Asiatics are the hardiest lilies available and
are often mistakenly called tiger lilies. Flowers have
different bloom orientations and vary dramatically in
height and color. There are usually 3-12 flowers per stem,
which open from late June through August. Asiatics are
very hardy with amazing strength and substance. They are
also virtually pest free!
Tiger Lilies are in fact usually hybrids of
a cross between the species tigrinum or lancifolium
and an asiatic hybrid. A true tiger lily is now considered
to be of the species lancifolium. They reproduce prolifically,
especially along the stem...ever wondered what those
little brown nibs forming along the stem of one of your
lilies was? They are called stem bulbils, and if you
plant them, in time each one will produce another lily
exactly like the mother! You can guarantee that any
lily which produces stem bulbils has lancifolium in
it's genes.
LA hybrids (longiflorum asiatic) are an exciting
breakthrough in lily cross-breeding. They are a cross
between an asiatic and an Easter lily. Very large blooms
on a hardy and reasonably tall stem, along with fragrance
(on some) are this hybrid's features. They multiply
rapidly and perform well in the garden, although they
are bred for the cut flower trade. Because the flowers
are huge, with wider leaf margins, the cut flowers have
a longer blooming life. Blooming starts in mid July.
We find these hybrids to be reliably hardy to zone 3,
although we have reports of zone 2b hardiness, there
are many in zone 2 who say they are not.
Orientals have wider leaves and a later bloom
date than asiatics, but your reward is the strong and
spicy perfume. Orientals have 6-12 large, open faced
blossoms on each stem in shades of pink, white, yellow
and red. They bloom from August through September here
at our location. The most common of the Orientals is
"Star Gazer",
truly a beauty to behold. Orientals are borderline hardy
here on the Prairies, and require extra help to make
it through our harsh winters. They should be planted
deeper, only in spring, and mulched heavily in the fall.
Part shade is also preferred. They can also be
grown and overwintered successfully in pots. Click
here for a very good article on overwintering orientals
in Alberta.
Trumpet lilies are hardy to Zone 4 and require
the same care as Orientals on the Prairies, with the
exception that they prefer full sun. Because they are
not hardy, we grow our trumpets in pots. Trumpets are
fragrant and usually grow quite tall, making them ideal
at the back of a perennial bed, or against a building
or fence. They too can be successfully grown in
pots and overwintered.
Martagon lilies are a hybrid which feature dainty,
down-facing or turk's cap flowers. Flowers are produced
in abundance, sometimes with 50 per stem! They
are ideal for shady spots and should not be disturbed
once planted. Make sure you mulch your Martagons
if you live in an area with hot summers. Currently
we do not list any Martagons for sale. Martagons
are very slow to propagate and increase, thus their
higher purchase price - up to $95.00 per bulb! If you
are interested in Martagons, read
this page for info on how to obtain a newly released
Photo CD dedicated solely to Martagon lilies!
Orienpets combine the beauty of Orientals with
the garden traits of the Trumpets and Aurelian Hybrids.
They often have more intense colors in cooler weather,
with the colors fading in high heat. Orienpets
grow quite tall and bloom later, from mid-August through
to October, depending on the weather. We have
listed a few Orienpets from the farm of Columbia-Platte,
guaranteed to be great garden performers when it comes
from the talented breeding of Judith Freeman!
We also list many of Dr. Wilbert Ronald & Lynn Collicut's
selections. Orienpets should be planted in spring, mulched
heavily in fall or overwintered in pots on the Prairies.
Aurelian/Asiatic or Asiapets (AA) hybrids are
yet another newer breakthrough in lily breeding; crosses
between hardy Asiatics and the Aurelian trumpets, resulting
in hardy bulbs with magnificent, huge, fragrant blooms
which show themselves in late August through September.
Plant them 8 inches deep, mulch in zones 1 and 2 is
recommended, be sure these are in full sun. Finally,
a fragrant AND hardy lily for the prairies!
Species lilies are regaining in popularity,
and we will slowly add to our line as time goes on.
Species take a little longer to propagate as they are
in their natural form, the way nature created them.
Many originate in Japan or China, and require very specific
growing conditions. Many are hardy for our climate,
but there just as many that are not.
