Tango Patterned Lilies

Some people like them, some don't. These are the lilies that would normally have brushmarks in the throat or individual spots around the center of the bloom. Instead, these markings coalesce and fuse together to form larger areas of contrasting darker color, usually a dark burgundy or purplish red. The marks may be confined to the lower half of the tepals or they may "creep" up the edges towards the tips in a stippled manner. In some cultivars they are fused into a solid color except for the edge towards the tips, where the color breaks up into smaller units. Most tango patterned lilies are Asiatic hybrid lilies. There are some that are longiflorum/Asiatic hybrids.

Some gardeners might find using these lilies in the garden a challenge, but focusing on developing clumps of a single cultivar works well. Mixing different tangos together can look very "busy," aesthetically speaking.

'Strawberry and Cream' looks nice in a group.


Two more in the pink/purple range are 'Dot Com' and 'Purple Eye.'

• Lily (Lilium 'Dot Com')
• Uploaded by Joy

• Lily (Lilium 'Purple Eye')
• Uploaded by stilldew

The rosy red brushmarks of 'Belo Horizonte' fade after a day or so, leaving a clump with different looking blooms.



Additionally, in the cream and yellow colors, we have 'Big Bang', 'Latvia,' and 'Golden Stone.'

• Lily (Lilium 'Golden Stone')
• Uploaded by Trish

'Starburst' and 'Olina' are two similar red tango lilies.



For the truly bold and adventuresome gardener, try these:

• Lily (Lilium 'Lion Heart')
• Uploaded by Calif_Sue

• Asiatic Lily (Lilium 'Forever Susan')
• Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Tango patterned lilies also come in dwarf form for pots or the front of the border. Pair them with complementary foliage for great looking containers.

• Lily (Lilium 'Crossover')
• Uploaded by zuzu

• Lily (Lilium 'Tiny Spider')
• Uploaded by ge1836

• Lily (Lilium Lily Looks™ Tiny Orange Sensation)
• Uploaded by bearsearch

Tiny Padhye


This is but a small sampling of the tango patterned lilies that are commercially available. New ones come out every year. If you are looking for dwarf ones, the Tiny Series focuses on those, though there are others available.