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linnea56chgo5b

what unusual or late lilies to buy?

I have a credit to spend at Van Engelen. I want to spend it on lily bulbs but want something late. I have a lot of asiatics (orange pixie, wine red pixie; pinks, and peaches in regular size), and my current orientals are all light pinks and whites. I don't need quantity this time so hope I can spend it at the sister site of Scheepers instead. What could I get that would be different in terms of color/and or form, and bloom time? I love the ones that are huge multi-branched towers of blooms, but don't know if that describes more than one variety.

I am tempted by the shade-growing turk's cap types but I don't have moist shade, it's dry shade. I have 2 shade areas: one terraced under ash trees, currently planted with hostas and astilbe, also species tulips and daffodils; dappled shade all day. The other is slightly moister shade that gets short periods of dappled sun. Can these be grown in dry shade?

I can also squeeze something into the main garden (mostly full sun) but it would have to be something smaller or at least narrower in spread.

Comments (6)

  • ego45
    17 years ago

    I'm not sure of what are you looking for, taller or smaller?
    I ordered this year Citronella and L.davidii, both relatively late and should be in 4-5' range.
    Black Beauty is also late, but it will be rather in 5-7' range and could take a lot of shade, I'd say 2-3 hours of sun will be more than sufficient for it to prosper.
    As for tall 'huge multi-branched towers of blooms' nothing could beat Chinese Trumpets, I think. In dappled sun they'll be in 7-8'(at least) range and bloom in early-mid August.

  • linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Actually, I could use both: taller for the shade gardens where I have more room, smaller for the main garden which is more crowded. If, that is, taller works in shade and smaller in more sun...

  • hld6
    17 years ago

    Hi linnea,

    There are a couple small orientals for sale at Van Engelen.

    Mona Lisa is only 2' tall. It blooms early for an oriental (but later than your asiatics).

    Muscadet is 3' tall (small for an Oriental). Its blooms are placed on the stem relatively close together and the buds tend to open at about the same time, making for a very dramatic bloom.

    A really tall oriental is "Aruba". Van Engelen lists it as 5' but mine get to 6'. Its blooms are an exquisite pale pink, much prettier than the picture on their website.

    Consider speciosum for your shady areas (Rubrum or album).

    Note: to ego45
    The Davidii you ordered should not bloom July/August as the Van Engelen sites states (they've either messed up the date or mislabled the lily). Davidii is one of the species parents of the Asiatic hybrids and is a relatively early bloomer. I forget when mine bloomed this year (I got them last fall from the species lily group fall sale) but they were earlier than my trumpets and orientals.

    -Helen

  • ego45
    17 years ago

    Helen, thanks for davidii warning.
    I have one for you too. My Muskadet is full 5' tall in its 3rd year, but unlike most Orientals it multiply rather fast.



  • hld6
    17 years ago

    Hi Ego45,
    And your Muscadet look to be in sufficient sun too. This was their second year and mine were the expected 3'. So were my mother's. Go figure! I'll be digging mine up to move them this Fall. I hope they've multiplied as well as yours.

    You'll like your Davidii (whenever they bloom) they're another lily that looks better than its photos. This was their first year and mine were a really bright tangerine orange with a large number of long lasting "turk's cap" like blooms.

    -Helen

  • Noni Morrison
    17 years ago

    For lovely late lily flowers I love speciosa Rubrum and the alba form of it. NIce pink and white recurved lilies with spots or pure white that bloom in late August into Mid September. THey are also scented.