Amethyst Noir Lily Bulbs

Lilium Oriental Hybrid — Amethyst Noir. In full sun this lily is deep purple. In shade it is black. Either way the freckles glow.

The petals are thick, almost leathery, which is what lets the colour go that dark without turning muddy. Down the centre of each one runs a faint orange vein, and the throat is packed with orange freckles around a ring of orange stamens — so a flower that reads black from across the garden turns into something jewelled when you lean in. Five to seven inches across, three to five per stem.

Plant it with dark foliage — black elder, purple heuchera, dark pine bark — or alone in a big pot on a doorstep where the light comes from behind.

What you get

• Near-black aubergine petals with orange freckles and orange stamens.
• Thick, weather-resistant petals that keep their colour in rain and heat.
• 6–7 in blooms, three to five per stem, opening over several weeks.
• Top-size 14/16 cm bulbs — flowers the first summer.
• Hardy to zone 4 and long-lived; dig and divide only when clumps get crowded.

How to grow it

• Plant: 6 in / 15 cm deep, 8–10 in apart, in full sun and well-drained soil. Pointy end up. Mark the spot — lilies are late to emerge in spring.
• Water: soak after planting, then whenever the top inch of soil dries. Never let water sit in the hole.
• Light: 6+ hours of direct sun; light afternoon shade keeps the flowers from fading.
• Cold: fully hardy in USDA zones 4–9. Mulch the first winter; no lifting needed.
• After flowering: cut only the flower stems. Let the foliage yellow on its own — that is next year’s bulb being built.

Shipped dormant and cleaned, 14/16 cm top-size bulbs. Dispatch in 5–7 working days, 8–25 working days in transit. Colour depth varies with soil, light and season — the first flower from a fresh bulb is usually the most intense.