How to Grow and Care for the Casa Blanca Lily

'Casa Blanca' is a beloved hybrid Oriental lily which is part of the Lilium genus. Its gorgeous flowering bulbs bloom in mid to late summer after the Asiatic lilies, which earlier in the season. Both types of lilies are easy to grow. 'Casa Blanca' has firm leaves with very large and noticeably fragrant flowers.

Oriental cultivars like the 'Casa Blanca' thrive in cooler regions, can tolerate poorer soil conditions, and have larger flowers atop exceptionally tall stems that grow three to four feet tall. Each stem produces six to eight blooms.

Each "Casa Blanca' flower has six gleaming white petals with reddish-brown anthers. As it blooms, every large eight-inch broad petal curls outwards, beaming beautifully in the summer sun.

Very fragrant on strong, dark green stems, they make exceptional fresh cut flowers often used by florists and in bridal bouquets. Hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 8 ( and sometimes even 4 and 9), this bulbous perennial is grown widely and vigorously in containers and in garden beds.

Learn to care for the ravishing 'Casa Blanca' Lily and watch it add richness and texture to your landscape, perhaps even in a moon garden.

Planting Instructions

Plant 'Casa Blanca' bulbs in spring in colder zones (zones 4-7) and in the spring or fall in milder climates. Space bulbs ten inches apart and dig planting holes six to eight inches deep.

Plant in small groups of three bulbs for a beautiful display. These lilies are easy to grow in a perennial border and grow equally well in containers where they can tolerate crowding.

With proper care, 'Casa Blanca' lily bulbs will bloom in their first year.

Light

This lily prefers full sun but will also grow in part sun to part shade. Ideally, the top of the plant should receive plenty of sunlight, six to eight hours per day, while the lower part is shaded by other lower-growing plants to prevent the bulbs from drying out.

Plants might need staking if grown in too much shade, which produces weaker stems.

Soil

The 'Casa Blanca' lily grows in just about any average, well-drained but moist, garden soil. If soil is heavy and does not drain well, consider planting the bulbs in a raised bed. Mulch the area to keep roots cool and preserve moisture.

Water

Water plants regularly so that the soil stays moist, and don't let the soil dry out. Do not overwater; these plants do not tolerate boggy conditions.

Fertilizer

When new growth appears in spring, feed plants with a low-nitrogen, well-balanced 5-10-5 fertilizer. During the growing season, feed plants every two weeks.

Temperature

If an especially cold winter is expected, dig up the bulbs. Store them indoors and then replant them in spring.

Cut Flowers

When cutting flowers for bouquets, choose blooms that are just about open, and clip off no more than one-third of the stem. Doing so preserves enough foliage for photosynthesis to continue producing food for the bulb. Snip off the stamens so that the brown pollen does not stain your hands or clothing.

Propagating Casa Blanca Lily

Every three or four years, blooms will likely become so large that the plants will flop over. As this weakens the stem, stake plants until flowers are finished blooming. Then, in autumn, dig up the bulbs and divide each cluster. Transplant the bulbs and spread a few inches of organic mulch on the area.

Common Pests/Diseases

Avoid overwatering and creating a boggy condition as this could cause bulbs to rot. Excessively wet weather can also cause gray mold. Like all lilies, beware of aphids spreading the lily mosaic virus, which is not curable. Hand pick lily leaf beetles.