Foxtail Lily

A spectacular bulb sending up towering spires of starry yellow, orange, pink, or white flowers that can reach six feet or more. Foxtail lilies require excellent drainage and a dry summer dormancy, making them ideal for gravel gardens and raised beds. Plant the octopus-like tuberous roots carefully on a mound of grit to prevent crown rot.

Eremurus can be grown from seed sown fresh in autumn in deep pots of gritty compost. Seeds require winter cold stratification and typically germinate erratically over one to two springs. Grow seedlings on in deep containers for at least two years before planting out, as the developing root system needs depth. Plants from seed take four to six years to reach flowering size, so this is a method for the patient gardener. Division of established clumps in autumn is faster but still requires careful handling.

The Season Plate

Your Foxtail Lily Year

Composed for Zone 7 · typical seasons · frost passes Apr 2, returns Nov 1

Sow Foxtail Lily Sep – Oct, pick May – Jul. Set your climate below and every date on this plate re-times itself.

Sowing window

Sep – Oct

re-timed to your frost dates

Plant out

after Apr 2

once frost risk has passed

First picking

around Sep 15

≈ 365 days from sowing · 1 to per plant

Composed for —ColdTemperateMildWarmUse my locationUsed once to set your season · only the zone is kept

Week-by-week Foxtail Lily reminders watering, feeding and pruning, timed to your dates

In the app

Frost alerts for your garden a warning before a cold night costs you the crop

In the app

Succession sowing dates so the picking never gaps mid-season

In the app

Keep my dates — free for 7 daysWe nudge you as each window opens · cancel anytime

Plant eremurus roots in autumn, handling the brittle, octopus-like tuberous roots with extreme care to avoid snapping them. Dig a wide, shallow hole and create a mound of coarse grit or gravel in the center. Spread the roots evenly over the mound with the central crown sitting just at or slightly below soil level. Backfill with a mixture of garden soil and sharp grit to ensure perfect drainage around the crown.

Foxtail lilies demand full sun and excellent drainage above all else. They originate from the dry steppes of Central Asia and require a dry summer dormancy period to thrive. Raised beds, gravel gardens, and south-facing slopes are ideal locations. Heavy clay soil must be extensively amended with gravel and sand or the roots will rot.

Protect emerging growth from late frosts in spring by covering shoots with a thick layer of straw or dry fern fronds, as the young growth is frost-tender even though the roots are hardy. Remove protection once the risk of hard frost has passed. Stake tall varieties in exposed locations to prevent the magnificent flower spires from toppling in wind. Avoid disturbing established plants, as the roots resent being moved.

Eremurus makes a dramatic vertical statement in gravel gardens alongside alliums, achillea, and ornamental grasses. Plant mid-border with lower perennials in front to disguise the modest basal foliage. They pair beautifully with Mediterranean plants like lavender, rosemary, and catmint that share their preference for dry, well-drained conditions. The towering spires create stunning contrasts with mounding or horizontal plant forms.

The Society Table

Ornamental Allium belongs beside it.

Old growers' knowledge, checked against Foxtail Lily's real companion table below — test any plant you're growing.

Grows well in the company of · 3

Ornamental AlliumRed Hot PokerYarrow

Keep apart · 0

no recorded foes

Plant Foxtail Lily with good neighboursThe planner flags conflicts before they're in the ground

Eremurus demands sharply drained, sandy or gravelly soil with a pH of 6.5 to 8.0. Heavy clay is its worst enemy and must be thoroughly amended with gravel, sharp sand, and compost. Raised beds filled with a free-draining mix are often the best solution. Apply a light dressing of bone meal at planting time and a balanced granular feed in early spring as growth begins. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers which promote lush foliage but weak stems.

Ideal Temperature

Hardiness Zone Compatibility

Cut eremurus spikes for dramatic arrangements when the lowest quarter of flowers have opened and upper buds are still tightly closed. Use sharp secateurs to cut stems at their base. The towering spikes make extraordinary focal points in large-scale arrangements and can reach four to six feet in the right conditions. Place in deep, heavy vases to support the tall stems. Flowers last seven to ten days in water if the water is changed every two days.

Storage & Preservation

Eremurus roots are best left undisturbed in the ground, where they resent being moved once established. If you must divide or relocate, do so in early autumn when the plant is fully dormant. Handle the brittle roots with extreme care and replant immediately on a grit mound. Dried flower spikes can be preserved for everlasting arrangements by cutting when half open and hanging upside down in a dark, dry, well-ventilated space.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Crown rot from poor drainage is the leading cause of failure, particularly in clay soils and wet winter climates. Late spring frosts can damage emerging shoots, potentially ruining the current year's display. The brittle roots snap easily during planting or transplanting, reducing the plant's vigor. Tall varieties require staking in windy locations, and slugs can devastate young spring growth if not controlled early.

Growing Tips

1. Always plant eremurus root crowns in autumn on a generous mound of coarse horticultural sand or grit to ensure the central bud sits above any standing water during winter rains.
2. Handle the brittle, fleshy roots very carefully during planting and division, as broken roots are slow to regenerate and damaged crowns may fail to establish.
3. Choose a planting site in full sun with excellent drainage; eremurus will not tolerate heavy clay soils or waterlogged conditions during dormancy.
4. Protect emerging spring shoots from late frosts with horticultural fleece, as even a brief hard frost can destroy the growing point and eliminate that season's flower spike.
5. Stake tall cultivars early in the growing season using a sturdy single cane positioned 10 cm from the emerging spike to prevent wind damage once the heavy flower head develops.
6. Allow all foliage to die back naturally after flowering; cutting green leaves prematurely robs the root crown of the energy reserves it needs for next year's growth.
7. Keep the planting area dry during summer dormancy by avoiding irrigation and, in wet-summer climates, consider covering the dormant crown area with a temporary rain shield.
8. Divide congested clumps every 4 to 5 years in early autumn, replanting divisions immediately with the roots spread evenly over a sand mound at the same depth as the original crown.
9. Interplant with summer-flowering perennials such as hardy geraniums, nepeta, or ornamental grasses to disguise the bare gap left when eremurus foliage dies back in midsummer.
10. If growing from seed, sow fresh seed in autumn in deep pots of gritty compost and expect germination the following spring, with flowering size plants developing after 4 to 6 years of patient cultivation.