Preliminary plantings of “cut-flower hybrid lilies” in outdoor plots in Ithaca (described in the May 2006 Research Newsletter, see also the May 2010 Research Newsletter) first revealed the excellent potential many of these cultivars have for garden use.  As a result, plantings were made in the late spring/early summer of 2007 of 17 cultivars of hybrid lilies.  The 6 locations (5 in the US: Ithaca NY, Riverhead NY, Guelph Ontario, Columbia SC and Baton Rough, LA and Lisse, The Netherlands) spanned a wide range of winter cold and summer heat.  At the time of preparation of this report (March 2010), data had not been received from Long Island, Guelph, or South Carolina. 

Overall excellent performance was seen in Ithaca, LSU and Holland for Asiatic and LA-hybrid cultivars.  While oriental cultivars mostly grew well in Ithaca and Holland, most oriental cultivars failed to persist into year 2 in LSU.  Oriental cultivates with “other blood” (i.e., Yelloween and Conca d’Or) grew relatively well at LSU.  Insect control (for the lily beetle) was necessary for plant survival in Holland.

The excellent performance of Asiatic and LA-hybrid cultivars in the Louisiana location was unexpected, and suggests marketing opportunities to increase the use of such cultivates in that location.  In more northern locations, a very wide range of lily cultivars are likely to grow well.  

More information [.pdf files]:

• Overall procedures
• Lily leaf beetle factsheet
• Specific findings

Tables [.pdf files]:

• Sorting of all cultivars by date of first flower, per location
• Date of first flower, last flower for each site
• Number of stems per plot, number of flowers per stem, and plant height at flowering per cultivar, location and year