Martagon Lilies and Signs of Spring
Hello to Spring!
I have been very lax in writing letters this past year. I hope to do better this season!
In West Central Wisconsin where I live, on this 3rd week in April, Spring has just Sprung. We had a beautiful Easter weekend with almost 80 degrees on Sunday and things are starting to come up in all the beds.
Martagon Lilies
I was out yesterday picking up sticks and pine cones in the perennial beds and was totally joyful that the Martagon Lilies are almost a foot tall! I planted them 2 years ago, and actually had one bloom the first spring, but that is unusual. All 4 varieties are looking really good this year.
Martagons are a beautiful specimen to grow and are fast becoming popular. They can have as many as 50 flowers on tall erect stems with whorled leaves. Many times, these “sulk” for a season it they aren’t planted early in the fall and can’t get roots established before cold sets in.
Martagons are bulbs like Asiatic and Oriental lilies, and for me, they bloom in late June here when the early spring flowers are done, and the other perennials and hardy lilies aren’t ready to show their stuff yet. Martagons are a down facing lily that makes you want to get up close to get a better look! I wrote a previous post on Martagon Lilies for Shade Gardens which has more photos if you want to take a look.
Buying and Planting Martagon Lilies
Nurseries usually don’t have them available in the spring, but some mail order do offer them now in the spring. Usually they are dug in the early fall months, and need time to develop before they will send up leaves and flowers. If they are planted too late in the fall, they will need a second season before they send up shoots and flowers. But it is worth the wait! Be Patient!
If you plant them, be sure to mark them well so you know where the spot is.
Soil Matters!
They need well drained soil (as do all lilies), humus rich fertile soil, and some sun/shade. Filtered light is great. They even do well in full sun. They have unique whorled leaves that keeps every visitor to your garden asking what they are. They will last for years when given the right conditions and soil.
In my gardens, I have Alba, a white slow growing one, Dalhansonii (pictured) seems to multiply readily, Claude Shrine, Guinea gold, Sunny Morning, and Terrace City and L. Martagon, my first try about 12 years ago, which now definitely needs dividing.
If you look on the internet, you will be able to find any and all of these described and see the colors. Below are a few sites to find out more information too.
B and D Lilies
North American Lily Society
http://www.da.lilies.org/articles/martagonlilies.pdf
North Star Lily Society
https://www.northstarlilysociety.com/martagons.shtml
Happy Gardening!
Judi Ruedy
