Asian lilies: planting and care, photo

For centuries, the gardens of royal palaces and simple rural front gardens in different countries are decorated with lilies, a variety of species, varieties, sizes and colors that are staggering imagination. These flowers can be used in both group and solitary plantings. One of the most common and favorite types of florists and gardeners are Asian lilies. Their popularity is explained easily: a variety of shapes and colors of flowers, the ability to pick plants of various sizes, from 30 to 150 cm in height, and, of course, excellent endurance and resistance to unfavorable conditions. Let's get acquainted with Asian lilies and the peculiarities of their development and flowering.

Who was the ancestor?

There were Asian lilies from such wild Asian species as:

- European bulb bearing;

- Daurian;

- David;

- one-color;

- brindle;

- wilting;

- Pleasant;

- interspecific hybrids of spotted and Dutch lilies.

All of the above names have little to say about the ordinary gardener, but judging by them, one can understand that the ancestors of the Asian lily grew in regions with a pronounced continental climate, in which the summer is warm and even hot, and the winter is quite cold. Thanks to this, the lilies obtained from them - Asian hybrids - perfectly adapt in our conditions: in the autumn and winter the bulbs are at rest, and in the spring they awaken and sprout, consuming nutrients accumulated in the previous summer. That is why it is very important to cut flowers correctly: you need to leave a part of the stem with leaves. If the flowers of Asian lilies are not cut, then after flowering, the top of the stem should be removed in order to prevent the formation of seeds and the waste of nutrients.

History of origin

The triumphal spread of Asian lilies began in the 50s of the 20th century, after the American breeder Jan de Graf brought out a new hybrid group with orange and red flowers - Mid-Century, which means "Mid-Century" in Russian. At the same time, the Canadian researcher S. Peterson, as a result of the successful crossing of the lily of David with the drooping, managed to obtain Asian lilies of a new color: pink, lilac and white. Further selection work led to the creation of whole groups of lilies with a chalmoid form of a flower and a light color of the petals (the so-called Harlequin hybrids).

Today, breeders are working to create varieties with bright two- and three-color buds and the removal of terry forms. Today in Russian gardens lily Asian terry is represented by such varieties as white Anna Maria Anna Maria Dream, yellow Fata Morgana, pink Aphrodite and red Sphinx.

Flower shape

Due to the fact that the parental forms of Asian lilies are quite diverse, and the "Asians" themselves vary greatly in color and shape. Most often the shape of the flowers of Asian hybrids:

- cup-shaped;

- stellate;

- received a visible form;

- chalmoid.

Usual Asian lilies, non-standard varieties, have six petals.

Asian lilies, depending on how the flowers are arranged relative to the axis of the inflorescence, are divided into the following groups:

• Funnel-shaped, directed to the side;
• Cup-shaped, looking up;
• Chalmoid, directed downwards.

Flowers of Asian lilies come in a variety of colors, from white to maroon, almost black. Beginner gardeners should remember that lilies can be any color, except for all shades of blue and blue.

Types of Asian hybrids

Selective work, started in the second half of the last century and continuing today, led to the fact that varieties of Asian lilies and hybrids appeared a huge amount. For convenience, they were all divided into one or another of the following subgroups:

• Harlequin;
• Vasaras Prieks;
• Amalia;
• Willtigrinum;
• Avondale;
• Kaleidoscope;
• Sapping;
• Tango;
• Zelt Vainags;
• Brashmark;
• Fiesta;
• Joel Wonder;
• Connecticut and others.

Asian lilies, assigned to a particular hybrid group, have some definite common feature, "zest".

So, the Russian breeder V.P. Orekhov introduced a group of hybrids Amalie, which includes varieties with flowers of the chalmoid form, the petals of which are painted in white, pink and sirenovato-pink shades. It was from them that new varieties with pastel coloring were obtained. To re-hybridize, the Asian white lily from this group was taken, which resulted in new varieties with different in size and shape snow-white flowers, such as:

• Baltais Stars (White stars) with purple specks on a white background.
• Briviba (Freedom) - white, horizontally directed flowers with pink specks.

Lily Asian, the photo of which you see, belongs to the Tango sortotype. From other lilies, they are distinguished by a crayfish that is both dense and rare, black and colored, in the center of the flower. Sometimes the specks merge into one continuous patch of contrasting color.

People who have a small plot or created a garden on their own loggia of the city apartment will be pleased with the lilies belonging to the so-called Pixie group. It includes varieties with the smallest size, the height of which varies from 25 to 40 cm. The Butter Pixie variety with large yellow-lemon flowers can be grown as an Asian lily room or balcony. Blossom plants of this group from June to September, forming 5-7 flowers on each stem.

Variety lilies belonging to the Brashmark group, or, as they are also called, painted are quite common. Their feature is a large "smear" contrasting to the main color at the base of each petal. Anastasia is a domestic Brashmark. Lily Asian, the photo of which you see above, was deduced in the All-Russian Research Institute of Horticulture them. Michurin. The smear can be both in the form of different strokes in length, and one dense and uniform in color. Some varieties have on their petals not only strokes, but also specks, different in size and color.

What is a pot-lily?

The latest fashionable novelty is lilies for growing in pots, so-called pot. Note that in the pot culture you can grow not only some special and special varieties, but any low lilies. Asian potted lilies are not very demanding on the amount of light and therefore, planted in a pot in a group, do not stretch, but form a beautiful and dense "bouquet." Today, for sorting into containers and other containers it is possible to use such grades as:

- Tiny Spider;

- Bazzer;

- Sunray;

- Golden Joy;

- Marlene and a number of others.

Flowers lilies, planted in pots, not for long, about two weeks, and not as indicated in the advertisement - "the whole summer." In order to prolong flowering, you can recommend planting a few bulbs in the tank with a different period of flowering. After the plants bloom, their green stems with leaves will stand for a couple of months, and then they will turn yellow, just like their garden cousins. Bulbs will go into a resting phase until next spring. Store pot-lilies in the same pot at a temperature of + 1-2 ° C, periodically slightly moistening the soil.

Features of Asian lilies

It is worth noting that Asian hybrids bloom earlier than most other lilies in late June-early July. The time of the beginning of flowering depends on the weather conditions. The flower of the Asian lily, unlike other species of lilies, has no smell, which allows them to decorate the living quarters without fear of "earning" a headache. In the cut, they stand well if you change the water in time and remove the discolored petals.

Another feature of some varieties of Asian lilies is the fact that their stems are formed by children - bulbochki. They are easily separated from the mother plant, and they can be used to propagate this variety by dipping it into the soil. If such a landing was made, the Asian lily will grow a small plant with one leaf next year, and in a year it will be a small lily that will even try to blossom. This is not allowed, since bloom will take away all the forces from the germ, and it will not be able to form normally. For the third year after planting the bulb the plant will be fully formed and will be able to please you with its flowering.

As well as other bulbous, does not tolerate excess nitrogen-containing, as well as fresh organic fertilizers, Asian lily. Planting and leaving are quite simple, and we will consider them further.

Preparing the seat

Before proceeding to plant the bulbs of the lilies on a permanent place, it is necessary to prepare it. Choosing it, it is important to remember that Asian lilies, like any others, do not tolerate stagnant water. Soil for them should be well aerated and water-permeable, nutritious and loose. If the ground is heavy, its quality can be improved by applying river sand, gravel, peat and humus. Depth of the wells for bulbs, depending on their size and soil quality, can be from 10 to 40 cm. In sandy soils, bulbs are better to be dipped, but in loamy and mixed depths of ten centimeters it will be quite enough. At the bottom of each hole it is necessary to pour sand, which will perform the function of drainage and prevent moisture from spoiling the root system. The distance between the wells is calculated based on the estimated size of the plants in the future. Between small lilies you can withstand a distance of 15-20 cm, but larger specimens are best planted with a distance of 25-30 cm.

Asian lilies - plants photophilous, but a light penumbra is well tolerated. In the shade of planting, they are not recommended, since the stems will stretch toward the light and may warp.

Asian Lily: Planting and Care

Most species of lilies are grown in one place without transplantation for 5-7 years. During this time, the plants form nests of various bulbs. Asian lilies reproduce faster, as each bulb has several renal buds, so experts recommend dividing their nests every three years. Dig them out entirely, trying not to damage the root system, after which they shake off excess land and carefully inspect them. Often, the nests disintegrate, but it also happens that you have to separate the daughter bulbs with your hands, putting considerable effort. If bulbs are found with brown or rusty spots, mechanical damage, then they must be removed and destroyed. The dead roots are completely cut out, and the rest is cut to 10, maximum 15 cm. Separated clean baby bulbs with roots are etched for half an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Plant them in prepared soil in mid-August, in a well-well-shed well.

How to fertilize?

The introduction of fertilizer is a very important procedure, especially in the phase of budding and staining of flowers. It is not necessary to feed Asian lilies during flowering, as the abundance of nutrients leads to its faster completion. Experts recommend that fertilizers be applied three times during the season:

1. The first is carried out after the snow falls, but before the appearance of sprouts. Shed a flower bed with lilies with an aqueous solution of last year's and fermented mullein, but in no case fresh manure, diluting 1 liter of slurry in 10 liters of water. If there is no cow dung, then you can feed the aqueous solution of ammonium nitrate, taking 40 g of powder per 10 liters of water.
2. The second application of fertilizers falls at the time of appearance of the buds - the end of spring or earlier the summer. Wood ash is applied at the rate of 100 g per square meter.
3. Not later than August 15, it is necessary to feed the lilies with the water composition of double superphosphate, dissolving one tablespoon of the drug in 10 liters of water, or a complex fertilizer with a predominance of potassium ones. You can also re-introduce wood ash.

How correctly to water?

Any lilies, including Asian ones, do not like stagnation of water. Therefore, it is better to water them rarely, but quite abundantly. In no event should you water these flowers with cold water. It is better if it is settled and heated for a couple of days. Water should be so that the water does not fall on the leaves, pour under the root. The greatest need for moisture lily is experienced after flowering, when the bulbs begin to accumulate nutrients.

Advantages and disadvantages of "Asian women"

Asian lilies performed well in very different, even very difficult growing conditions and showed such important qualities:

- the ability to grow and blossom on different types of soil in difficult weather conditions;

- the highest ability for vegetative reproduction;

- good resistance to most diseases and pests;

- frost resistance.

No less important is the fact that the lilies of this group are very beautiful: their color palette includes almost all colors, except for blue, blue and pure black tones. In addition, Asian lilies have powerful flower stalks decorated with many large flowers, which makes them attractive not only for growing in garden compositions, but also for decorating premises with bouquets. In cut form they can stand in the vase for about two weeks if they have enough water, and the ambient air temperature does not exceed +22 ° C. The stems need to be cut a few times diagonally and necessarily change the water to fresh. If all this is done, then the lily will show all its beauty, blossoming to the last bud.