White lilies

In Europe, this flower, which became the symbol of the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary (it is precisely the Madonna), became one of the first species of lilies that were cultivated both as a medicinal plant and as a decorative one. Petals served as raw materials for the preparation of fragrant oils and ointments.

White lilies were depicted by the Assyrians and Greeks in ancient times (frescoes, sculptures, bas-reliefs). According to the Roman myth, they grew out of the drops of Juno's milk.

Lily - a flower refined and noble, with a delicate, delicate aroma. That is why the Belgians, seeing the first time a lily in 1576, named it Sussan Zambach (lily fragrant). There the white lily was brought from Venice. For a long time, such beauty could only be seen in the gardens of the most luxurious mansions.

And in France, white lilies were so fond of it that they became a symbol of the power of monarchs: the king's coat of arms was invariably adorned with this flower, beginning with the reign of Clovis.

In Russia, this beauty appeared during the reign of Peter the Great. Here it was called only "lily of the Madonna". With special care, it was grown for important church services (Baptism and Christmas). It's no wonder that white lilies conquered Russia, too - in the near future they settled in rich noblemen's estates, becoming the object of adoration and admiration of the poets of that time.

Lily - root-like, forms from the leaves a rosette rosette, it has no stem roots. It grows well in limed, slightly alkaline soils. Good drainage is required. Especially large bulbs reach 15 cm in diameter and have a light yellow (or white) color.

When buying (and even when planting in the future), it is especially necessary to take care of the sublacic roots: the damaged roots can not be transferred to the winter. Therefore, choose only healthy and undamaged bulbs. In addition, before planting it is better to stand in the basement, sitting in pots.

Large scales after planting will pass into leaves, which then form a radical rosette. The stem, reaching two meters, depending on the species, can be either gently green or purplish-black. The white lilies, as already mentioned, do not have stem roots. Inflorescence is racemose (up to thirty conical flowers). Each of the funnel-shaped white flowers can reach 12 centimeters in length and 10 centimeters in width (ie, they are quite large). And the shape of the petals depends on the species: some can be widely rounded, others - strongly pointed. By the way, the last stems are darker. Flowering is short (late June, sometimes early July). Immediately after flowering, white lilies pass into the so-called resting state (the aerial part of the plant dies), and in September new radical rosettes are formed, leaving under the green grass. The transplant is carried out during this period (before the formation of the outlets).

Soils are heavy and clayey for planting will not work. If you have such a land, be sure to mix it with sand and compost. In addition, three times a season, water the planting site with either a solution of manganese (dilute to a bright pink color), or an ash solution. Charcoal is recommended as drainage . Ignoring these simple requirements leads to the destruction of the bulbs by the fungus, and the white lilies perish.

Planting is carried out at a shallow depth, so that the layer of earth covers the bulb by three centimeters (not more). The deep planting will not allow the plant to blossom. Watering needs moderate.

If the sites chosen for planting are damp, place the white lilies on higher elevations. These flowers do not like shade, but the penumbra in the canopy of fruit trees is quite suitable for them. Although the most preferable places are those open to the sun - elevated flower beds, rockeries.

Planting, produced in the last days of August, will allow the lilies to take root well and give a much-needed green rosette before the first frosts come. By the way, frequent transplantations on flowers are reflected negatively - they need to be conducted no more often than once in five years.

Where winters are severe, white lilies should be sheltered by lutrasil, spunbond, or, for lack of such materials, leaves a layer of 10 cm.

Almost all forms of snow-white lilies give seeds during cross pollination. After sowing freshly harvested seeds, flowering will begin in the third year. Vegetative reproduction is more preferable, since white lilies annually form a set of daughter bulbs, allowing to see the magnificence of dazzling white flowers much earlier.

Healthy, strong bulbs are expelled in a few weeks (usually 5-6). But here it is important to know: forcing should take place in the apartment, with the exception of additional lighting, at t +14 ° C (± 2 ° C), at the end of February. About drainage and watering is said above.