Lilium
Fifty years ago, lilies were not verypopular garden plants because they were notgrown in large numbers in America, and wereshipped in from Europe and mostly the Orient.They are not like other bulbs which can be intransit for long periods and subjected tofluctuating temperatures without harm, and asa result many gardeners were greatly disappoint-ad with the results they obtained from attempt-ing to grow foreign bulbs.
Today, large numbers are commerciallygrown in North America, and by a search of thecatalogues several hundred species and varietiescan be found available. The growers havebecome very skilled in hybridizing them, so thatwith the selection of the proper varieties, therecan be lilies in bloom in the garden from earlyJune until frost, with the greatest numberblooming in the early summer.
A great deal more is known about theirkeeping and shipping qualities. Polyethylenefilm has proved ideal for shipping and storingthem, and it is used as a very essential part intheir propagation. So, within the past decadelilies have come to the fore as one of the mostpopular and easily grown of the summer-flower-ing bulbs. Many gardeners have become sointerested in them that the propagation andeven hybridization of them is a common hobby.It is true that they are not difficult to grow, butthere are some general cultural notes whichmust be understood if one is to prove successfulwith them.
In the first place, they should be planted inwell-drained soil, for they will rot and failmiserably in moist soils. They prefer a slightlyacid soil with plenty of humus. It may be bestnot to mix rotted manure with the soil as thismay aid growth of the disease fungi, but verywell-rotted manure can be used as a wintermulch when it is thought advisable. However,for safety, it might be best to refrain from usingmanure.
Some lilies, like the delicate woods species L.
grayi, canadense, speciosum and superbum, like a semi-shaded situation but the majority of thehybrids do well in the full sun. They can beplanted in amongst other perennials or in bedsby themselves but one should realize that theyhave little to offer ornamentally in the gardenafter they are through flowering.
Planting
Bulbs are available in various sizes, the largerbulbs of course producing the largest stalks andthe most flowers, but this varies according tospecies. The bulbs of L. pumilum are seldomovert in. in die., while those of L. regale maybe several times as large. The depth at whichthese are planted depends on their size. Flower-ing bulbs of most types should be planted withthe top of the bulb 4-6 in. below the soilsurface, depending on their size, except L.candidum, the Madonna Lily, which is the onlyone planted so that the top of the bulb is onlyan inch below the soil surface.
It may be well when several of a variety areto be planted together, to dig a hole 2 ft. deepand t 5 in. across. Good, friable loam withplenty of humus material should be put back inthis hole with a handful of bone meal mixedwith the soil in the area where the roots will be.The bulbs are then planted, covered with thesame good soil, thoroughly watered and, ifpossible, mulched to reduce water loss from thesoil and weed growth.
Lilies are not like other bulbs for they shouldbe transplanted with some of their roots intact.All American growers know this and offer themthat way. Bulbs from abroad usually have allthese roots removed, hence they do not get offto a good a start as American-grown bulbs. Thesooner they are planted after they are dug, thebetter they will grow, another reason whyAmerican-grown bulbs are so satisfactory. Whenpurchasing bulbs one should inspect the rootsand not buy those that have roots all dried up.They should be succulent and alive in order tostart root growth as soon as they are in theground.
Before bulbs are planted they should becarefully inspected, and any showing rot shouldbe discarded for disease, once started in a bed,may cause trouble elsewhere if conditions areright. Also, to aid further in preventing rot, thebulbs might well be dusted with a good powderdisinfectant like “Arasan.” A small handful ofthe disinfectant is placed in a paper bag, the drybulbs (not wet) are put in and shaken‚Äîenoughof the powder adheres to the bulbs to do thejob. Then they are planted immediately.
Planting is usually done in the fall—almostany time until the ground freezes. We haveplanted many bulbs after that time by mulchingthe soil heavily with straw or pine needles when
we knew in advance that some of the purchasedbulbs would arrive late. If it is impossible toplant them in the fall, they can be kept in a verycool place and planted early in the spring. Inplanning for this, the bulbs are placed in a poly-ethylene bag with a very small amount ofmoistened sphagnum (not wet) and placed inthe home refrigerator or in a cool cellar. If atall possible, however, plant them in the fall.
After Care
Lilies need water to grow properly and henceshould not be expected to grow in dry gravellysoil. On the other hand, too much water can aidbasal rot, one of the problems which must beguarded against. If a mulch is used such as peatmoss, sawdust, pine needles, etc., about an inchor two in depth, this will aid in preventing waterloss from the soil. By inspecting the soil under-neath the mulch the gardener can usually tellwhen additional water is necessary, remember-ing of course that the soil should be friable andslightly moist, but certainly not wet. When it isdry—water.
Watering should be done with a slow stream(or soil soaker) on the ground. It should not bedone with a forced spray on the foliage as thisis an excellent way of spreading disease spores.If the soil is soaked, and there is a suitablemulch, one watering should last at least to-54days, sometimes longer.
Mulches not only aid in keeping the soilmoist and keeping the weeds under control, butthey aid materially in the growth of the bulb.Applied just before the ground freezes in the fall,they keep it from freezing considerably longerthan soil without a mulch, thus providing moretime for the roots to grow. In the spring, mulchesaid in preventing the alternate freezing andthawing of the soil which may cause it to heaveand do damage to the bulbs. In any event, themulch used should be light and “strawy,” nota type that packs down forming a hard layer onthe soil surface.
Lily experts have recommended the use ofinorganic complete fertilizers (which see) for useon lilies. We have found that the addition of a5-to-5 fertilizer at the rate of about a lbs. pertoo sq. ft. in early spring and again beforebloom, is sufficient to keep the lilies growingwell, but this requirement may vary withdifferent soils. One should remember that toomuch fertilizer, especially too much nitrogen,causes over-vigorous, succulent, vegetativegrowth and may make the plants more attractiveto disease-carrying insects. Potash added tosome soils is advantageous in that it results instronger stems, but one should be careful notto provide too much nitrogen.
If there is sufficient potash in the soil, many lilies will not have to be staked. In fact, manyof the new hybrids are purposely bred so theywill have sturdy stalks. However, for some oftIts taller-growing types it may be necessaryto stake them prior to the time they comeinto bloom, whcn the tops are heaviest. See
STAKING.
After they arc through flowering, if weds arenot desired, stronger plants will result thefollowing year if the dead flower heads are cutoff. This should be done just below the lowestflowers on the stalk. The idea is to allow asmany leaves as possible to remain to manufac-ture food during the test of the growing season.If half the stalks are cut off to make the plants”look better” after flowering, 5o”/‚Äû of the leavesor food-producing organs will be removed andthe plants will only be able to manufacture halfthe food they might have otherwise produced,food that should have been stored in the bulbsfor growth the following season. When thestalks have died in the fall, they should be cutoff at the ground level and removed. This isadvisable so that disease organisms will not bespread in the mulch on the soil surface toreinfest the plants another year.
Having is weed-free lily bed is not difficult ifone uses Dacthal at the rate of + lb. per to gal.of water, applied to the soil as a spray, eitherin Nov. or in the very early spring beforegrowth starts. One application should keep thebed free of weeds for most of the growingseason.
Diseases
Botrytis blight is a fungus disease mostcommon in lilies. It is evidenced in various ways,the most frequent being sudden dying of 7-8 in.shoots shortly after they have started growth.These should be removed and burned. Bulbsproducing such stalks will not producc anymore the current year, but may the followingyear. To prevent the spread of the disease thefoliage should be sprayed with a mild Bordeauxmixture (which sec). It might be well to spraybefore the disease appears as a preventativemeasure to keep it from spreading, sprayingseveral tisles at to-14-day intervals. This is alsogood insurance in keeping other diseases undercontrol.
Lily virus is another disease common in manylilies evidenced by a peculiar mottling of theleaves and stunted growth of the stalks. Once aplant has this disease there is no cure. Bulbils,bulblets and scales taken from it will transmitthe disease to plants grown from them, butseeds sown from a virus-infested plant will nottransmit the disease to plants grown from them,although likc most lilies they are susceptible toinfestation later. The spread of this disease can
be controlled to some extent by eliminatingplant lice.
Many modern varieties of lilies are nowavailable which exist with this disease for manyyears. It is well if one can adopt an attitude oflearning to live with it and keeping the liceunder control to prevent its spread. Somespecies and varieties are far more resistant to itthan others, or at least will not be seriouslyaffected for many years. Species like L. band-sonii, pardon., davidii and some of theirhybrids are in this group. Also selected clonesof L. tigrinum, L. candidum and the Mid-centuryhybrids are included. Some species like L.ouratum, formosanum and several nativeAmerican species are extremely susceptible butAmerican lily hybridizers are continually pro-ducing new hybrids that are far more resistantthan these species.
Basal rot has already been mentioned, a rotthat appears at the base of the bulb. Bulbs withthis disease should not be planted, or at leastthe rot should be cut out with a sharp knifethat is disinfected (by dipping in alcohol) aftcrevery bulb is cut. If on examination a lily planthas died of this disease, another should not beplanted in its place.
It should be noted that if disease-bee bulbsare obtained and planted in soil where lilieshave not been grown before and are kepthealthy by good culture, one may be able togrow lilies satisfactorily without any definitespray program, sometimes even withoutspraying.
Insects
Plant lice should be eliminated as soon as theyappear for these sucking insects are the chiefcarriers of the virus disease frorn one plant toanother. Spraying with malathion, Vapona andespecially Systox are effective but these spraysshould be used only according to the directionson each package. We have found that one sprayduring mid-June is sufficient under our condi-tions in Mass. unless the season is an unusuallywet one.
Rodents like moles and field mice can be aproblem in certain areas, but spraying the soilonce with Diazinon may be sufficient to keepthese pests out of large fields of lilies for severalmonths. A little poison grain placed in a smallcan in which frozen orange juice is sold, placedon its side just under the mulch in the fall tokeep it away from birds, is another means ofkeeping field mice under control.
Like all plants lilies have other diseases andpests that attack them, but these are the worst,and if these few are controlled one should beable to grow good plants without serious trouble.
PropagationThis affords an excellent hobby for one whois interested in propagation, since lilies can bespeedily propagated several ways. First ofcourse is by seed—some species and hybridslike L. tigrinum produce small bubils in the axilsof the leaves and when these are just ready tofall off, late in the summer or early fall, they areready for collecting and sowing. Other species
produce small bulblets on the stem near thebase of the plant either above or just underneaththe soil. These also can be used. Most lily bulbsproduce new bulbs in the soil as offshoots fromthe old bulb and these can be separated fromthe parent bulb and new plants started. Finally,most lilies can be propagated by scales. Onexamining a lily bulb one sees that it is made upof a number of scales attached to the basal partof the bulb. If the larger scales are carefullybroken off, more or less intact, from the bottomof the bulb and placed in a proper medium,they eventually produce minute bulblets whichalso, if handled properly, will produce newplants. Propagation by division, bulbils, bulbletsand scales will result in plants identical with theparent. Propagation by seed may (in the case ofspecies grown in pure stands), but in the gardenwhere several species or hybrid varieties aregrown together, seed may frequently result innew hybrids, unlike the parent producing them.SEEDS. Propagation by seed is simple. One lilypod may contain 200 seeds and nearly 8o% ofthese should germinate if ripened and sown
properly. Pods should be collected just beforethey split open in the fall and when they turncolor from green to brown. To be good the seedshould not stick together in the pod but separateeasily one from the other. When thoroughlydried it can be sown at once or stored dry untilspring.
Lilies may be divided into 2 general groups—those with seeds that germinate and start togrow within 3-6 weeks when sown and those that may take t8 months to germinate aftersown. In the former group would be suchpopular species as L. amabile, concolor, davidii,Mid-century Hybrids, pumilum, regale, tigrinum.In the slow-to-germinate group would be L.auratum, canadense, hansonii, martagon, specio-sum and superbum. Also, although they germin-ate immediately, some lilies like L. speciosumhave seeds that will grow in the soil but will notsend up a leaf above the soil level for severalmonths.
Lily seed should be dusted with Captanbefore sowing to prevent any possibility ofbotrytis blight spores adhering to them, andthen can be sown on soil in flats 5 in. deep justlike any other seed. If this is done inthe late fall or vvinter, these flats, slightlymoistened, can be stored in stacks in the warmbasement and brought up to the greenhouseafter about 3 months to start above-groundgrowth if they are the fast-germinating type ofseeds. It is suggested that the flat be 5 in. deepbecause it is best if they arc not disturbed for afull year, after which they can be separated and planted individually in rows several inchesapart. Some will undoubtedly be strong enoughto bloom the first year, especially seedlings ofL. pumilum and regale.
A much more interesting method is to mixsome seed of a fast-germinating type with somemoist (but not wet) vermiculite, put the mixturein a polyethylene bag, tic the mouth tightly andput the bag on the kitchen shelf (out of directsunlight). On examination after a few weeksone will find that the seed has germinated, thatsmall rootlets and a very small leaf have beenformed. Theso germinated seedlings can thenbe planted in a flat of soil, or held 2-3 monthsin the polyethylene bag if it is put in the refriger-ator, and then sown. If such seed is originallyplaced in bags in Feb., the germinated seedlingscan be planted in flats out of doors or in theseed bed as soon as all danger of frost is overin the spring.
rumens. These are produced in the soils ofthe leaves by L. tigrinum, bulbiferum, sargentiaeand sulp(tureum and bulblets from the base ofthe stem of several other species can be collectedin the early fall and sown in rows about 2 in. Sown this way they need not be touched for atleast a full year. It is surprising how large anumber of bulbils or bulblets will be producedon one lily stalk.
SCALING. Propagation by this method prosesmost interesting. Immediately after flowering,the larger bulbs are carefully dug around and afew of the /are,. r sadets: geo/Z, remo ved nom
each bulb. The purpose is to remove the scaleswithout injuring or breaking or digging up theroots. Of cour50 the same thing can be donewhen new bulbs are planted in the fall, but oneshould guard against the tendency of removingtoo many and thus seriously injuring thevitality of the bulb. These scales are dustedlightly with Arasan, placed in a polyethylenebag with a little moist (not wet) vermiculite, thebag tied tightly at the top and then placed onthe kitchen shelf away from strong, direct sun-light which might cause overdue heating. Onexamination in a few weeks it will be found thatmost of these scales have produced tiny bulbletsat the scale base. When the roots of these arein. long the whole scale and its tiny bulblets isplaced in a furrow in the sod deep enough sojust the scale tip is above the soil level. If placedin a warm greenhouse, these start to grow. Orthe bags with the scales and tiny bulblets can be
placed in the home refrigerator and kept 2-3
months before they are planted. Also, the scalescan be planted in soil in flats as soon as they areremoved from the mother bulb, and if the soilis moist, the temperature warm, tiny bulbletswill likewise be produced.
The propagation of lilies therefore can be amost interesting experience and can result in alarge number of flowering bulbs in a few yearstime with a minimum amount of effort.
Hybridizing
Hybridizing lilies is another favorite hobby,for if one selects plants of the fast-germinatingtype, certain ones may grow fast enough to
bloom the first year. Most will bloom in 2-3
years from seed. In hybridizing lilies, theflowers from which the pollen is to be collectedare protected with tightly closed polyethylenebags placed before the flowers open so therewill be no possibility of contamination withother pollen. When the flower is open and thepollen ripe, the anthers are collected andthoroughly dried on a piece of paper in adarkened room foes days, then placed in astoppered bottle until used. Stored in the home
refrigerator it may remain viable for 2-3 months.
Under especially controlled conditions (i.e. 5o%moisture and 50° F. temperature) some pollenhas remained viable for 7 months. It is possiblefor even the home gardener to take pollen fromhis early blooming lilies and fertilize the lateblooming types with it.
For a more detailed discussion of lilies see”The Complete Book of Lilies” by F. F.Rockwell and Esther Grayson, Doubleday &Co., N.Y. 1961.
seasbile3′-4′ Zones 5-3 Korean LilyA fine lily, native to Korea, with red, slightly//84y-dai aorrers dRacwrhy ki Jam / alfillpropagated by seed and has a free floweringhabit. Many underground bulblets are formedand unfortunately have an unpleasant odor.The variety luteum has beautiful yellow flowers.amoenum Zone 7
With 1-3 slightly drooping pink flowers perstalk—native to China.
auratum 2′ Zone 4 Goldband Lily
Flowering in Aug. and Sept., the flowers varyin color from white to red, native to Japan.There are 2 types of this species, one is thelower, alpine form, praecox and the other is thevariety platyphylium which can grow stalks iz ft.tall with 30-40 flowers. A very popular lily.bakeranum 2′-3′ Zone 8 Baker lilyA lily native to northern Burma: flowers hell shaped, creamy white but spotted red inside.This is one that has a stem wandering aboutunderground before it appears above ground.brownii 2′-3′ Zone 6 Brown’s LilyWith horizontally held, creamy-white flowers,trumpet-shaped, tinged dark purple outside.Theactual habitat of this is doubtful‚ÄîNepal orChina. The variety australe, 5 ft., a Chinesevariety, blooms in late summer.
bulbiferum 2′-4′ Zones 2-3 Bulbil LilyIf this is disbudded, or damaged, large numbersof bulbils will be produced in the leaf axils, butusually none are produced unless the plant isforced into it by disbudding or injury. Flowers,red to orange. The variety croceum has orangeflowers, is vigorous and is frequently used inhybridization for its vigor and hardiness.callosum IV-3′ Zones 2-3 SlinnteM LilySmall, bell-shaped flowers, 5-15 per stalk,orange-red, good for a sheltered spot in therockery. Native to Manchuria, Korea andJapan. It blooms in Aug.
canadense 2′-5′ Zone 3 Canada Lily
A common lily, widely native in North America,bell-shaped flowers ranging in color from yellowto red and blooming in July. There are severalvarieties named according to flower color, withabout 6 flowers per stalk.
candidum 31v Zone 4 Madonna Lily
An old-fashioned favorite, probably cultivatedfor over a thousand years, with pure whitetrumpet-shaped flowers, with 13 or more perstalk; borne in late June. Very susceptible tobotrytis blight, but there are some new strainsapparently more resistant than the species. Thisand L. chalcedonicum are the only species whichshould be planted a mere inch below the soil level, all others should be planted much deeper.The addition of lime aids in its growth.catesbaci l’-2′ Zone 8 Catesby LilyNative to the southern U.S., often in swampswith erect yellow and red flowers, blooming inSept. It is not easy to grow in cultivation.cernuum el’ Zones 2-3 Nodding LilyNative to Korea and Manchuria; lilac-colored,recurved flowers, in. wide and t in. long,appearing in early July with about 12 10 thestalk, growing well in full sun. It is interestingand easily grown. This does not persist in thegarden and seedlings should be raised annually.chalcedonicum 3′ Zones 6-7 Chalcedonian
LilyWith bright red flowers in early July, about 2-5per stalk, this does best if the bulbs are plantedonly an inch or so below the ground surface.Unfortunately it is very susceptible to botrytisblight.
columbianum 4′-8′ Zone 6 Columbia LilyNative to the Pacific Coast states from BritishColumbia to Calif., it may have as many as 40small yellow to reddish-orange flowers per stalk.It blooms in July and Aug.
concolor it’ Zone 5 Morningstar LilyWith erect, star-shaped, bright scarlet flowers,about to per stalk. Native to China and anexcellent Lily for the garden. The varietycordion has yellow flowers but there are severalother good varieties of this variable species. It willgrow readily from seeds, blooming in 2-3 years.
dauricum = L. pensykanicum luteum
davidii 5′ Zone 4 David Lily
A very satisfactory, vigorous-growing lily forthe garden with 2-20 small red flowers (withreflexed petals) per stalk in mid-July. Native towestern China, it looks like a small L. tigrinum,especially because of its small black spots on thepetals. There are several excellent varieties.duchartrei Zone 4 Duchartre LilyThe fragrant, pendulous, white flowers, spottedpurple, produce 1-12 flowers per stalk appear-ing in late July or early Aug. Native to westernChina. The stem of this wanders about under-ground often for some distance before it growsabove the soil, and produces many bulblets onthe underground portion. It is susceptible to thelily mosaic disease.
fonnosanum 6′ Zone 5 F011110.1 Lily
Very susceptible to virus disease and because ofthis it may not be advisable to include it in thegarden collection. Flowers appear from Aug. toOct., are white, funnel shaped, purplish on theoutside and fragrant, with 1-to flowers pro-duced per stalk. Native to Formosa. The varietywilsonii is especially fine.
grayi 2′-3′ Zone 4 Gray’s Lily
A delicate lily in the mountains of N.Car. andTenn., with drooping bell-like flowers, one to
several per stalk, red outside and orange inside,closely related to L. canudense. In its nativehabitat, it grows in the full sun in moist, acidsoils with much humus. This is not especiallyan outstanding garden lily because the flowersare too small and delicate.
hansonii 2.1r Zone 3 Hanson Lily
An excellent garden plant, for although theindividual fragrant flowers are small 104 in. longand d in. wide), they arc borne horizontally onthe stem 4-12 per stalk in mid-June, and theyhave delicately recurved petals, orange-yellowwith brown spots. Native to Korea.
henryi 3′-s0′ Zone 4 Henry Lily
An excellent garden lily from China with asmany as zo bright orange-spotted, noddingflowers per stalk. It is one of several species of”stem rooting” lilies, that is, the undergroundstem bears roots, and on this are produced manysmall bulblets. It blooms in early Aug. butshould be grown in partial shade to preventpremature flower fading. The variety citrinumhas pure yellow flowers.
humboldtii 4′ Zone 5 Humboldt Lily
Native to the Sierra Nevada Mountains on thePacific Coast, it has bright orange reflexcdflowers, to-zo per stalk, with numerous maroon-colored dots in July but seedlings vary consider-ably. It should be grown in some shade, andis definitely a lily for the woodlands.
japonicum 2′-3′ Zones 5-6 Japanese LilyWith delicate pink, fragrant, funnel-shapedflowers in July, this Japanese lily is difficult togrow and bears only 1-5 flowers per stalk. It isoften susceptible to virus disease, and might beoverlooked by the busy gardener.
kelloggii IV-4′ Zone 7 Kellogg Lily
Native to northern Calif., with delicate pinkflowers which first open white and are fragrant.It is not the easiest lily to grow and might beomitted by all gardeners except the specialists.lankongense 2′-4′ Zone 6 Lankong LilyAn attractive Chinese lily with up tot5 fragrant,pendulous, rose-colored flowers per stalk in lateJuly or Aug., each one of which is about 2 in.across and often spotted with purple. It is notwidely grown in America yet.
leichtlinii 2′-4′ Zone 5 Leichtlin Lily
A very difficult lily to grow in the garden, nativeto Japan, with 1-5 yellow, spotted purple,nodding flowers per stalk in Aug. It is rare incultivation because it is so difficult to growproperly and the plants are very susceptible tomosaic.
longiflorum 2′-3′ Zone 8 Easter Lily
This is grown commercially more than anyother lily. Its trumpet-shaped, white, fragrantflowers are familiar to all, especially at Eastertime. It is native to the islands off Formosaand very susceptible to mosaic. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is experimentingwith many varieties, but in the past ‘Ace’,'Croft’ and ‘Kenyon-Davidson’ have been a fewof many varieties used for forcing in thegreenhouse.
maritimum 3′-7′ Zone 8 Coast Lily
Native to northern Calif., with dark orange-redbell-shapcd flowers, to per stalk, borne in July.It needs a damp atmosphere in which to grow.martagon Zone 3 Martagon LilyA fine lily with iz or more purplish-pinkflowers about 21 in. long and if in. wide duringmid-June. Native to Europe. The white varietyalbum is a truly excellent plant for any garden,superior to the species. Many other varietieshave been named including cattaniae which hasalmost black flowers. The species has beencrossed many times with L. hansonii and manyfine hybrids have been named.
medeoloides Zone 3 Wheel Lily
Native to Japan it has been given its commonname because of the regular whorls of leaves onthe stem. The scentless flowers bloom in Julyand are apricot to scarlet, about the same sizeas those of L. marlagon with about to per stalk.A fine lily for the rock garden.
michauxii Zone 7 Carolina Liy
Similar to L. superbum. native from Va. to Fla.,the fragrant bright orange-red flowers havepurple spots and bloom late in the summer with1-5 large nodding flowers per stalk. It is not anoutstanding garden plant.
monadelphum 4′ Zone 3 Caucasian LilyWith splendid yellow flowers, a few black spots,fragrant and native to the North Caucasus Areaof Europe. It blooms in early June and is worthyof being grown in any garden. It should be notedthat often, purchased bulbs may remain dor-mant in the ground for a full year before startinggrov,th.
nepalense 4′ Zone 6 Nepal Lily
A rare lily with yellow or greenish-yellow funnel-shaped pendulous flowers, up to 6 in. long withabout 5 flowers per stalk. The stem runs alongunderground for a foot or so and bears bulblets,before growing above the soil surface. Nativeto Nepal. The variety concolor has pure yellowflowers.
occidentale 2′-6′ Zone 8 Eureka Lily
Another American lily native to a small portionon the northern Calif. coast. It bears 1-15flowers per stalk that appear in July. They arescentless, pendulous, orange with maroon spotsand the tips of the petals are crimson. Thepurple anthers bear orange-red pollen. It is notwidely grown.
papilliferum t’ Zone 3 Likiang Lily
A rare Chinese lily for dry situations, withseveral small red flowers per stalk. Probably notof value for the gardener.
pardalinum 4-7′ Zone 3 Leopard LilyA Calif. native, which propagates itself rapidly,growing to strong colonies, with red flowersespecially towards the tips, lighter towards thebase and many brown spots, 4-5 per stalk withflowers 31 in. long; popular in the NorthwestPacific area. It blooms in July. It forms so manybulbs that a single colony has been found withas many as 5. bulbs. The variety `Giganteum’,sometimes sold as Sunset Lily or Chinook Lily,may be a hybrid, but bears up to 3o red andyellow, purple-black dotted flowers per stalkand can grow up to 8 ft. tall‚Äîa fine gardenspecimen.
parryi 6′ Zone 7 Parry Lily
An excellent plant, native to Calif. and Nev.,but it is difficult to cultivate. Bearing 1,5flowers and more per stalk, the fragrant flowersare yellow, funnel shaped and brown dotted,opening in July. Unfortunately the bulbs cannotbe transplanted and shipped easily.
parvum 3′–4′ Zone 4 Sierra Lily
An alpine species of the high Sierra NevadaMountains, with small, upright, bell-shapedflowers varying in color from yellow to darkred, maroon spotted. Propagation from scalesis easy. It should be planted only in the shade.pensylvanicum luteum ( L. dauricum) i4′
Zone 3 Dahurian LilyThe erect, open, vase-shaped flowers are red toscarlet with some yellow at the base and 1-6flowers per stalk. They appear in June. Nativeto northeastern Asia. It has a wandering stemunderground that sometimes produces a fewbulblets. It is not one of the best ornamentallilies but is one of the first to bloom.philadelphicum t4′-34′ Zone 4 Wood LilyA native over wide areas of eastern NorthAmerica, the flowers of this are orange toscarlet, spotted dark maroon, and grow erect,widely open. It is a Lily for the wooded areasblooming in June and July. There are severalcolor variants; one, andinum, is native in thewestern part of the habitat of the species and iseasier to grow.
philippinense 3′ Zone 10 Philippine LilyWith pure white, 7–lo in. long, flowers, nativeto the mountains of northern Luzon in thePhilippine Islands, this is only for planting intropical gardens.
polyphyllum 4′-6′ Zone 3 Afghan Lily
Native to the western Himalayas, this has white,bell-shaped, fragrant flowers spotted andstreaked with purple. The petals are recurved.It is rare and should be grown in full shade.Very difficult to grow and, because its rootspenetrate the soil for several feet, it is not easilymoved.
pumilum Zone 3 Coral Lily
Native to northeast Asia, with bright red flowers and grasslike leaves, this is a popular gardenplant, although it must be frequently replaced.The fragrant flowers are pendulous with 1-2oflowers per stalk. It does well in full sun. Thevariety ‘Golden Gleam’ has yellow flowers.regale 4′-6′ Zone 3 Regal LilyOne of the most magnificent and reliable of thetrumpet-shaped lilies, this was an introductionof E. H. Wilson in 1903. The large fragrantflowers are 5 in. wide and 6 in. long, whiteinside to rose-purple outside, one to several perstalk, in July. Well-grown plants have producedas many as 3o flowers on a stalk. Such plantsshould be thoroughly staked. It grows well inany soil, especially in full sun. It is easily raisedfrom seed, blooming the second or third year.Bulblets are formed on the stem underground.The only drawback is that in the North (Zone 5)it starts growth early in the spring‚Äîin fact soearly that late spring frosts can kill the youngshoots before they are sufficiently hardened off.rubellum Zone 5 Rubellum LilyA dainty pale rose-pink, fragrant lily fromJapan with 1-9 flowers per stalk, each flowerbell shaped and about 3 in. long, usually dwarf.Seed may take 2 years to germinate. Blooms inearly June.
rubescens 2′-6′ Zone 7 Chaparral LilyWith white or pale lilac flowers, spotted purple,these are trumpet shaped, fragrant and helderect. Wild plants may have 75-too flowers Perstalk in June or July. The leaves are in whorls.Native to the mountains of western Calif., butnot very vigorous in eastern gardens.
sargentiae 4′-5′ Zone 4 Sargent Lily
Coming from western China, this is similar toL. regale but produces many bubils In the axilsof the leaves. The fragrant trumpet-shapedflowers are white inside and rose-purple togreenish outside and bloom in July, after L.regale. However, many of the plants availableare virus infested and it would be well to startwith seedlings (which are not). It can be grownin full sun.
speciosum 3′ Zone 4 Speciosum Lily
A Japanese lily, valued in gardens because it isone of the last to bloom in the late summer orfall and also because of its very rich colors ofred and white. Most satisfactory in the garden.The flowers are large, up to 6 in. or more wide,reflexed and twisted, pink to red dotted withspots of darker red. A well-grown plant mayhave as many as 4o blossoms on t stalk. Thestem roots and many bulblets are formed on it,underground. The variety album has whiteflowers; rubrum has red flowers and a newcultivar of this called ‘Uchida’ is one of the mostoutstanding of many named varieties. Thisblooms until the first frost.
sulphureum4′–5′Zone 8Sulphur Lily
Native to upper Burma, it has large trumpet-shaped flowers, recurved at the tip, up to 15 perstalk, pure white flushed yellow. Bulbils arefrequently produced in the leaf axils. However,although noted as “tender”, it has survivedOre. winters satisfactorily.
superbum 6′- 0′ Zone 5 Turkscap LilyWith large, nodding, orange flowers havingmaroon-spotted petals, this is an excellentgarden lily for its conspicuous flowers in Julyand Aug. Native from Mass. to Fla. and west-ward to Ind., this does well in acid soils withplenty of moisture and it must have both togrow well. Then it is very easy to cultivate. Thecolor does vary from yellow to deep red. Asingle well-grown stalk may have 40 blossoms.Seed sown in the autumn will not appear aboveground until the second year unless of courseit is given a cold treatment.
sz.ovitsianum s’-3′ Zone 4 SWV it LilyThe yellow bell-shaped flowers are sometimesspotted with brown, flowering in June. Thereare 5-zo pendulous flowers per stalk. Valuedfor its early flower, it grows slowly and seedlingsmay not bloom until the sixth year. Otherwiseit is easy to grow and lasts a long time. Nativeto the Caucasus Area.
taliense 3′-5′ Zone 5 Tali Lily
A Chinese lily with fragrant flowers, up to zoper stalk, white spotted purple petals that arestrongly reflexed.
tenuifolium = L. pumilum
x testaceum Zone 4 Nankeen Lily
In June or July this produces 6-12 large,fragrant, recurved flowers per stalk, yellow witha few raised red spots. Although susceptible toboth botrytis blight and basal rot, it is still mostpopular because of its color. It should beplanted in full sun. It is supposed to be a cross,
L. candidum x L. chalcedonicum and can be
easily propagated by scales.
tigrinum 3′-4′ Zone 3 Tiger Lily
One of the most popular of all lilies, native toChina but long ago introduced and naturalizedin America. It has been valued in the Orient asfood, the bulbs cooked and eaten, tasting some-thing like Artichoke. The scentless orange-redblooms are 4 in. across and dotted with purple-black. Many plants are infested with virus, noteasy to eliminate because the plant is so easilyreproduced by the numerous black bulbilsproduced in the axils of the leaves. Bloomingin mid-July, it is a fine garden asset. The double-flowered form `Flore-plen0′ has 04-36 modifiedpetals, but is not an especially valued gardenasset. The variety `Splendens’, blooming inAug., is one of the best of these varieties for itsrich color.
tsingtauense 0′-3′ Zone 5 Tsingtau LilyWith 1-6 erect, scentless, orange, often spotted flowers per stalk, native to China, but of littlemerit as an ornamental especially because itseems to be short-lived.
wallichianum 3′-6′ Zone 8 Wallich LilyNative to the Himalayan arca, this is a hand-some white-to-greenish white-flowered lily. Theflowers may be as much as 8 in. across, arehorizontally borne, funnel-shaped type, flower-ing in Sept. Sometimes it does not show anygrowth until July. The underground stemwanders a bit before it emerges above groundand produces several bulblets.
wardii 0′-5′ Zone 4 Ward Lily
Up to 4o pale pinkish-purple, strongly recurvedflowers sometimes are produced on a well-grown stalk of this Tibetan lily in early Aug. Itis not, as yet, widely grown in America.washingtonianum 4′ Zone 6 Washington LilyWith funnel-shaped, horizontal flowers whichopen white, then fade to lilac-purple, with up to30 flowers per stalk. It is native in the SierraNevada Mountains near the Pacific Coast ofthe U.S. It has proved difficult to grow incultivation.
wilsonii 3′ Zone 5 Wilson Lily
A Japanese species with orange to yellowflowers in Aug., it may have merit because ofits late-blooming qualiti.. The flowers may be5 in. across, and arc held erect on the stem
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