Plant Type

Perennial, Annual

 

Height Range

1-3'

 

Flower Color

Orange, Red

 

Flower Season

Summer

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full, Half

 

Water

Medium

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Well-drained, Moist

 

Soil pH

Neutral

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Tropical

 

Accenting Features

n/a

 

Seasonal Interest

Summer

 

Location Uses

Perennial Border, Patio

 

Special Uses

Container, Cut Flowers, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Blackberry lily (also commonly called leopard lily) is an erect, rhizomatous perennial which typically grows 2 to 3 feet tall, and a foot or two wide. Lily-like, deep orange flowers, heavily spotted with red dots, appear in early to-mid summer in sprays above the foliage on wiry, naked stems. Sword-shaped, iris-like, medium green leaves are in flattened fans. Flowers give way to pear-shaped seed pods which split open when ripe (late summer), with each pod revealing a blackberry-like seed cluster, hence the common name of blackberry lily. Spotting on the flowers gives rise to the additional common name of leopard lily. Also listed as Iris domestica.

Grow in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Likes moist soils, but poorly-drained ones, particularly in winter, can be fatal. Clumps slowly expand by creeping rhizomes. May self-seed in optimum growing conditions which helps keep these somewhat short-lived perennials in the garden. In all honesty, it is difficult to get these to over-winter, though I know of a few gardens where they flourish. You can buy them as plants or bulbs, and the plants might be a safer bet as at least you'll get flowers that summer. As a result, am hesitant to list them as perennial.