Mount Dragon Asiatic Lily

Mount Dragon is a compact Asiatic lily with vivid reddish-orange flowers, a few dark spots and conspicuous papillae. Its stout stems reach about 16 inches and bear up to ten flowers, opening in early summer; the cultivar was registered as a red-flowered Asiatic hybrid. [RHS International Lily Register](https://rhslilygroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/First-Lily-Supplement.pdf) records its detailed color and form, while the [KAVB registration](https://assets.kavb.nl/docs/4d05a724-67b1-430c-b4a4-4f9ccbe34ae5.pdf) confirms the Asiatic group and red color classification. ## Garden Use The compact habit suits a container, the front or middle of a sunny border, and small groups among lower perennials. The unusually large flowers—about six inches across in the RHS register—stand out against the plant’s narrow green leaves. Cut stems while the first buds are opening for indoor arrangements. Bloom timing shifts with climate; the register records early June under Dutch growing conditions. ## Growing Conditions Plant bulbs in autumn in fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Asiatic lilies flower best in sun, though light shade is tolerated; shelter the lower stems with nearby low planting while leaving the flowering stems exposed. Avoid waterlogged ground. The [RHS Asiatic lily profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/70679/lilium-asiatic-hybrids-i/details) recommends planting bulbs about six inches deep in enriched soil and notes that Asiatic hybrids are generally compact and early to midsummer flowering. ## Maintenance Keep soil evenly moist while shoots and flowers develop, without letting the bulb sit in saturated ground. Remove faded flowers for a tidy display, then leave the green stem and foliage in place until they yellow naturally so the bulb can replenish. Watch for lily beetles, aphids, slugs, and snails, which can damage lilies.