Worth the $20 per bulb??

'Midnight Star' is a collector's lily. While some new cultivars can fetch $50-$100 dollars when they are first introduced (especially if they are interspecific hybrids that breeders go ga-ga after), this lily could be considered an heirloom variety.

According to B&D Lilies, the sole supplier of this cultivar, this variety was almost lost in cultivation because it was not suited for greenhouse forcing. They also state that it can be a challenging lily to grow because it is slow to propagate and requires proper siting to ensure "dinnerplate-sized" blooms.

I've had this lily for 3 years now and I still don't think I've got it in an ideal location even though it flowers beautifully so late in the season. I've seen photos of similar hybrids grown in Oregon Bulb Farms that display these "Red Band Hybrids" and they were out of this world!!

If you don't want to fork over the $20 plus shipping for this stunning lily, there are newer hybrids that posses the dramatic coloration of 'Midnight Star'. One popular cultivar is 'Dizzy'. Compared to 'Midnight Star', this one has slightly smaller flowers and are more outfacing and the petals are narrower. And one that I'm hoping to acquire and evaluate next year is 'Tiger Woods'. It's suppose to be a large red band hybrid with stronger stems, but I'm assuming this is under Dutch greenhouse conditions.

As a lily enthusiast and breeder, I'm thrilled to have obtained this variety for it's history and sheer potential as an extraordinary garden plant once it is properly sited and established.

Cheers,

Riz