Lilium 2020

[Rob-Rah]

Lilium chalcedonicum. If I can't go to Greece then Greece can come to me. 

[Claire Cockcroft]

Lilium davidii

[johnw]

Lilium lijiangense, seeds a nice gift from Gote Svanholm about 10 years ago. And this its first second flowering.

johnw
sunny, humid and 82F
(hot for here)

[Knud]

John, the L. lijiangense is blooming on this side of the Atlantic as well. My bulb came from Pitcairn Alpines four or five years ago, and this is the third year it flowers. The first two years with one flower, this year with three. The flower starts out a clear yellow, and turns golden in a few days. I was surprised at how different the spotting was on the three flowers.

[johnw]

Knud, thanks. I will be watching the flowers closely now.

Claire - That is a smashing L. davidii?

johnw

Finally huge downpours yesterday thanks to a tropical depression. More tomorrow.
Around 20 on the coast with fog; a veritable steam bath inland yesterday. Order an
ice cream cone and within a few minutes the cone collapsed.  Left wearing it in 28c.

[Rick R.]

I wonder if I could beg some L. lijiangense pollen from either of you, John and Knud.  Mine have been done for over a week, but I only have one clone, so no seed.  I can freeze the pollen for next year.  If you like, next year I could send you pollen, too.  I have the more clear yellow, unchanging color type.  Unfortunately, it is the small flowered form also.

[johnw]

Rick - I am happy to send you pollen. I tried to self mine this morning but no pollen after last night's heavy rain.  Many more to open so hopefully.  I know the roiutine and will dessicate first and send in the autumn.  Reminder please.

john

[Claire Cockcroft]

Yes, John,
Lilium davidii is a beauty.  (A second flower is ready to open!)  Mine came from Truls and Emma at Wild Ginger Farms in Oregon.
...Claire

[Knud]

I know the roiutine and will dessicate first and send in the autumn.

john

Interesting, I did not know you could save pollen from one year to another. Would you share 'the routine', John, it would be useful to know. Thanks.

Rick, I am afraid the last flower on my lily has lost its pollen, at least when I compare a picture I took today (top) with one I took soon after the first of the three flowers opened (bottom). The last flower has been open for a week now, with wind and rain every day. What do you think, not much left?

[johnw]

Would you share 'the routine', John, it would be useful to know. Thanks.

Sure.  I use the same method as for rhododendron pollen.

1. collect anther(s) containing pollen in a labelled paper envelope
2. place in the refrigerator and add to it as more pollen bcomes availble.  Put back in the fridge quickly.
3. as lily anthers are larger I assume it will take a good week to 10 days to dry thoroughly.  If the anthers & pollen are not completely dry the pollen will rupture and be killed upon freezing.
4.  when thoroughly dry store in a tight jar with a good layer of dessicant and freeze; if you have to heat the dessicant to revitalize it make sure it has cooled before putting the pollen close to it.
5. at any time the pollen can be used to pollinate, just make sure the jar is sealed while you pollinate; minimize the amount of time the jar is unsealed
6. return the pollen to the jar and refreeze or ship off to a requester. To mail I place the paper/pollen in a ziplock plastic bag to minimize it getting moist in transit (rain, fog, high humidity)

Hope this helps Knud. Rick does this jive with your method? PM me your address as I'll send when dried.

john

[Knud]

Sure.  I use the same method as for rhododendron pollen.

Thank you very much, John, for taking the time to write this, and in such detail, it will be very useful.

[Leena]

Claire's Lilium davidii is so beautiful, but so is also L.lijiangense, in a different way.
I sowed the latter last autumn and they germinated this spring. I will have to take good care of them so that slugs don't get to them.

[Hoy]

Some nice Lilium species around!

This is a hybrid from seed. I received seed from a forumist here several years ago, and they germinated quickly. Took a few years till flowering size. Very dark, looks almost black! Planted out in the "wild" at my summerhouse.

[Rick R.]

John, your pollen preserving method sounds fine.  We in the USA usually just dry the pollen (usually with anthers) away from the sun inside the house on some tinfoil, for 3 to 5 days, then in the deep freeze with a desiccant.  For drying in the refrigerator, the relative humidity is drier than ambient temps in the house, but a the same time, air movement is restricted inside an envelope.  There is some disagreement among lily experts how thawing and freezing multiple times affects viability.  I would prefer you do it your way, John.  Thank you so much!  I will PM you.

Knud, if your flower was younger, I would say there is still plenty of pollen there.  Insects constantly strip the pollen from my lilies and it is like there is none left to do any pollenating with when I want to.  However, if I take one of these stripped stamens and dab a stigma 20 to 50 times, eventually the stigma colors with the pollen color and I know I have transferred pollen.  Your old flower's pollen might still be usable in your garden, but I don't think it is worth the effort of sending it to me. Thank you, though.

[johnw]

There is some disagreement among lily experts how thawing and freezing multiple times affects viability.

Rick  - Using precious rhodo sp. pollen I oftentimes have to wait weeks or till the next year to do a matchup.  Oftenit will be in and out of the freezer or refrigerator many times in a given year with no obvious impairment in viability.  Not sure what the longevity of pollen of Lilium is but a lily book or google search should tell the tale.

john