When most people think of a lily, they think of the fragrant lily with pollen. Did you know that this is only 1 specific group of lilies? These lilies fall under the group of oriental lilies. In this article we would like to tell you more about the different varieties of lilies and their specific properties.
We now distinguish 4 groups with different variations
- The oriental lilies
- The Asiatic lilies
- The longiflorum
- The LA – crossing of Asiatic lilies with longiflorum
The oriental lilies
These are the scented lilies. They are available in different shades of pink, from light pink to dark pink or even almost red. They are also available in white or white with yellow. Usually, the darker the color, the stronger the smell. There are now also double-flowered variants of the orientals. These have no pollen and also have a less strong smell. For this variant, we are working hard on breeding new varieties. Oriental lilies need approximately 11 weeks in the greenhouse to grow from a bulb into a pot lily that is ready for sale.
The Asiatic lilies
These are odorless lilies with bright flower colors. You have the solid colors yellow, orange, pink and red, but also bi-colored lilies where two colors are combined. They have narrower and more leaves than the oriental lilies and the flower is smaller. Within this group there are also double-flowered varieties without pollen. Asiatic lilies need approximately 9 weeks in the greenhouse to grow from bulb to pot lily. That is shorter than the oriental lilies. That is why the cost price of this group is also lower.
The Longiflorum
These lilies are characterized by the flowers in the shape of a calyx. They are usually white in color, but breeding is now also working hard on other colors such as pink and red. Longiflorum are odorless.
The LA – crossing of Asiatic lilies with longiflorum
The LA is a cross between Asiatic lilies and longiflorum. They have large slightly sweetly scented and upward-facing flowers. Currently we have yellow, white, pink and red LA’s, but breeding is also working on new colors and bi-color LA’s. They have the property of being able to withstand the summer heat well.
With these different varieties, a wide audience can enjoy the lily. People who love scented lilies, but also people who do not like the lily scent. Due to the availability in different price ranges, different colors, possible use in different climates and various other preferences, there is always a lily to suit everyone.