| | 'Madame Butterfly' - L. henryi Hybrid Lily
Classification: Intercrossed species lily bulb (USDA Zones 5-9, the colder climates of this range must provide winter mulching.)Stock # 8020 - 'Madame Butterfly' - L. henryi Hybrid LilyHow about a Lilium henryi Hybrid that has the same delicate shape of L. henryi, with massive raised papillae, but with white-colored petal tips? Looking like dancing butterflies on the stem, this sturdy lily has great potential in hybridizing, plus adds animation to the garden on windy days. Released by its breeder, Johan Mak, exclusively to B&D Lilies for our 25th Anniversary Catalog and is proving to be a long-lived cultivar. 2 to 3 Feet. July. How is a lily named? For us, most lilies come by their names from something personal in our life. So where did ‘Madame Butterfly’ come from? Bred by our friend Johan Mak, and grown by his son, we watched this lily for years being slowly built up. We all agreed that with the butterfly like flowers that danced in the wind, this yet to be named lily should carry the name of a butterfly. The problem encountered was that the “common” names of regional butterflies did not match the grace and beauty of this lily, and the Latin names were beyond pronunciation. We were coming down to the wire. This yet to be named lily was ready for introduction, but still no name that would do this lovely little L. henryi flower justice. While driving to the Mak field in Oregon, I was listening to ‘Un bel di vedermo’ the famous aria from the Puccini Opera ‘Madame Butterfly’. Our daughter, a very gifted classical vocalist was looking at it (still at the time well ahead of her in years) and I wanted to become more familiar with the piece. All of a sudden there was one of those “duh” moments, why not ‘Madame Butterfly’ I thought. Excited, I was bursting with a name, while driving the last couple hours, eager to talk with Johan. Upon pulling up in his driveway, he met me with a big smile on his face proclaiming “I have it! 'Madame Butterfly'”. I stood there in disbelief and we quickly concluded that all great minds think alike. I suggested since we were going with ‘Madame Butterfly’ for this lily, why not ‘Suzuki’, who was the servant of Butterfly. It was fitting as the role of ‘Suzuki’ is that of a mezzo-soprano and this was a “deeper voiced” lily. That day, we had a twofer, ‘Madame Butterfly’ and ‘Suzuki’. For those familiar with the opera, there are no plans for a Lt. Pinkerton at this time. Bulb Size - Our standard for bulbs of this lily cultivar ranges from Premium-size» (16/18 cm) to Exhibition-size» (over 20 cm). Click here for details. Save $4.00 on purchase of 6 Bulbs.
Plant Lily Bulbs Immediately upon Receipt
Lily bulbs are never completely dormant and need to be planted as soon as possible. You can delay planting for 2-3 weeks by keeping the bulbs in a cool, not frozen (34-40° F.), area of a garage, basement or refrigerator, but longer and you risk bulb damage. You must open the shipping box to check your order and then re-close any plastic bags before short term storage. Our packing material protects your bulbs and absorbs excessive moisture, but if large water droplets form within the plastic bag, poke more “air” holes in the sides of the poly bag, being careful to not damage your sleeping bulbs. Lily bulbs are happiest in the garden where they can begin growing new roots immediately.
Choose an area with good air circulation and well-drained soil. Waterlogged soils, with poor drainage or too much “organics” in the soil mean certain death to lily bulbs. A sloping site with natural drainage is best. When planting in heavy clay, try mixing Perlite (the white crunchy stuff found in commercial potting soil – not Vermiculite that holds moisture) or sand with the native soil to create raised beds 8 to 10 inches above ground level, or make raised beds of garden-safe, treated wood. If bothered by moles, mice or gophers nail 1/4-inch galvanized hardware cloth on the bottom of the framework before you back fill with good soil. Sandy loam soils rich in humus with a pH of 5.5-6.5 are ideal.
Lilies look most natural planted in triangular groups of three, spaced 12”-18” apart. Provide at least 6 hours of sun, dappled shade in very warm regions for Orientals. Cover bulbs with fluffy soil and mulch to control weeds and maintain even ground moisture. Plant bulbs 2”- 4” deeper in areas where daily temperatures average over 90 degrees F. and the soil is sandy. Do not plant among aggressive ground covers or where large trees or shrubs will rob nutrients or moisture. Lily bulbs need regular fertilizer, water, and cultivation. They do NOT “naturalize” like Daffodils or Tulips, which have a hard outer shell. Be sure to mulch bulbs in cold climates if a good winter snow cover is not expected. Likewise, in more temperate areas, cold saturated soil will rot lily bulbs some years, so a raised area and fast-draining soil is recommended. Click to leave this page and go to More Information
Find your USDA Hardiness Zone
The chart published by the USDA and complete interactive searching can be found on the website for the US National Arboretum. When researching your location, bear in mind that the map lines are not absolute and each garden has its own unique micro-climate. Neighborhoods with more trees blocking the wind, hills that "drain" away moisture faster, concrete bulkheads, sidewalks and driveways that tend to collect heat, as well as southern exposures will allow you to grow plants that might not be recommended for your area. The general guidelines are based on average low temperatures are found below. To open a new browser window access the interactive map click USDA Zone Chart
Asiatics (Graffity, Tigerplay, etc.) grow best in zones 1 to 9, no winter mulch is needed and they prefer colder winters to reset bloom.
Purebred Orientals (Casablanca, Star Gazer, etc.), without mulch, zones 6 to 9, but if heavily mulched for winter or with a good snowfall, down to zone 3 or 4 easily.
Purebred Trumpets (Copper King, Pink Perfection, etc.), without mulch, zones 7 to 10; heavily mulched, down to zone 3 or 4, but can be subject to late freeze damage in May, cover emerging stems if temperatures below 30 degrees F. are expected.
Oriental-Trumpet Hybrids (Conca ‘dOr, Sweetheart, etc.), same as Purebred Orientals, but seem to be more resistant to late frost damage, plus because of the “trumpet” genes, they do not require as much winter chill as Oriental lilies, thus are very suitable for southern areas and will take higher heat in summer. (See our Heatbuster™ Collection for more information.)
Zone 1--- ( Below -50 F) --- Fairbanks, Alaska; Resolute, NW Territories (Canada)
Zone 2a --- (-50 to -45 F) --- Prudhoe Bay, Alaska; Flin Flon, Manitoba (Canada)
Zone 2b --- (-45 to -40 F) --- Unalakleet, Alaska; Pinecreek, Minnesota
Zone 3a --- (-40 to -35 F) --- International Falls, Minnesota; St. Michael, Alaska
Zone 3b --- (-35 to -30 F) --- Tomahawk, Wisconsin; Sidney, Montana
Zone 4a --- (-30 to -25 F) --- Minneapolis/St.Paul, Minnesota; Lewistown, Montana
Zone 4b --- (-25 to -20 F) --- Northwood, Iowa; Nebraska
Zone 5a --- (-20 to -15 F) --- Des Moines, Iowa; Illinois
Zone 5b --- (-15 to -10 F) --- Columbia, Missouri; Mansfield, Pennsylvania
Zone 6a --- (-10 to -5 F) --- St. Louis, Missouri; Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Zone 6b --- (-5 to 0 F) --- McMinnville, Tennessee; Branson, Missouri
Zone 7a --- (0 to 5 F) --- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; South Boston, Virginia
Zone 7b --- (5 to 10 F) --- Little Rock, Arkansas; Griffin, Georgia
Zone 8a --- (10 to 15 F) --- Tifton, Georgia; Dallas, Texas
Zone 8b --- (15 to 20 F) --- Austin, Texas; Gainesville, Florida
Zone 9a --- (20 to 25 F) --- Houston, Texas; St. Augustine, Florida
Zone 9b --- (25 to 30 F) --- Brownsville, Texas; Fort Pierce, Florida
Zone 10a --- (30 to 35 F) --- Naples, Florida; Victorville, California
Zone 10b --- (35 to 40 F) --- Miami, Florida; Coral Gables, Florida
Zone 11 --- (above 40 F) --- Honolulu, Hawaii; Mazatlan, Mexico
You May Also Be Interested In Related Items | Wild Lilies Wild Lily bulbs making up the genus Lilium belong to the family Liliaceae comprising of approximately 200 genera made up of approximately 2,000 lily species. There are in the neighborhood of 110 to 120 Lilium species depending on whose classification you reference. For the full article, click Knowledge Base |
