Growing Lilies in Indiana

Inscriptions of lilies have been found on vases and Assyrian monuments dating back to 1300 B.C., yet until recent years hybridizers have all but completely overlooked the lilies.

History tells us that as early as 1535 our native meadow lily (Lilium canadense) was imported to England. For many years lilies were dug and shipped from their native countries, China, Japan, India, Burma and many more of the Asiatic countries, into England, Holland, France and the United States in open hampers, bare rooted with no protection from drying conditions. They were often out of soil for months. It’s no wonder that they failed to survive. A lily bulb is a living plant with no dormant period and should never be out of the soil any longer than is absolutely necessary.

In times past, some gardeners grew these lilies with varying degrees of success. No mistaking, they were considered plants for the expert. It was not until Ernest H. Wilson, noted plant explorer, discovered the regale lily that the present upsurge in growing lilies from seed began. He found the regale lily growing in only one valley of Western China.

I shall never look at a regale lily without thinking of this courageous man. In 1910 he was coming down a mountainside with a thousand regale bulbs packed and strapped to a mule team caravan, when a rock slide fell upon him and broke his leg. His leg had to be splinted with a camera tripod. It was three days before he could get to a doctor, and three months before he could sail for home, but the bulbs were delivered.

When the growers who planted the regale seed found them to be of such easy culture and rapid growth, it encouraged them to try growing other lilies from seeds that they had believed before to be difficult. This was the beginning of many of the present day lily hybrids.

My growing of lilies has been a similar experience to that of the early lily growers, but I have been able to profit from them. As they made mistakes and improvements, they have readily shared their information with amateur lily growers.

White Trumpets Easier

I have been an ardent gardener for more years than I care to be reminded of. Until 1998, I had grown only Madonna and tiger lilies. I made several attempts to grow the auratum lilies with repeated failures. A chance gift of a package of white trumpet lily seeds started me on one of the most thrilling garden adventures I have ever experienced. I planted them not knowing the exciting history of the regale lily. My seedlings grew and flourished. I was so enthusiastic that I grew a few of all the white trumpet hybrids that I could purchase. If you are a beginner in lily growing, or wish to be one, this is the group of lilies that I would advise you to start with. I assure you that you will have many years of pleasure from them. In fact, you may find them so cooperative you may never want to venture further. But I did.

After a few years of growing the white trumpets, I began to get more ambitious. At shows, I saw so many varieties of lilies that it was hard to choose which others I would try. There are very few gardens that will grow all species and varieties well.

The Midwest has not been considered the best climate in which to grow lilies because our summers are hot and often quite dry, and our winters are a constant freezing and thawing with only occasional snow for winter protection. I have found that perseverance and substitutes for nature have made many of them quite easy to grow.

Drainage Essential

One of the first requirements for lily culture is good drainage, and as our land had a gentle slope from front to back, this problem did not exist for me. The next requirement was loose, friable soil. Ours is of a clay composition so I spaded many yards of native peat, compost and sand into it until I thought the most aristocratic of lilies should be content. Perhaps I need not have been overcareful, for one well known lily grower states that any soil that will grow good corn and potatoes will grow good lilies. There are a few other requirements.

They need sun for at least three-fourths of the day. Most of mine have to grow in full sun all day, and only a few of the choice ones can be planted where they receive afternoon shade. Outside of some fading of the colors, they do very well. For their food requirement, I apply a complete fertilizer just as the frost is going out of the ground in the spring, before growth begins. Then I give a feeding of one of the soluble fertilizers when the buds begin to show in the crown of leaves. I spray for botrytis in wet weather, and water when the soil is dry.

Lilies do not like to be crowded in perennial borders, and if grown there, they should have plenty of room. They are better grown in beds alone with shallow rooted annuals as companion plants, or in clumps between evergreens whose dark foliage sets the lily blossom off to perfection.

Successes and Failures

I have had many failures and success. A Mother’s Day gift of 25 auratums planted in a single bed caused quite a sensation in our garden-minded community. They brought pride and pleasure to me for three years, and then suddenly they all died. A plant was sent to a plant lab and was diagnosed as being infected with basal rot, a fusarium fungus found in some soils. Auratum lily is very susceptible to it. Although I have tried many times, I have never been able to establish them again. It seems that most of my soil is infested with the fusarium, and sterilization will kill it. There are many lilies that are tolerant to this condition, and I am growing these.

Many colonies of the native L. michiganense grow along the railroad right of way not far from here. However they are fast disappearing, as a result of weed cutting and chemical weed sprays. I have tried to establish them in my garden for many years with little success but at last after trying many places, they seem satisfied growing in a corner where a barberry hedge and a spruce tree meet. They are increasing quite well, not so tall or prolific as on the right of way but their small orange recurved blossoms sway against the green background and make a pleasant picture in July. It becomes very dry there in mid-summer, and perhaps that is what they like.

I found testaceum (the Nankeen lily) reluctant to live in my garden for more than a year. Following a grower’s advice, I used woods soil and leaf mold with lots of gravel to plant it in, and I am having much better success.

Two small lilies which I depend on for our June flower show are the coral lily, (L. pumilum, formerly sold as L. tenuifolium), and Martagon album. The former has a small, bright orange red turk’s cap blossom with the brightest orange anthers imaginable. It does fairly well in the forward part of a perennial border if not crowded. It is not a long lived individual, but it is so easily raised from seeds that anyone can have dozens of them. Martagon album seems to want a more retiring place, and is happy close to a spreading yew where its carved ivory coloring and golden anthers are complimented. Cream and white aurelian trumpets, with orange and yellow throats.

Growing Hybrids

There are types and styles to suit the most fastidious gardener. From these have come cream, yellow and golden trumpets, more informal than their white ancestor. The most diverse groups are the reflexes and semi-reflexes which take their shape and coloring from Henryi, but are enlarged and modified by the other parent. Here you will find whites with yellow and orange throats similar to Henryi, but much larger, also yellow, orange, apricot, and tangerine flowers all with the lovely green nectaries which Henryi has. Some have narrow petals, many of them are broad, some are also bicolors, some fragrant, some medium height, and many that are five or six feet tall with as many as 30 blossoms to the stem. The pink trumpets have been introduced to this group in recent years, and even more lovely combinations are resulting. Best of all, they are willing to grow in good garden soil with no fuss and bother. Their hybrid background has given them great stamina and vigor. Such a variation of blossoms and growth habit can hardly be visioned from these two species.

Fun with Hybridizing

I had ventured into the fascinating hobby of hybridizing with this group of lilies and although there are many ordinary lilies in the seedlings, each year I find a few that are outstanding and these are enough to encourage me to grow lilies for the remainder of my gardening years.

These are the highlight of the July and August garden, but I keep trying others. This year I bought some of the west coast natives and their hybrids, and I must confess to buying six of auratum platyphyllums again. The west coast lilies do not like our Midwestern climate. I made wonderful homes for them by using oak leaf mold and gravel, but still they may not choose to stay with me. If they do not, there is always another year to try to coax them to be content in another part of my garden.

by Marcia Mears

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