I'll be receiving an order of immature bulbs of Monadelphum, Canadense, and Grayii in a few days. I've read as much as I could find on them but I'd love to hear of any of your experiences with growing these.

I'd especially like to "not kill" the grayii since it is an endangered lily. And all were a strain on my endangered checkbook!

:)

-Helen

I'm with you on the "slug wars". I've had those little #$%^&*@#! munch the tips off my lilies before, as you said, I even knew they were coming up. Now I go out there first thing in spring and make a perimeter of slug bait around my lily beds.

Ed McRae's book notes the same thing for growing Canadense in Oregon, (diminishing in a few years). He speculated on reason's (lack of summer humidity and virus) but didn't seem to be that definitive. It seems like the reverse of the difficulties found on the east coast trying to grow the west coast natives.

Your advice on companion plants is well taken. It makes sense that species lilies would need them more since plants don't grow alone in nature. I've started introducing Maryland natives to my garden - so I'll have to hit the spring native plant sales this season with an eye to "lily compatibility".

Do you grow your Canadense from seed? I'm trying that for the first time and have 4 little bulblets. Hopefully they'll leaf out after their winter chill.

-Helen

a bit of a late reply from me here, but I thought i'l reply anyway...

Those are not the easiest lily species to grow. Grayii is considered by many, even expert growers as almost impossible to maintain ...

I have grown all 3 of these species over the years, below are my experiences.

grayii was planted from quite large, flowering sized bulbs obtained at a bulb auction. I planted them in well drained acidic soil in half shade, with their feet in the shade, and head in the sun. They flowered profusely the first year, moderately the 2nd year, and where almost completely gone by the 3rd.... Which apparently is normal for this species in cultivation. What is essential is that it doesent get to wet in winter, but gets good watering in spring, as the shoots emerge.

for canadense, it grew best for me in full sun, with its base shaded by ferns, again, in an acid, well drained mix. It is now recovering from a mice attack, and is making good size again, however, it can be tricky to establish also. In the wild it grows along streembanks in canada, which are then completely covered with snow in winter, which keeps the bulbs dry and protected in winter.

Monadelphum is again tricky. It is often available as huge bulbs, the size of a grapefruit, however, these are almost always wild dug, illegaly in turkey, and half dried. These are no good, they resent transplanting, especially from the wild, and therefore sulk for many years, producing no above ground growth, as the bulb strugglles to reestablish a root system. Seedling bulbs can also be tricky, as they rot easilly as well. (I have tried both the large turkish bulbs, and small seedling bulbs). In the wild, monadelphum grown on mountain slopes in full sun, with excellent drainage amonghst grass. So drainage i think is the key to sucess. I just ordered a 5 year old seedling bulb from an english nursery, which should arrive soon. I'l se how it does. I have a freind in england who grows monadelphum sucesfully by putting seed directly into the ground, and then whaiting for the plants to grow to flowering size....a very long whait though...

Pontus