PlantFiles: Blackberry Lily, Leopard Lily
Belamcanda chinensis

This plant grows to 2'-3' tall. The leaves look like iris leaves. The flowers look like lilies, them come in a range of colors of red, orange, yellow, cream and shades in between. They are usually spotted with a darker color. When the seed pods open the clusters of seeds look like blackberries. Sometimes a short lived perennial.
Best cultivated in sun, low tolerance to frost/cold. Propagate by division or seed. Hardy zones 7/8-11.

Winter hardy to Zone 5. Though it looks like a lily it is really an Iris. Blooms in July of the second year when started from seed. Shiny black seeds follow the flower in September. Tubers from mature plants transplant easily. Short lived perennial. Plant seed 1/4" deep in 65 to 75 degree soil. Germination in 7-14 days, thin plants 8 - 12" apart. Prefers full sun and average moisture. Sow seed in garden after danger of frost or can be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before planting outside. Can also be sown outside, up to 2 months before the last fall frost. Root is potentially toxic.

WATERING TIPS. During germination, keep entire seedbed evenly moist. Keep well-watered through maturity, allowing soil surface to dry between waterings.

HARVESTING TIPS. For root production, pinch back flowers when budding and harvest in the fall. Slice and sun dry.

The dried seed heads are highly prized for dried arrangements - look just like Blackberries.

I have grown this plant in two different climates, Zone 5b KY and Zone 8b FL, and have been pleased with it in both. The bloom season in Florida is much longer.

I've had this plant self seed itself. I noticed a clump of about 12-15 grass-like shoots. I separated them and planted in pots. They grew to about 8 inches. I put them in the garden this fall. I live in zone 6 near Lake Ontario in Western NY and it has survived for 3 years in light shade. It blooms here in mid summer but the blooms are shortlived.

Very easy to grow. I grew in the Mid-Atlantic. Attractive flowers AND foliage...Adds a tropical note to the garden. Propagated easily by seeds, and division...Grows well in many soils and conditions....bothered by few to no pests or diseases..
Seed is ripe when the pods start to split open and or the pods are brown.... and the seeds are shiny black.... :)

My plant was too floppy to add much to the garden. It was in a SE exposure, but maybe needed more sun.

Handsome sword leaved plant. Started several from seed in January and had blooms in August-September of the first year. Flowers are pretty; but, fold up after one day. I've found it's leaves seem to be tasty to just about every variety of pest from aphids to cats. Damage doesn't seem to bother the plant much, though. It just keeps growing. I did end up staking it, as the main stems were a bit floppy.

A great plant that grows like crazy here in Pensacola. I am anxious to plant the seeds and share with fellow gardeners. My plants have bloomed all summer and it appears they will keep on until the first frost. Great for an Iris related family member in NW Florida.

I've grown blackberry lily for years, and have enjoyed it upright, or swooping out from under a Plumbago, growing through a Rapheolepis, or anywhere it cares to grow. It does not self seed as much as all those seeds would make you think. I usually deadhead the first and second sets of pods to encourage more blooming, then let the last ones ripen, when I want seeds. The plants are pretty easy to transplant and don't seem to mind living in a pot -- the one I have currently waited nearly a year to be planted. Here in central Florida they seem to be perfectly root hardy. We might get three frosts a winter. When not frosted, these try really hard to be evergreen and often succeed.

Blackberry lilly, plant thrives in the shade of trees here in the hot spells in South Texas. Has wintered over 2 years with minimal preperation. (we have 3 or 4 frosts)
This is a Traditional Chinese Medicine plant.
(Root is listed as a drug in 1985 chinese pharmacopeia.)
But like most of the Iris family it can be considered toxic.
Seed was taken from China in 1730's to England, To North America by late 19th century.



Medicineman

I am responding to all the concerns about this plant's frost hardiness. I have had these plants growing here in Missouri without any protection or special care for about 16 years. I have never lost any plants, and I don't water them, feed them, spray them or stake them. They are about the most indestructible and carefree plant I have ever grown. I have some in both shade and sun and am pleased with both. The temps here get down to zero or below every year, sometimes staying in the teens and twenties for weeks at a time, and rarely a snow cover to help protect the plants. Mine are planted in poor, rocky, clay soil. Maybe for once that helps!

I am in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Planted from seed. In 3rd year of blooming. Very hardy in front yard garden which is shaded until about 2pm in the afternoon. Plants have grown to between 2 and 3 feet. Lots of blooms. Foliage is beautiful green and I do not cut back during the winter rather prefering to leave intact to protect the base of the plant from the cold and frost. Seed pods break open early winter and remain intact until Spring. Makes a beautiful backdrop to the white snow! Very, very easy to grow from seed. Have mixed in with Stargazer Lilys and Astible. Great show !!

I recently picked up a packet of seeds and thought I'd check here before planting...am in Hawaii, zone 11 and will update after I see what happens and rate then. packet says "medicinal", anyone know what it's medicine for, or what part of plant?

This plant is listed as a poisonous plant of North Carolina. The berries (seeds) are toxic. It spreads and looks sloppy, and the scapes are heavy and sometimes lean over, but I enjoy being able to divide it and share it every year. I've also had several seedlings pop up in my zone 5b/6 garden. It gets a good amount of sun from the west.

This particular plant is easy to grown in colder climates as Quebec city, Québec, Canada (Zone 4) without winter protection. It blooms here in first days of august. Dry locations don't seem to promote the blooms. No pests or disease observed. Excuse my english...

I grew my original belamcandas from seed three years ago; since have grown more from harvested seed. Never removed the fleshy 'berry' around the seed and have never had a problem. Simply store in the refrigerator for abouit 2 months before sowing. Beautiful, airy plants with structural foliage throughout the growing season and dramatic fruits in the fall.

Bloomed beatifully the second year from seed. My wife used the mature seed pods for an interesting arrangement in the fall, which I stripped of the seeds when she was done with them. Despite harvesting the pods, a few seeds must have escaped, because this year (the third), there are seven or eight volunteers in addition the the original ten plants. Not only that, but every year the whole stand gets thicker and the plants stockier. Bloom time for me has been continuously from the beginning of July until the weather cools in September. I highly recommend blackberry lillies if you want a cheerful, carefree flower for a sunny spot that's a bit dry for the average ornamental.

I was very pleased with this planted in groups, very easy to grow from seed!

I have grown this from seed in Zone 3A (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) without any winter protection for 3 years. The lily did get continuous snow cover throughout winter. It is just coming into flower now. It is spindly and about 18 inches tall.

I planted it in moisture retentive clay soil that is slightly acidic. The lily receives morning sun but is shaded in the afternoons. This is the last one of 3 that were planted at the same time.

Under the circumstances I think that I will be providing mulch this coming winter as I never expected the lily to survive.

The flowers and the seed heads are interesting, but not particularly showy. I think they would look better in a bigger, thicker planting. They have a tendency to flop. My information says they are hardy in zones 4-11.

Backberry Lily has grown great for me here in Wisconsin. I planted it 5 yrs ago and didn't mulch at all. It has seeded its self to the surrounding area which is fine with me. One even popped up through my patio bricks. The flowers are a nice pop of color and the folliage is great too. Really easy to grow. Sun & Water is all it gets and it performs great.

These aren't particularly pretty in my opinion. Flowers are small and not very showy or long lived. They are impossible to get rid of as well.

Blackberry Lily, Leopard Lily Belamcanda chinensis is Naturalized in Texas and other States.

I was given 2-3 small potted transplants about 2-3 years ago from a friend in a plant club. They have done very well in the full sun and have multiplied steadily but not out of control. I usually collect the seeds after they have dried on the plant and spread them around in the bare dirt. A few will come up the following year. I have now collected seeds from my original clump to start a new clump elsewhere on my property, of course from seed. We'll see what comes up this year. :)

I came across this plant at a nursery last year and thought the flowers to be exotic and interesting. I was told it was called a "Candy Lily" (but it's in the Iris family) and quickly bought it to add to my garden. Each flower lasted a day but was quickly replaced by a new one. The beautiful red speckled orange flowers contrasted nicely with healthy, sword-shaped leaves. Bloomed into fall.

This year it has come back up with what looked to be healthy foliage, thus far (June 23rd) there is no sign of budding. I walked by it the other day and noticed a big stem broken off the plant-- I don't know if the neighborhood landscapers got a little carried away and broke it off while weed-wacking or if there's something more pestilent at hand... after I cleared the fallen stem away I noticed the remaining stems at the base of the plant are yellowing. I definitely sense something wrong here, and I'm worried because this is one of my favorite garden plants! I've heard these plants may be susceptible to Iris borers and wonder if this is the problem. I may have to give up and dig it out... anyone else have this experience??

P.S. I tried to grom belamcanda from seed and have had no such luck

I moved in late November, 2006 - too late to get any transplants in the ground.
I wanted to start these plants in my new landscape and so over-wintered them in a container in my insulated garage. I planted them outside in the spring and they did well. Have not seen any self-seeded new plants, but the clump is multiplying at a nice rate, not invasive.