Germination Time for the Casablanca Lily

Timing

• Casablanca lily seeds ripen in early autumn and should be gathered and sown soon thereafter. Stored seeds may also germinate, but with less reliable results. The seeds require a lengthy stratification period and controlled growing conditions to successfully sprout, so they can be started indoors virtually year-round. However, they will perform best if started while very fresh because lengthy storage will diminish their viability.

Sowing

• Fungal infections are an ever-present threat to the health and well-being of Casablanca lily seedlings. A clean pot and fresh, sterile medium such as coarse sand or peat will decrease the likelihood of infection while providing the correct moisture balance for successful sprouting. The seeds should be dusted with fungicidal powder before sowing to further restrict fungal growth. Sow one Casablanca lily seed in each pot at a depth of 3/4 inch, then moisten the top 2 inches of the growing medium.

Stratification

• Casablanca lily seeds benefit from a lengthy period of warm and cold stratification before the germination process begins. Immediately after sowing, place the pots in a warm, bright location where temperatures stay around 70 degrees. Expose them to warmth for roughly three months, keeping the medium moderately moist in the top inch. Cover the pots with plastic wrap and place them inside a refrigerator for another three months to chill the seeds. Remember to keep the medium moist but not soggy during the chilling period, and to lift the plastic wrap periodically to allow excess moisture build-up to escape.

Germination Process

• Once stratified, the Casablanca lily seeds should be moved to a bright location where temperatures stay above 70 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night. A propagation mat may be used to artificially warm the seeds, but it is not absolutely necessary in most homes. Poke holes in the plastic wrap to increase air circulation around the growing medium, but do not remove it entirely until after the seeds sprout. Healthy, properly stratified Casablanca lily seeds will sprout in roughly three to six weeks.

Transplant and Aftercare

• The sterile, fast-draining medium used for germinating Casablanca lily seeds becomes a detriment once the seedlings emerge because it does not provide the nutrients and moisture content required to sustain a growing plant. Transplant the seedlings into larger pots filled with potting soil once they produce a mature set of leaves, then move them to a sheltered area outdoors to harden-off. Casablanca lilies take up to four years to produce a mature bulb, so grow them in pots to limit the chances of insect or rodent predation. Transplant the bulb into a permanent bed in autumn or early spring, if growing them in an area where snow and killing frosts are common.

Considerations

• Although Casablanca lilies will grow readily from seed, it is not the ideal method of propagation. The seeds are often the product of cross-pollination, and the resulting seedlings may not closely resemble the parent plant in form or flower production. However, seed propagation is how many new lily forms are created, so it is a novel undertaking for adventurous, patient gardeners.