Ross's Lily Plant Care
Bulbinella rossii (Hook.f.) Cheeseman
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Bulbinella rossii, commonly known as the Ross lily, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae. It is an endemic megaherb of New Zealand's subantarctic Auckland Islands and Campbell Island.
Every 7–14 days
Full sun to partial shade
50–80°F
40–70%
At a glance
How do you care for Ross's Lily?
Water Ross's Lily every 7–14 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it full sun to partial shade. It prefers temperatures of 50–80°F (10–27°C) and 40–70% humidity. Fertilize it every 6 months during the growing season.
What Is the Ross's Lily?
Ross's Lily (Bulbinella rossii) belongs to the Asphodelaceae family within the Bulbinella genus. Ross's Lily is also known as Bulbinella.
Ross's Lily displays a clumping perennial herb growth habit, reaching up to 1.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Ross's Lily produces spike-like clusters of small, star-shaped flowers in shades of yellow, orange, or red.
Leaf size: approximately 12 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Ross's Lily?
Bulbinella rossii requires watering every 7–14 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 7–14 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Ross's Lily Need?
Ross's Lily thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to partial shade
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Ross's Lily Prefer?
Bulbinella rossii grows best at temperatures of 50–80°F. Ross's Lily prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.
Temperature
50–80°F
Humidity
40–70%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Ross's Lily?
Well-draining sandy soil mix with added organic matter like compost or peat moss. Good drainage is essential for Ross's Lily to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Ross's Lily?
Feed Ross's Lily every 6 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every 6 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Ross's Lily?
Repot every 2-3 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Ross's Lily?
Ross's Lily can be propagated through seeds, division of offsets, root cuttings. Similar propagation techniques also apply to narrow-leaved bulbine plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Ross's Lily Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Ross's Lily, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Ross's Lily?
Ross's Lily is susceptible to aphids, snails, slugs. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Ross's Lily Need?
Ross's Lily grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. In cooler regions, grow Ross's Lily as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 12a
Keep exploring plants
Ross's Lily is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Bulbinella genus — compare its care with other Bulbinella species on PlantoScan.
Bulbinella is part of the Asphodelaceae plant family — browse all Asphodelaceae genera and species.
Ross's Lily thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Bulbinella Species
Other Bulbinella species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Bulbinella rossii (Hook.f.) Cheeseman, family Asphodelaceae (first published in Dict. Prat. Hort. 1: 430 (1893)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Ross's Lily, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 12a, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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