Some time ago, I was the lucky recipient of a vase of cut flowers, a variety of lilies. They were beautiful, different colors, and long-lasting with a heavenly scent.
Those cut flowers are part of the family Liliaceae and the genus Lilium, which is limited to what botanists describe as “true lilies.” Amaryllis, daylilies, crinum and canna lilies are not “true lilies” and not included in this genus.
A Lilium is a flowering perennial with a central, unbranched stem that originates from a highly segmented bulb. Narrow lance-shaped leaves grow along the length of the stem. Flowers form at the top of the stem. The bulb doesn’t have a protective outer layer and does not go fully dormant.
Liliums favor cold or moderate temperatures. In USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9, Liliums are generally considered perennial, but Zones 8-9 require adequate protection from the summer sun. They may be grown as annuals in Zones 3 and 10-11.
Many of these bulbs and potted plants are sold locally; but don’t meet our expectations. We can make some choices to increase chances for success.
Classification:
The North American Lily Society has classified Liliums into nine horticultural divisions based primarily on parentage. Each division originates from specific species. Some of the divisions are more successfully grown in our area than others. The divisions described below are not in numerical order.
Species (Div. 9) are not hybrids, but are the original 90 to 100 wild lilies, the “grandparents” of thousands of hybrids in Division 1 to 8. They are native to Asia, Europe and North America.
Asiatic hybrids (Div. 1) are 1-3 feet tall, with some varieties reaching 5 feet. The smaller varieties are suitable for containers, which provide more options for temperature control. Blossoms in a variety of colors, are generally unscented and may be upfacing, outfacing or pendant and can be double. Most Asiatic lilies are a fair choice for the Victoria area but require planting adaptations that will be discussed in next week’s column.
Martagon hybrids (Div. 2) have blossoms resembling Turk’s caps and do not work well in our climate.
Candidum hybrids (Div. 3) arise from European species. They grow 4-6 feet tall with fragrant trumpet-shaped blooms that are white, ivory or pink. The Madonna lily is one of the “grandparents” of the hybrids in this division. Contrary to the needs of most Liliums, they prefer soil that is alkaline and slightly dry. They will grow in Victoria gardens.
American hybrids (Div. 4) often grow wild, but are not easy to grow in the garden. They are best suited for naturalized gardens. A tiger lily native to Texas grows wild east of Austin.
Trumpet and Aurelian hybrids (Div. 6) are 3-6 feet tall, stately, and require staking. Blossoms are large (5-15 inches), waxy, fragrant and bugle-shaped in a variety of colors with contrasting colors on their backsides. Blooms can be pendant-like bells, upfacing or flare widely in a shallow bowl shape.
Aurelians, which are part of this division, have the distinction of having L. henryi, a species lily, in their ancestry. When crossed with the trumpets, L. henryi contributes to hardiness, height and blooms with flaring petals, wide bowls, sunbursts and stars. Aurelians have a long bloom period, thanks to secondary and tertiary buds.
You may want to do some research to determine which trumpet and Aurelian hybrids would be the most content in your garden.
There are a lot of choices. Next week, we will take a look at the other divisions, including recent hybrids offering great selections for Victoria area gardens. We will also cover how to plant and care for Liliums.
The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
Victoria County Master Gardener Association
