Introduction: The following article was written by legendary lily grower – Jan De Graaff in 1961. In this article penned 50 years ago. Mr. De Graaff, recounts his journey of hybridizing, and growing lilies on a commercial scale. Read Part 1 and enjoy a glimpse of the garden lily glory days.
This is the tenth summer I have grown lilies by the acre. Before raising them on so large a scale I planted lilies in a few odd corners in my gardens and in some nearby trial beds. Now, 75 acres are devoted to lilies, mostly new and hybrid varieties.
The years of rapid expansion in these lily plantings have not been easy ones. As the acreage and the number of new hybrids being propagated were increased, I found that more and more problems confronted me. Not only did I have to raise a crop about which little or nothing was known – one on which no two authorities agreed – I also had to do it on a commercial scale. And, apart from learning how to grow the lilies. I had at the same time to devise ways and means of bringing my new American grown products to the attention of our gardeners, who during the war years had lost the habit of planting lilies.
Not Bound By Tradition
However, I believe that the absence of both proven cultural practices and consumer interest has been a boon to the industry. Since they were not bound by tradition, all my production methods could be kept on a flexible basis. Any new facts could be put into use immediately.
I knew that if I were to grow lilies in large quantities, they would have to respond to ordinary farming methods. I simply could not provide special treatment for each species or group of hybrids. Not only would the cost have been prohibitive but, more important, we could hardly expect the average gardener to be well enough informed to give their new lilies the same consideration.
Means of planting and harvesting lilies with the aid of machinery also had to be devised. New packing methods were tested, storage temperatures were studied and, as a result, the lily has progressed in these last ten years from a rather fickle, unpredictable plant to one that gives a dependable performance with a minimum of special care.
Growth Of Plant Growing Information
During the last ten years, growers, dealers and gardeners alike have learned much about the lily. We know now that it is a growing plant and must always be treated as such, even in transit. But the frequency with which lily bulbs are displayed in a completely dried out condition on hot dry counters in stores, as if they were no different from dormant tulips or hyacinths, makes us realize that more educational work remains to be done.
The complexities of producing hybrid lilies are many and are well illustrated in the history of the trumpet lilies. First, we had the ubiquitous regal lily, a most satisfactory and inexpensive garden plant. There was also a small supply of other types, such as the species, Lilium myriophyllum superhum (Lilium sulphureum), Lilium leucantlitim chloraster (Lilium I. centifolium) and Lilium sargentiae. From these four the new Olympic Hybrids, the Green Mountain Hybrids and several other excellent strains of hardy garden lilies were evolved – all of them of pure trumpet lily parentage.
Aurelian Lilies
Lilium henryi was then introduced into this strain. The resulting Aurelian lilies, as they have been called, are now readily available from growers in this country, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and even in Holland and England. Second and third generation crosses have produced pure golden yellow trumpet lilies, notably the Golden Clarion strain, and some beautifully colored star-shaped lilies. the Sunburst strain. There are also the chalice-shaped, orange throated flowers of the Heart’s Desire type and other variations yet to be named. Their richly colored flowers and exotic form make all the Aurelians truly exciting plants to watch.
Other species are also being combined to produce better garden lilies. The tiger lily has produced a number of fine seedlings when crossed with the upright-flowering lilies of the candlestick type. These new highly colored hybrids are currently offered as the Mid-Century strain, which includes both lilies with large outward facing flowers and those with upright flowers; the Hollywood Hybrids with smaller, star-shaped flowers; the Sierra Hybrids, with outward facing richly colored flowers; and the small group that resembles the tiger lily in all respects but color and which has been called the Tiger Hybrids.
An entirely new quality in these lilies is the exciting pure yellow color derived from Lilium amabile and from the yellow form of Lilium concolor. These golden yellows, three of which have been named DESTINY, PROSPERITY and FELICITY, are not yet on the market.
Strangely enough, pure yellow in hybrid lilies has shown up at the same time in the gardens of many lily breeders. From Japan comes word of a yellow tiger lily, in England we have already seen flowers that resemble Lilium davidi, except for their soft canary yellow hues, and from Canada we hear of golden yellows in Dr. F. L. Skinner’s and Dr. E. V. Palmer’s gardens. The already wide variation of colors available in the Fiesta Hybrids has been further extended by the addition of new yellow strains. I understand that Miss Isabella Preston of Ottawa, Canada. is working along the same lines with her fine garden lilies.
Early Flowering Candlestick Lilies
Yellow is the color of those fascinating, early flowering candlestick lilies, the Golden Chalice Strain. There are now several pure yellow regal lilies. one raised by the late Earl Butterfield of Washington, D. C.; another by Ralph Rait of Bellingham, Washington. And, there is a pure yellow Lilium pumilum sport called Yellow Bunting, raised by Dr. Skinner of Manitoba.
At the same time that these yellows appeared. many of the orange and red hybrid lilies were backcrossed once more and lovely soft pastel shades of great beauty were produced. I believe that this break is due to the same genetic changes that produced the pastel asters and zinnias after many generations of harsher colors. These new “art shades” in the Mid-Century lilies, for instance: are coupled with still greater vigor and better flower substance. They are not yet on the market.
Pink In High Fashion
Pink is always “high fashion” in flowers and in lilies it would he a most desirable color. What makes it all the more tempting is the fact that there is indeed a small group of rose pink hybrid lilies, the fine novelties raised by Ralph Warner of Milford, Connecticut, from crosses between Lilium japonicum and Lilium auratum. Miss Norma Pfeiffer of the Boyce Thompson Institute has made the same crosses. I understand that these fine lilies are now being propagated and that the time of their introduction is still a few years off.
There are, of course, other pink lilies, notably in the large trumpet lily group. The Olympic Hybrids and some of the strains raised in Vermont often produce pink variants. The pink of these trumpet lilies is far from the sweet, soft pink of the dog rose or the delicate coloring of some sea shells. According to the Royal Horticultural Society’s color charts, the pink in trumpet lilies is a fuchsia-pink of varying intensity. In hot climates it has a tendency to bleach. Similar lilies of pure trumpet lily origin, but having a trace of the orange Lilium henryi, not only have a better, more evenly distributed pink coloring, but also withstand the warmer climates and do not bleach. These newer pinks are, as yet, still rare.
Odd as it may seem, green is another color that is in demand. One lily that is truly green is the lovely species, Lilium nepalense. The contrasting wine-red coloring of the throat makes the green all the more striking. It is a fascinating lily, sweet-scented, beautiful but rather weak, so it will never be a good garden plant unless we can put more vigor into it. Green, too, are some of the latest trumpet lily hybrids, the result of back-crosses of the best Aurelians to a fine strain of yellow Lilium myriophyllum superbum (Lilium. sulphureum).
New Madonnas
There are new Madonnas in shades of ivory and soft apricot, dwarf Madonnas, such as WHITE ELF, and a large group of Lilium candidum hybrids that have vivid orange-red pollen. Years ago WHITE KNIGHT, a Madonna lily hybrid with nodding flowers, was introduced. There are more of this type now, vigorous and healthy and wonderful additions to the range of white lilies. Other new lilies include the Lilium speciosum hybrids. the lovely JILLIAN WALLACE from Australia, and new hybrid of Lilium cernuum, Lilium martagon and many of our native lilies.
