| | Species Lily - L. hansonii
Flower Description: An easily grown and adaptable species though rarely seen in commerce, Lilium hansonii is found in Korea and Japan where it is known as "Gakeshima-Yuri". Used by Jan de Graaff in hybridizing with Lilium martagon , it contributed to the beautiful 'Paisley Hybrids' being born. Lilium martagon x 'Dalhansonii', another striking hybrid was produced from a cross with Lilium martagon var. cattaniae.
Probably the most famous cross though with Lilium hansonii and Lilium martagon is 'Mrs. R. O. Backhouse' which is also offered this spring, more than 80 years after its introduction. All hybrids with Lilium martagon carry the unfortunate trait of requiring a year or more to recover after being moved in the garden as does purebred Lilium martagon.
Preferring a damp soil rich in leaf-mold and dappled shade, Lilium hansonii produces thick, fleshy flowers in a rich orange color. As with Lilium martagon , this is a very virus resistant species and should be grown more in the garden. We have grown this species for over 20 years but rarely have seen it bloom. Beloved by the native deer population, they bring in their fawns for a nibble just as the buds are starting to show color every year.
L. hansonii has virtually the same requirements as all of our Martagon hybrids being offered at this time. They are perfect for the edge of treed woodlots, but as with all bulbs in such areas, protect from tunneling moles, gophers, etc., using wire cages or raised planters with hardware cloth stapled to the bottom as a barrier.
The close up photo found by clicking on "Additional Images" is in our garden and one of the few times we beat our resident deer to the blooms. Every year she has twin fawns and EVERY year, she leads them to L. hansonii. These are the only lilies that they ever bother in our garden, preferring to leave them in trade for the roses and strawberries.
More difficult to establish than our Asiatic, Trumpet or Oriental lilies, our species lilies are guaranteed to be healthy and true-to-name, but not for failure to grow. May take an additional season before blooming and conditions need to be more exacting. Hansonii can pout when they are moved and need to settle back in to their new homes. Provide perfect drainage, rocky soil is fine, and don't over water the bulbs during summer while they are in dormancy. Bulbs resent transplanting and could rot during a cold, wet winter/spring or during the summer, if you add any moisture retentive materials to the soil around the bulb itself. As with Martagons, under no circumstances use peat for L. hansonii or its hybrids, but leaf mold and/or compost as a top dressing in the fall is desirable.
Classification: Lilium Species (USDA Zones 3-9, lows to -40° F.)
Stock #8056 - Lily Species (Wild Lily)
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 |
