We are well into the warm weather before the Summer Solstice this year. This is the time of year when the”true” lilies are blooming in my garden. There are many plants called lilies but the true lilies are the members of the genus Lilium. Their bulbs are composed of fleshy scales, without a protective outer surface. Their bulbs can be kept in cool storage for a few months, but you will need to keep them fresh and moist. The Lilium is never dormant, so it needs to be treated as a living perennial. Its flowers are varied in size, shape, and color, but always have 6 tepals (petals & sepals) and 6 anthers. In addition to the basal roots at the base of the bulbs, they also have stem roots. Both root systems supply food and stability to the plant.
These bulbs like to grow in soil that is filled with organic material and has good drainage. They feed from their surface and basal roots so they need oxygen and nutrients in the soil to grow and survive. If you are lucky enough to have organic soil, then you just need to add Turface to loosen up the soil and add oxygen. Otherwise you should add some organic material such as compost to enrich your soil, and Turface to loosen it up. What is Turface? It is a calcine clay product used to improve drainage, reduce compaction, hold moisture, and improve the soil. It is a permanent soil particle which will never break down. Compacted soils have very little oxygen for the roots, and without oxygen your Lilies will struggle to survive. So adding a product to the soil which adds oxygen, monitors the moisture content, and does not compact is a real plus for the health of Lilium.
Lilium have been around for hundreds of years, growing as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far south as Missouri and Arkansas. They also thrive in the North Eastern and Western portions of the US. Many species are also native to China and the Balkans. They range in size from the dainty Martagons to the enormous Trumpets and Oriental Trumpet hybrids. Their fragrance is heavenly during blooming season and they fill my yard with their perfume. I usually have one of my Lilium’s blooming from June through August.
I can only surmise the reason why so many of the rodents in my yard adore Lilium as much as I do. I have tried to outwit them by surrounding the Lilium with non-desirable daffodils to camouflage their existence, but that only works until the daffodils enter dormancy and their foliage disappears. At that point I surround the Lilium with rodent wire that is about 24 inches tall. Rodents continue to trim the foliage on the outer portion of the plant, but usually cannot reach the main stem. Moles and voles won’t usually cross the daffodil bulb line underground, but sometimes they find a path to the lilies. By then my mole hunting dog is already tracking them down.
I’m including some of the Lilium currently blooming in my yard. The huge Oriental Trumpets hybrids will usually be the last to bloom and always leave a lasting impression with their size and fragrance. The summer lilies…just another reason to be outdoors to enjoy the summer season.
Lynn's Flowers 