Types of lilies
Content:
Types of lilies
Today on sale every gardener can find a huge variety of the most diverse varieties and types of lilies, each of which has its own characteristics and properties. Sometimes it is simply impossible to make a choice in favor of one or another species, since the gardener does not fully understand what their distinctive features and traits are. In this article, we will present in more detail the most different types of lilies and give them brief characteristics.
The first suggestions for dividing the lilies into separate groups came from the American lily grower, the specialist for these wonderful flowers, Jan de Graf. It is thanks to him that today we can use the very convenient classification of lilies, which was approved back in 1964, and today is international. According to the classification, in one group, plants are combined according to similar indicators and characteristics, and this is very convenient for the flower growers themselves, since most of the hybrids that belong to the same group also coincide in terms of agricultural technology, planting and care.
There are nine key groups in total, and they include a wide variety of hybrids.
Group 1: The totality of all Asian hybrids with similar traits and agronomic characteristics
Group 2: Hybrids of the Martagon series
Group 3: Candidum hybrids
Group 4: American hybrids
Group 5: Long-flowered hybrids
Group 6: Tubular and Orleans hybrids
Group 7: Oriental hybrids - in other words, they are also called orientals
Group 8: Interspecific group of hybrids, which include LA hybrids, OT hybrids, LO hybrids and OA hybrids
Group 9: Other types of lilies, which mainly grow in the wild, but can also adapt in the conditions of personal plots
Asian hybrid varieties
Let's start our description with the very common Asian hybrid varieties of lilies. They descended from their distant ancestors - the East Asian species of lilies, and today they are very popular in our country, and throughout the world as a whole. Their advantages are that they can multiply without much difficulty, and are also quite resistant to sudden changes in temperature and frost. In addition, these varieties of hybrids are quite resistant to fungal and viral diseases, they are not too whimsical if we are talking about general care, and this is undoubtedly an advantage. Many gardeners want an excellent flower garden, but they cannot always devote a lot of time to this. Therefore, Asian hybrids are great for just such cases.
The flowers resemble bowls in shape, the color can be very different, it all depends solely on the variety. These are graceful white lilies, yellow, cream colors, shades of orange and pink, red and burgundy. There are also some Asiatic lilies that have very dark buds. There are also rare varieties that differ in two-color or tricolor flowers, again, they are not very common, they belong to rare, exotic hybrids. There is also a drawback of this group - these flowers do not have any aroma at all, which cannot be said about the classic lilies, which are just famous for their stable scent, which has both many fans and those who cannot stand these aromas.
Martagon hybrids
These lilies are distinguished by the fact that their flowers have a very graceful and aristocratic shape, and are also popularly called curly.The buds usually look down, but the petals tend to curl and look up. The perianth is covered with small dark spots, which are very similar to freckles, which makes the flower even more decorative. Unlike many Asian hybrids, which we talked about earlier, these lilies still exude an aroma, even if it is almost imperceptible, but it is still there.
In the group of these lilies there are very resistant varieties that are practically not exposed to various fungi and viruses, and at the same time they are very resistant to temperature extremes or to a variety of attacks from pests and bacteria. Growing these lilies and caring for them is not difficult at all, and it brings tremendous pleasure to the gardener. But still it is worth remembering that these lilies have a tendency to grow very slowly, and if they decide to transplant them, then they tolerate this process very badly. For that, these plants are very durable, and this is already a huge plus for this group of varieties. Their colors are very diverse, as well as shapes and sizes, so that the gardener in this group will always find exactly what he likes best.
Candidum hybrids
Gardeners also call these hybrids snow-white, since this group includes only those varieties whose color is exclusively snow-white. You can also find slightly yellowish flowers, but this is rather an exception to the rule, as well as features of caring for the plant itself. The buds are usually very wide, funnel-shaped. Snow-white lilies do not tolerate cold weather or temperature changes very well, in this regard they are very capricious. Therefore, such hybrids are most often best planted in sunny, lit areas, and with the onset of winter, cover them so that they successfully survive this difficult period for any culture. The disadvantages of these hybrids and varieties also lie in the fact that they are very whimsical to care for, and if you do not follow them, they can easily pick up certain fungal diseases. if the gardener has enough time to care and organize favorable conditions for the plant, then he will get incredibly beautiful flowers that exude a very pleasant aroma. In general, the florist will definitely not be disappointed with such a result, and this is the most important thing in horticultural and floricultural activities.
Lily species: American hybrids
Another large group is American hybrids. These lilies are not very popular in their homeland, but they have already earned special recognition far beyond its borders, and Russia is no exception. The flowers of these varieties are very beautiful, and can also surprise gardeners with the most unusual colors. Most often, American hybrids may not be monochromatic, but give out two-color flowers; on light buds, you can easily see the wine-colored specks. In addition, the fragrance emanates from the flowers very subtle, which makes them more attractive and elegant. Lilies, which belong to this American hybrid group, are very fond of illuminated areas, and also generally require additional attention in their care. They need to be regularly moistened, and for the winter it is best to cover the bushes, otherwise they will freeze over. Varieties do not relate very well to transplants, they should be planted once in their permanent place of growth, and only in this case the plants will give an excellent result in the form of abundant flowering.
The next group, which we will talk about in more detail, is the long-flowered hybrids. The flowers are elongated, more like tubes, hence the characteristic name. Most often these are white flowers, which also exude a very strong aroma, drooping buds. Lilies from this group are very whimsical, especially when it comes to warmth, so it is best to grow them in the southern part. If the gardener decides to grow long-flowered lilies in mid-latitude, then for this it is still necessary to use greenhouse conditions.Varieties for distillation are excellent, and they can be grown not only as garden crops, but also as pot crops, which favorably distinguishes these lilies from all others. Very beautiful bouquets and flower arrangements can be made from the same lilies.
Tubular and Orleans hybrids
I would also like to tell about these plants in a little more detail, they can be of different shapes - and elongated, and cup-shaped, and even atypical, star-shaped. Flowers can be of a wide variety of colors and colors, so that the gardener can choose a plant to his taste and desire. Most often, you can find varieties that are colored with yellow, orange, pink buds, but there are many others, it all depends solely on the varietal affiliation of daylilies. These lilies from the group perfectly tolerate winter time, but if there are recurrent frosts, then the lilies do not always treat them painlessly. It is best to plant them in sunny areas, and drain the soil before that on your own to prevent moisture accumulation.
Oriental hybrids
One of the many groups that are extremely popular among gardeners today. They differ in that the shape of the buds can be very diverse. The color can also be red and white, pink, there are varieties where the flowers have a border along the edge of the petals, which looks very attractive and decorative. Mostly lilies are used to decorate personal plots, as well as to complement flower bouquets and compositions, where they look very organic and natural. One of the advantages of the varieties of this group is that the flowers in them are simply huge - on average, their sizes vary from 15 to 25 centimeters, and they are also framed by very beautiful juicy foliage, which makes the plant look even fresher and more attractive.
But there are still some downsides. For example, in the middle lane, these hybrids are very difficult to grow, since they require constant lighting and heat, so they are usually transplanted into containers and artificially favorable conditions are created. In this form, the flower can fully reveal its full potential, and this is a huge advantage that cannot be ignored.
Interspecific hybrids are also very common today. In this part, we will focus on four groups of interspecific hybrids, since they are interesting not only for their appearance, but, of course, for the properties that growers pay attention to when choosing crops.
Lily species: LA hybrids
They were obtained due to the fact that breeders crossed Asian and long-flowered lilies. The flowers are distinguished by the fact that they are very large and exude a bright, persistent aroma. At the same time, the petals and the peduncles themselves are very strong. The color can be very different, and snowy, white, and purple, maroon, it all depends on the selected variety, and on what the gardener himself wants to achieve by growing lilies in certain conditions. This hybrid is very winter-hardy, it is not afraid of small temperature drops. If sudden cold weather suddenly began, then it is best to cover the daylily, but they do it with the help of peat, which is mixed with leaf humus. These hybrids are great for outdoor cultivation and can also tolerate light shade calmly.
Lily species: OT hybrids
The second group, which evolved from the crossing of oriental hybrids and pipe lilies. These plants are distinguished by their large, impressive size, as well as the fact that the flowers are presented in the form of funnels. Outwardly, they still most of all resemble their parents from the east side. Coloring can be monochromatic or two-color, and tricolor varieties are often found. These lilies grow very well in the open field, they can multiply without problems, which is also their advantage.In the middle lane, they can easily endure wintering, but it is still better to cover them slightly so that the plant does not experience additional stress and stress.
Lily species: LO hybrids
These varieties were obtained by crossing long-flowered and oriental varieties of lilies. The flowers are very reminiscent of long-flowered, the colors of the buds vary from white, pink and light yellow doros of different colors with pink stripes. These lilies can grow equally well in sunny areas and in the shade, this does not affect their qualities in any way, so this is a very big advantage. As for the composition of the soil, it is best to choose slightly acidic or neutral soils, in which lilies best reveal their potential. In general, the plants are quite unpretentious, which is why gardeners are so fond of.
OA hybrids
A fairly new group of hybrid lilies, which is just developing, but gardeners are already calling it one of the most promising. It was obtained by crossing oriental and Asian varieties. The flowers are quite small in size, much smaller than that of oriental hybrids, but the size does not affect their external beauty and attractiveness at all. There is also another advantage of these hybrids, which is that they are completely unpretentious to care for, so they can be grown quite calmly in various conditions and not spend much time on processing.
A fairly large number of lilies can be propagated very easily, even in the wild. Gradually, wild lilies become domesticated, become more adaptable, and their species characteristics and variety of varieties expand. Today, among the wild-growing lilies, one can distinguish such species as one-brother, Daurian, two-rowed lilies, as well as calloused and pretty, drooping and false-tiger lilies. Some of the names make it easy to understand some of the external characteristics of plants. In general, by providing the flowers with decent care, you can get even the most problematic varieties of very worthy planting and flowering of incredible beauty.