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- Blackberry Intrigue - 1989 (2001 E. Fox) Stunning inflorescence of deep blackberry red, numerous outfacing flowers. Grows to 1.4M tall under good conditions. [Ib/d]
- Contrails - 1991 (2000) Stunning white lily has large flowers with a lime star in the throat, and a few red spots in the nectaries. What a show stem! High bud count with nicely spaced florets. Grows to 1.1M tall, blooming mid July. Slow to multiply. [Ia/b]
- High Flight
- (1995) Dark, black-red with slightly lighter
tips. Margins narrowly ruffled, 3 foot stems
bloom in July. [Ia]
- Night Flyer
- (1995) Black scarlet with an external
red tinge. Dark buds and black stems, growing
to 4 feet tall, blooming in July. [Ib-c]
- Night Squadron -
- Overlooked - (2005 Valley K Greenhouses) Fat petals are orange in center and deeper orange at the tips, with faint spots and papillae. Loads of buds. Somewhat Botrytis resistant. Grows to 1M tall, blooms mid July. [Ia]
- Ruby Glow - 1989 (2001 E. Fox) Vivid red with an orange-yellow throat and fine dark red spots. Grows to 1M tall, blooms late July with up to 20 flowers per stem. [Ib/c]
- Wing Commander
- (1995 E. Fox)
Dark red/black inside and out, spotted black with
almost black stems. 4 feet tall, blooms July-August.
[Ia]
View some photos
of other great, unregistered lilies
from Alex.
Alex was born at East Kildonan, Manitoba, in 1922.
In 1942 Mr. Burnett joined the Royal Canadian Air Force
(RCAF), becoming a pilot, and later in WWII he became
a flying instructor. In 1951 he was commissioned
as an Air Traffic Control Officer, during the Korean
War. 21 years later, he retired to an acreage
5 miles south of Vermilion, Alberta.
Now you understand the naming influences on his lilies,
right? His background with the RCAF shines through
each name clearly. You'll also notice many of
Alex's list of registered lilies are dark red/black
asiatics bred from his crosses. Alex says 'it
should be the ultimate goal of every lily breeder to
produce the finest lily for the enjoyment of all flower
lovers in the world'. How can we disagree
with that, and he has certainly done his part by providing
us with these and other fine hybrids from his breeding
program!
Alex began breeding in 1985, after visiting Fred
Fellner's sumptuous lily fields. Alex received
guidance and encouragement from breeders such as Fred
Fellner, Fred Tarlton,
and Dick Thomas, also from the North
American Lily Society and many of it's publications.
There is a great article about Alex in the 1994 NALS
Yearbook, which we used as a reference for this
article, on direction from Alex. (these guys are much
too modest to talk about themselves, but ask them about
lilies and watch out!)
Alex grows in a difficult part of Alberta, where they
seem to have their own little microclimate, and it is
NOT a zone warmer for sure! In 2002 Alex left his farm
home in favor of a home within town limits, and has
since retired from lily breeding. Fortunately for me,
I was able to purchase a good variety of his registered
and unregistered varieties for future propagation and
sales. Watch in the near future for exclusive releases
as we evaluate and increase our stock!
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