Palmer's Spear Lily Plant Care

Palmer's Spear Lily (Doryanthes palmeri) belongs to the Doryanthaceae family within the Doryanthes genus. Palmer's Spear Lily is native to eastern Australia.

Palmer's Spear Lily displays a large basal rosette growth habit, reaching up to 6 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. Palmer's Spear Lily produces tall spikes of red, pink, or white tubular flowers.

Leaf size: approximately 24 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Palmer's Spear Lily every 10–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Palmer's Spear Lily thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Doryanthes palmeri tolerates temperatures of 50–85°F. Palmer's Spear Lily prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining sandy soil mix with added compost for nutrients. Good drainage is essential for Palmer's Spear Lily to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Palmer's Spear Lily every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy soil mix with added compost for nutrients. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Palmer's Spear Lily is suited to USDA Zone 12a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Palmer's Spear Lily can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 6 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Palmer's Spear Lily while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Palmer's Spear Lily is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 12). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Palmer's Spear Lily can be propagated through seeds, division of offsets. Similar propagation techniques also apply to giant spear lily plant care, which shares the same genus.

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Palmer's Spear Lily is susceptible to aphids, scale insects. 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.

Palmer's Spear Lily grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. Palmer's Spear Lily is native to eastern Australia. In cooler regions, grow Palmer's Spear Lily as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.