Ask Lil E Um - continued


	Ask Lil E. Um part IV
	Do you have unanswered questions about the genus Lilium? We’ll help you find the answers. Just Contact Us to send your inquiry. Be sure to reference “Ask Lil E. Um” and we’ll find a lily expert with the best advice. Part I Part II Part III Part V

	Message: Hi can you please help and tell me, the Spider lily -- Hymenocallis occidentalis, white in colour, propagation = seeds, bulb lets, roots, My question is - can this plant be propagated from the scales of the plant like others, The pre-germination ways by placing the scales taken from the mother plant, into damp compost with in a plastic bag and place into dark and a warm environment, hopefully then new bulblets form around the base of the scale, potting after a time, etc, etc. Hope you can help me, Thanks for your time, Martin Gale United Kingdom Hello Martin, Thank you for your question. I am pleased that you found us and submitted your question.To be honest, I am not familiar with Hymenocallis occidentalis. Our focus is strictly on the genus Lilium. Hymenocallis occidentalis appears to be a member of the Amaryllis family, a cousin of lilium. Kingdom - Plantae Phylum - Anthophytae Class - Monocotolydonae Subclass - Liliidae Order - Liliales Family - Amaryllidaceae Genus - Hymenocallis Species - caroliniana Common name - "Spider Lily" Synonyms - Hymenocallis occidentalis Therefore, I am not certain about propagation. I know that one of the ways that amaryllis propagate is by bulb division, but having never seen a bulb of your plant, I do not know what it looks like or if it has individual scales. Do the bulbs look more like, say an asiatic lily with many scales, or do they look more like a smooth amaryllis bulb? If it has many scales, I'd be curious to try to encourage scale propagation. I've had good luck starting new little bulblets from lilium scales in just the manner you describe. It is worth a try. If not, it may take natural bulb division or growing from seed to multiply their numbers. Hymenocallis occidentalis is a beautiful plant. I went to google.com and clicked on the images link, to take a look at some photos. It appears to be a US wildflower, native to south eastern states. There are so many plants that have 'lily' as a part of its name. Not as many are actually lilium and their culture is very different. We receive many questions about Day lily (hemerocallis) and Calla lily (Arum). I try to direct them to more informative websites. I have found a US government website that is in the process of adding information about Hymenocallis. They have yours listed, but so far have not added more information. Perhaps you could contact them for more information: USDA Another website that appears to be a specialty nursery and have more information is: http://www.sunfarm.com/picks/hymenocalliscaroliniana-123536.phtml The North Star Lily Society is unfamiliar with this business and isn't able to make a recommendation, but their information may be useful. I hope we have shared two possible new avenues for information for you. Good luck with your search, and be sure to write back and let us know if you have success with scale propagation. As fellow gardeners, we are always eager to learn more about garden worthy plants. Lil E. Um

	Dear Lil, I live in Birmingham, Alabama and recently bought two calla lily plants in pots and the lillies were already in bloom. Each plant had several pink blooms. I re-potted into containers. The bloom stalks almost immediately began to fall over. The greenery has thrived on one of the plants, but is turning yellow on the other. The blooms are beginning to die on both plants; However, one plant has two new blooms. They are in full sun and very soon will be exposed to very high humidity. Is it normal for the blooms to die off? Should I cut the dead blooms at the base of the plant or at the base of the bloom? Should I support the stems with small stakes? What type of plant food and fertilizer should I use? Please give me some information on how to care for these beautiful plants. Thank you so much. Laurette Hi Laurette, Calla lilies are not true lilies, but are arum (jack-in-the-pulpit) family members, genus Zantedeschia. They are stemless plants whose flowers and leaves rise directly from rhizomes, not bulbs. While our focus is on the genus lilium, there is often confusion when the name of 'Lily' is given to plants that are not lilium. I contacted an experienced gardener in the Atlanta, Georgia area, not as far from you as we are here in Minnesota. She responded with a great resource for you to check out. If you were to 'Google' Zantedeschia you may find even more information online. Thank you for your questions and good luck with your Calla Lilies. -Lil Dear Laurette, I'd advise a visit to another website: http://www.calla-lilies.com/gardencallainfo.cfm You'll find some great Calla Lily culture info there. Your Calla Lilies really should go into the garden soil and stay there until the weather cools. Here in Atlanta, I have never been able to grow them, but some folks can in a microclimate where they stay protected and moist. Atlanta is right in line with Birmingham so I think your chances of keeping them outside all year around is not good. You say though that in the pot, it seems they are declining. They only put on one bloom a year so, unfortunately, your show may be over. Carolyn Hawkins

	Dear Lil, I am planting some tiger lilies in my yard. How far away should they be kept from other lilies to prevent the spread of virus and how are lily viruses transmitted anyway? Sonya Hi Sonya, Thank you for your question about Tiger Lilies. I know more folks will be interested to learn the answer. For the best response, I contacted award-winning lily grower and hybridizer Warren Summers, who was happy to share his thoughts with us. Warren has also agreed to be our NSLS 2006 Autumn Educational Speaker on September 30th. Join us for a wonderful guided tour of "The Lilies of Japan." But now, here is Warren's response. Lil E. Um Sonya, Tiger lilies carry virus as do most lilies which have been in the garden for a year or two. When lilies which are not virus tolerant catch multiple viruses, they loose vigor, don't grow as well nor produce as many flowers. Some lilies may even show signs of virus with ugly streaking in their foliage. I usually discard those. Virus is spread by garden pests, typically aphids, which suck on the lilies and move from plant to plant. I would plant the tiger lilies 15 to 20 feet away from my virus free lilies and not be overly concerned that they might be virus-ed. Any lily worth its salt, will still perform reasonably well when it catches a virus. In my garden, if a lily doesn't perform well, it's usually replaced with a variety that will do better. Try growing a few of the time tested virus tolerant varieties such as "Red Velvet", "Lime Ice", "Iowa Rose", "Northern Carillon", "Scheherazade", "Leslie Woodriff", etc. . Warren Summers

	Dear Lil, I presently have some asiatic and some oriental lilies. From what I understand, the asiatics like full sun but the orientals like it a little more shady. At Easter time I purchased an LA lily and would like to attempt to plant it in my garden. Which location would better suit the LA lily? What do you think are my chances that it will survive? Eileen Hi Eileen, I contacted Pete and Francine Nelson, well known lily growers in the Mora, Minnesota area, and have received more information concerning your questions. I hope you will find it useful. Thank you very much for contacting our website. Please let us know if you have any other lily growing questions. Best regards, Lil E. Um Eileen, You are correct that asiatic lilies perform the best in a full sun location. They will tend to lean toward the sun if they are planted where it is partly shaded. Oriental's will also grow and bloom beautifully in full sun, but some late afternoon shade will help them hold their color a little better. Oriental lilies have such a lovely fragrance that even though they don't survive our zone 3 climate long-term I would not want to have a summer without at least a few in our garden. The LA Hybrid you purchased at Easter will grow very well in zone 3 or higher (you didn't state your growing zone) when you plant it in the ground. LA's tend to be a little shorter in height than their parents the Longiflorum Lily (Easter Lily) and the Asiatic Lily. They are very prolific growers with quite often a wider flower form giving lots of color and bloom on many stems. They bloom close to the same time as the asiatics. We grow many LA's and they have performed very well and have shown good increase over the years. I hope the LA Hybrid you purchased and the other lilies you plant give you lots of enjoyment. To us lilies are the "best of the best" in the summer garden. Pete & Francine Nelson

	Hello Lil! I attended the design class and workshop held on March 11th, 2006. I had a great time and I want to learn more. I'm wondering if the instructors have a list of books that would be useful for a beginner in floral design. Thank you! We're glad to hear that you had fun at the class and workshop. We hope to hold more design classes in the future. Instructor Marcy Gaugert was happy to share a list of her favorite floral design publications. Many of these may be out of print, but we've had luck finding them in online booksellers and ebay and other auctions. Here is her list: -The Complete Flower Arranger, Amalie Adler Ascher Copyright 1974 Simon and Schuster -New Approach to Design Principles, Anne Bernat Sutter, 1967, Sutter Publishing Co, Overland, MO -At Home With Flowers, The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. -Creative Flower Arranging, Betty Belcher, 1993, Timber Press -Creative Floral Designs, Step-By-Step, Carolyn R. Hawkins and Jeannine F. Row,2003, The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc. -The Essence of Floral Creativity, A Legacy, 1999, The National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc -Table Settings For All Seasons, June Wood and Deen Day Smith, 1994, The National Council of State Garden Clubs, Inc. Marcy also recommends the four books written by June Kahl, all are published by Prospect Hill Press, 216 Wendover Road, Baltimore, MD 21218-1837. A SKETCHBOOK of EASY FLOWER DESIGNS, SKETCHBOOK OF CREATIVITY in Flower Design, FLOWER DESIGN MADE EASY and FLOWER DESIGN Variations on the Basics.

	Message: I want to grow something to hide the yellowing stalks of spent Asiatic Lilies. Would tall Zinnias be a good choice? As they can be direct seeded I thought this might work to keep from disturbing the lily roots. Thanks! - Tinga Hi Tinga, There are three annuals that I have had success with that would be tall enough to somewhat “hide” the yellowing lily stalk as the season progresses and that that like the same sunny spot as your lilies; 1. Nicotinana var. sylvestris is very fragrant, grows about 4 – 4 1/2’ and the small blooms clustered together look like fireworks. 2. State Fair, Red Spider, or Oklahoma Mix Zinnias might be a good choice and they make a great cut flower. Powdery mildew can be a problem with zinnias if there isn’t much air movement. The last variety, Oklahoma Mix has, been breed to be more resistant to powdery mildew. Each of these will grow to 2’ up to 4’“. 3. The Cosmic series and Sunset Mix of Cosmos are really great in the garden. The foliage is light and airy and both of those varieties are the brightest yellow to the deep shade of a sunset and every shade in between that you can imagine. These will grow about 3 – 3 1/2’ in the garden and they are very showy from quite a distance. All of these seeds could all be directly sown in the garden after the chance of frost has past and they are available from most of the larger seed companies on line. A word of caution about growing any flowers among your lilies; if the lily stems are crowded and the weather is hot and humid with very little air movement, botrytis can be a problem. Botrytis is a fungal disease with the common name of “Fire Blight” that can progress up the lily stem and turn the leaves brown, therefore not allowing the stem and leaves to absorb nutrients from the sun that transfer to the bulb for the next seasons bloom. Good air circulation in your lily garden is a must to keep botrytis at bay. If the yellowing occurs later in the season, this is a normal part of the lily’s life cycle. Francine Nelson NSLS Past President

	Message: I received a calla lily for Easter. I planted it in my yard and have enjoyed the awesome color of the blooms all summer. What do I do now in the fall. (Michigan) Tonight's weather will be down to about 38. Please tell me how to care for this beautiful plant!!!! Hi Judie, Thank you for your email. I think you mean Calla lily. I have seen pink, white and yellow Callas, some with beautiful variegated foliage. Hybridizers are busy creating even more varieties. There are many plants with the word "lily" as a part of their name. The Calla Lily is not a 'true lily' it is actually Zantedeschia aethiopica, a member of the Arum family- like Jack in the Pulpit. The focus of interest of the North Star Lily Society is in the genus Lilium such as Asiatic, Trumpet and Oriental lilies. I wasn't that familiar with growing Calla Lilies so I did a little research on the internet and found that among other websites, the Missouri Botanical Gardens website had some easy culture information about Calla Lilies. http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=A475 It sounds like you can pot up your Calla Lily and bring it indoors as a house plant. How fortunate! True lilies, have one bloom cycle a year. Depending on the cultivar, they are generally winter hardy here in the northern U.S., that is the bulbs do not have to be removed from the ground and brought indoors. If you are interested in adding true lilies to your garden, the Michigan Regional Lily Society is having their annual fall bulb sale coming up in just a few weeks. Check out their website at: http://www.mrls.org/index.htm Best of luck with your Calla Lilies! Denese Erickson North Star Lily Society

	Message: Is there any mulch that is especially good or bad for lilies? For example, I have heard that some kinds of wood chips are bad. Thanks. Straw may be the best. It's light and airy. In the winter it has insulating qualities so is the best for newly planted bulbs during the first cold period. Wood chips are not a good insulator and can bind nitrogen in the decomposition process making the nitrogen unavailable to the plant. With straw, wood chips, cedar mulch etc., you need to add additional nitrogen around the plants. It helps the mulch decompose and makes nitrogen available to the plants. Sometimes, foliar (spray) feeding is helpful for the plants in heavily mulched conditions. If grass clippings are used, spread lightly and do not use thick clumps of green grass. A thick heavy mulch can mat and prevent oxygen and water from reaching the root zone. I will also use oak leaves to mulch lilies, again not real thick, and add additional nitrogen. Duane Reynolds NSLS Speakers Bureau

	Message: This is my first visit to the web site as I have a new martagon & wanted to identify it. I might have a picture(s) to submit to the martagon CD & was wondering if it was finished or are you still developing it? Sounded like it might be put together after the 2004 growing season. I have a lovely picture of L. tsingtauense nestled between some hostas & with my gnome garden in front complete with cabin, pond, ducks, turtles, bear & bald eagle landing on a birch branch. My neighbors passing by love it so I'd be willing to submit that picture if you still need any. Keep up the good work. Thanks, Nancy Dear Nancy, Thank you for your interest in our Martagons! CD project. We are indeed in the process of acquiring even more great culture information from the US, Canada and Europe. There will also be more photos included in the next edition. We expect that our CD will be the best educational tool for information and photographs of martagons ever created. I am going to forward this email to our Martagons! CD editor. I believe that he may be interested in seeing your photo. We are very interested in documenting with close-up photos, the inflorescence and also wider shots of the lily from head to toe - showing its stem and whorled leaves. We anticipate more photos will be taken this bloom season and will be shared with us. We plan to publish the new Martagons! CD next winter. Since martagon lilies are still unusual to find growing in home gardens, they are real showstoppers once they are established. It sounds like your neighbors have a real appreciation for your martagons! We appreciate your inquiry, Denese Erickson NSLS President Back to top

	Message: This is my 2nd question for you today. I just finished looking at the list of lily hybrids & some of the photos. I noticed there are quite a few listed for which we have no photos. I would be nice to get more from members so people accessing our website can enjoy them & perhaps identify some they have in their own gardens. I have a few lilies not listed on the list & wonder if you want pictures of them? I am just getting familiar with our new digital camera & enjoy flower photography so would try & send you pictures of these if you need them. Thank-you, Happy gardening. Nancy Dear Nancy, Thank you for your email. It's great to know that our website is being well visited. The photos of lilies that we have on our site are those of officially registered Minnesota hybridized lilies. Our site is not able to maintain a library of photos of all cultivars of the genus lilium. Wouldn't that be a fabulous library? We are trying to focus just on lilies that have been bred and created here in Minnesota. If you have any of the lilies on the list that we have online, it would be great to get images of those particular lilies. I spoke to a member today who told me that she has a number of our Minnesota heritage lilies in her garden. She plans on copying the list we have online and going into her garden and documenting the MN lilies that she has growing there. We will be uploading those photos as we receive them. Unfortunately, I've been told that some of the lilies that are on our list, may no longer exist. I am hoping that we will get photos of as many as possible. We are a regional affiliate of the North American Lily Society. I know that they are in the process of re-tooling their website and they are expanding its photo gallery. Perhaps they would welcome your digital lily contributions. You may find the NALS website at lilies.org . Best regards, Denese Erickson NSLS President

Part I Part II Part III Part V