Blackberry Lily (Belamcanda chinensis) is a summer flowering perennial native to China and Japan (USDA hardiness zones 5 -10). Don’t be fooled by its name. It is not a “lily” as it belongs to the Iris family. The iris sword-like leafy stalks stand 2 to 3 feet high.

Blackberry lily blooms in early to mid-summer in the Southern Appalachian region (zones 6-7). Numerous 2-inch wide orange flowers strikingly stand out, dotted with red spots. Clusters of shiny black seeds mimic blackberries after capsules split apart.

Non-fussy blackberry lily grows under part shade to full sun and in average soil that is adequately drainage. Fertilize once at the start of spring with 10-10-10 or equivalent granular fertilizer.

Blackberry lily is a prolific seeder. If you do not desire a significant overpopulation in your garden, prune off seed capsules in late summer before they split open. Individual plants are not long-lived if winter soil is soggy. However, enough seeds are dispersed naturally that this short lived perennial is rarely lost.

Blackberry lily is easily started from division of rhizomes or by seed. If started in the garden, set rhizomes 1 inch deep. Sow the seeds in the fall to satisfy a 4 to 6 week cold stratification period. Seeds germinate the following spring and usually bloom the first year.