” ‘Tis God’s gift to the gardener. Anybody might have found it, but His whisper came to me.”
A quote from E. H. “Chinese” Wilson. The plant explorer and keeper of the Arnold Arboretum upon finding this lilly in china. In his lifetime he brought back over a hundred thousand species. Sixty plants bear his name today.
The lilies you find in garden centers are a good buy. Just make sure they are firm. There may be what looks like mold on them but this is harmless. These are not day lilies (Hermerocallis). but a true lily. Their odor is wonderful especially near dusk. Put them near a deck or under a window so that you can enjoy their aroma. They do well in pots also: but should be unpotted and put outside in ground for the winder. They are very hardy. They have been pest free until lately. Now there is a beetle that has found them quite to their liking. Rather than spray, I pick them off and drop them in soapy water; same as you would with Japanese Beetles. They are truly royalty in the garden. They can be divided in the fall after they die down. The one lily that must not be planted too deep is L Candium. It should be not more than one inch below the soil.
Fist come Asiatics, then trumpets, and later Orientals. There is a new class called “Orientpets” : a cross between trumpets and Oriental lilies. Ferns go well with them. They help to shade the roots. Fertilize once in the spring with 5-10-10. They make nice cut flowers, but leave as many leaves on stems as yo can, so they can build up strength and vigor for next year. After they dry, cut them to the ground and discard or burn stems, don’t compost them. They go well with perennials. By using these three types you can have blooms from June to September. Another plant that goes well with Lilies is elephant ears (Colocassi) Black Magic makes a nice contras. Leaves can grow to three feet. The black one is particularly beautiful when the sun shines on it or through it. They also grow in shallow water. They multiply and can be dug up in the fall and placed in the cellar, the cooler the better, but not below forty degrees. Repot in the spring and they are ready for another season. Potting soil works best. In fact, all potted plants grow better in a soiless mix. Try some– you will enjoy them for many years to come. They multiply rapidly so the only cost is the original one. Lilies are a bargain and they don’t have to be staked.
E. H. Wilson, the man that found them, after many years and adventures in China, came home and was killed along with his wife in a car accident – ironic!!
