need to transplant this flower.
Invasive or Not?
Giant foxtail is an invasive annual grass native to Asia that grows 2 to 5 feet tall.
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Its seed head resembles a foxtail, hence the common name.
The grass is invasive in several states along the Eastern seaboard and Michigan.
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Light
Foxtail lilies need a site in full sun.
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Soil
Rich, well-draining sandy loam is perfect for their needs.
Foxtail lilies must have soil that drains well.
Soil on the sandy side is preferred to clay.
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Tip
If your garden is comprised ofheavy clay, plant your foxtail lilies in raised beds.
Don’t let the soil dry out or get soggy.
When the first inch of soil is dry, it is time to water.
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Foxtail lily is drought tolerant.
Cold but not frigid winters spur flowering and growth from year to year.
Pruning
Once foxtail lily’s flowers have faded, prune back with clean gardening shears.
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Propagating Foxtail Lilies
Propagate foxtail lilies by division or by seed.
You will likely not grow a duplicate of the parent.
Here’s how to propagate by division in the fall.
Cover them with loose organic material like compost, straw, or mulch.
Evergreen branches on the plant crowns are also desirable as a finishing touch.
If foxtail lilies are not planted in well-draining soil or are overwatered, they could develop root rot.
How to Get Foxtail Lilies to Bloom
How Long Do Foxtail Lilies Bloom?
What Do Foxtail Lily’s Flowers Look and Smell Like?
This plant’s flowering plume uniquely blooms from the bottom up.
Flowers have a sweet fragrance that attracts pollinators.
They cannot tolerate soggy soil and will die in those conditions.
A spring storm could snap the stalks in half.
Consider staking plants in areas with high winds or even very strong breezes where they are not protected.
Foxtail lilies spread slowly through an underground rooting structure that resembles a spindly spider.
They can sometimes reseed on their own, but self-seeding is slow.
They usually grow offshoot tuberous roots every year.
Then, replant the parent rooting structure where it was.
Foxtail lily does not usually bloom in its first year.
It first blooms in its second year.
Foxtail lilies are not toxic to humans or pets.
True lilies in the Liliaceae family are the plants to watch out for since they are considered toxic.
Foxtail lilies are hardy perennials.
Eremurus robustus.Missouri Botanical Garden.
