Asiatic lilies

Asiatic hybrids of the Lily arise from the crossing of Asiatic lilies and Lilium davidii, Lilium maculatum, Lilium pensylvanicum and Lilium lancifolium. In addition, the European Lilium bulbiferum subsp. croceum involved. Since the Asiatic lilies are the largest group, they were given first place in the division of the varieties.

Asiatic lilies are perennial plants. The fleshy bulb scales lie on top of each other like roof tiles. The bulb has no outer skin. The rungs are usually upright and unbranched, they reach a height of 19.65 to 78.74 inches.

The medium to dark green leaves of the Asiatic lilies are narrow, ovate and alternately arranged.

Asiatic lilies have six petals and bloom between June and August. In general, there are more than five flowers on a plant, whereby the individual flower in the "lily comparison" is rather small with about 5.51 inches in diameter. Asiatic lilies have little or no fragrance.

According to the shape of the flower, the first division can be divided into three groups:

1a – Varieties with an upright inflorescence,

1b – Varieties with inflorescence protruding sideways and horizontally from the stem,

1c – Varieties with pendulous or nodding flowers with the petals clearly bent back. They look quite like the Turk's cap lily.

The original species of Asiatic lilies are all monochrome, some have dark spots on the petals. The breeding efforts are aimed at either eliminating the spots or arranging them effectively. In some cultivars they are now so densely set that they overlap in the center of the flower. Often the color intensifies towards the center of the flower. A specialty of the Asiatic lilies are filled varieties.

The flowers mature into triple capsules with paper-thin seeds.

Asiatic lilies grow best in a sheltered place— unaffected by wind and rain. Lilies want their feet in the shade and their heads in the sun - this can be ensured with groundcover or bark humus.

The soil should be fresh, well-drained, rich in nutrients, but not too heavy.

A good time to plant the Asiatic Lilies is between October and March / April. To protect against moisture, a 9.84 to 11.81 inches deep planting hole is filled with a 3.93 inch thick layer of gravel. There you put the bulb with the point up. On top of this is a loose soil mixture that contains plenty of mature. If the soil is sufficiently permeable, the gravel layer can be thinner.

Immediately after flowering, remove the inflorescence to avoid seed formation. As the leaves wilt, the stem is shortened close to the ground. Then pull out the remaining stalk in spring. At this point you can fertilize the Asiatic lilies with compost or humus-rich soil. When watering you should only wet the soil, because wet leaves are prone to bulb rot and gray mold. An airy location is always better.

Asiatic lilies are popular to plant in borders, they are good partners for shrubs. They look pretty in groups of three to five, keeping a distance of 7.87 to 11.81 inches between the bulbs. Low varieties are particularly effective in deep pots. Asian lilies are also great as cut flowers - but the stamens can cause annoying stains on clothes or tablecloths.

150 to 200 varieties of the Asiatic Lily are listed. All of them have magnificent flowers, and they are all relatively easy to cultivate - that's why they're so popular!

As Asiatic lilies bloom less and less after a while, they are rejuvenated by dividing them every three to four years. To do this, dig up the bulbs after flowering or in spring, shake off the soil and divide it into individual scales by hand. The sections are planted as described for the planting. Sowing does not produce true-to-variety plants, which means that the offspring look different compared to the "mother"

In addition to bulb rot and gray mold, the Asiatic lilies have problems with voles. A protective wire basket around the bulbs helps. The scarlet lily beetle, a lacquer-red beetle, is also bad for the Asiatic lilies.