What are the differences? Common Lily Classes Explained
Oriental, Asiatic, and Longiflorum Lilies Explored
Lilies, renowned for their beauty and versatility, grace gardens and floral arrangements with their presence. Among the various types, Oriental, Asiatic, and Longiflorum lilies stand out for their distinct characteristics. Let's delve into the nuances of each variety to understand what sets them apart.
Oriental Lilies: Aromatic Appeal
Oriental lilies are known for their large, fragrant blooms and towering stems. They come in a range of colors and are often used as focal points in gardens or cut for floral displays.
Asiatic Lilies: Colorful and Adaptable
Asiatic lilies bloom early and offer a diverse palette of colors. With their compact size, they are suitable for containers and smaller garden spaces.
Longiflorum Lilies: Timeless Simplicity
Longiflorum lilies, also known as Easter lilies or Trumpet lilies, feature classic white blooms. Their graceful appearance makes them a favorite for weddings and formal settings.
Exploring the Differences:
While Oriental lilies captivate with their fragrance and striking blooms, Asiatic lilies impress with their early flowering and vibrant colors. Longiflorum lilies, on the other hand, embody simplicity and elegance with their pristine white petals. Each variety has its own unique charm and appeal, catering to different tastes and garden styles.
Cultivating Lilies:
Growing lilies requires attention to soil, sunlight, and watering needs. Providing well-draining soil and ample sunlight is essential for healthy growth. Regular watering, especially during dry spells, helps maintain soil moisture and promotes blooming. Mulching can also help retain moisture and suppress weeds. With proper care, lilies thrive and reward gardeners with their stunning blooms season after season.
Many growers in North America also must monitor for the Scarlet Lily Beetle. We’re share more about how we manage this pest at our flower farm shortly. Fortunately, it is not difficult to identify!
Here are some general tips for cultivating lilies:
Choose the Right Location: Plant lilies in a sunny spot with well-draining soil to ensure optimal growth and blooming. Handle your bulbs carefully and be sure not to break the tips. If a tips breaks off, the lily will not be able to produce a viable flower/stem.
Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply, especially during dry periods, and avoid overhead watering to prevent fungal diseases. The more your lilies grow, the more water they will need.
Fertilization: Apply a balanced fertilizer in spring to promote healthy growth and blooming. Avoid excessive fertilization, as it can lead to weak stems and reduced flower production.
Division: Divide overcrowded clumps of lilies every few years to maintain vigor and prevent overcrowding. Replant divisions in well-prepared soil and water thoroughly to encourage establishment.
In the world of lilies, Oriental, Asiatic, and Longiflorum (Trumpet) varieties offer a range of options for gardeners and flower enthusiasts. Whether you prefer the fragrant blooms of Oriental lilies, the colorful display of Asiatic lilies, or the timeless elegance of Longiflorum lilies, there's a variety to suit every taste and garden style - and this is only the tip of the lily iceberg! Next, we’ll take a look at the hybrids! They are special combinations of different classes of lilies and they offer new and exciting characteristics like extra petals, more colors, and pollen-less blooms.
With proper care and attention, lilies thrive and bring beauty to gardens and floral arrangements year after year. But, they can also be grown in sequences on a program to ensure you have blooms over a very long period of time.
With the right environment, be it outdoors, in a greenhouse or in grow room, it’s also possible to grow lilies year round. The Lily Workshop is a comprehensive program for growers wanting to learn how to find quick success in programming lilies.
We offer drop shipping of wholesale lily bulb orders to satisfy grower programs. Place an order with all the varieties and quantities you’d like to grow for the upcoming year and portion your crates into the shipments that serve your needs. Many growers like to receive a small portion of their order every few weeks. Upon receipt they plant some of the bulbs each week until their next shipment arrives.
Why shouldn’t you receive all your bulbs at once?
Lily bulbs are kept dormant and frozen until it is time for them to be planted. We hold bulbs frozen to preserve bulb health and prevent them from growing tips too early. Long tips can be broken in the mail as packages are jostled around.
So that’s our short primer on the differences between these 3 primary classes of cut flower lilies. Next, we’ll dig into information about the hybrids! Here’s where things get really interesting. Have a question? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll get back to you soon.
Cheers,
The Team at Ampersand Bulb Co.