A few years ago, my daughter procured a bunch of Stargazer lilies at a flower shop. The scintillating beauty of these flowers is appropriately complemented by their exceptional fragrance. Gosh, I thought, you would obviously need an elaborate greenhouse to grow such treasures. But then two autumns ago, I saw Stargazer lily bulbs for sale in the catalog of an online mail-order bulb company and had to order a dozen of them to see if they would grow in my garden. The first year they grew substantial foliage but no flower buds appeared. This summer, however, I was rewarded with flowers.
It turns out that Oriental lilies – of which Star Gazer is the most popular variety – are among the easiest bulbs to grow. So why did it take nearly two years in the garden for them to produce flowers? The answer is the size of the bulbs. Small bulbs often do not yield flowers. By their second year, mine had clearly expanded to a size large enough to promote flower bud development. I was also fortunate in having planted them near a rambling cassia (Cassia/Senna bicapsularis). This airy shrub with golden yellow butterfly blooms allows plenty of light to get through even as the plants situated under its branches are provided with some shade. Although Oriental lilies are recommended for full sun, where summer temperatures exceed 90 degrees, they benefit from hot sun protection. Since these lilies bloom in mid-summer, it is important in our part of the world to keep their summer sun sensitivity in mind during planting.
When shopping for Oriental lilies online, most companies will be selling 12-14 centimeter (cm) sized bulbs. The top size is 14-16 cm and the premium size is 16-18 cm. For confidence that your bulbs will produce flowers their first year, plant the premium size – typically three years in the making – even if they will be somewhat more expensive than the smaller sizes.
Asiatic lilies are close allies of Oriental lilies. The difference is that the Asiatics are even easier to grow. While flowers are smaller than those of Oriental lilies, and they generally lack fragrance, Asiatics proliferate or naturalize more quickly in the garden, in addition to displaying more diverse colors and flower forms. As a rule, Asiatics also bloom in spring or early summer along with most other fall-planted bulbs.
Interestingly enough, my experience with the Star Gazers was matched by the behavior of a patch of gladiolus, whose bulb-like corms I had planted at the same time as the lilies. They, too, while sending up impressive sheathes of foliage, displayed nary a flower bud their first year in the ground. But early this summer they also bloomed with unmatched splendor. As in the case of the lilies, it was the insufficient size of their corms, no doubt, that initially inhibited their capacity to flower.
Speaking of fragrant flowers, I was astonished to learn that tuberose, considered one of the most fragrant – if not the most fragrant – of all flowers, about which I had heard a great deal over the years, grows from a plant recently reclassified as an agave – Agave amica, to be precise. Native to Mexico, this member of the asparagus family grows from a rhizome that resembles a tuber. If you are wondering about the relationship of agaves to asparagus, scrutinize the flower stalk of any agave and you will notice the similarity in form to the ropy, flowering tip of an asparagus spear. After all, plants are classified, first and foremost, according to the structure of their flowers.
After scouring the Internet, I found a company that offers a package of seven tuberose rhizomes (listed incorrectly as tubers) for the incredibly reasonable price of $15. The variety for sale is known as Single Bloom and is listed under the plant’s former scientific name of Polianthes tuberosa. Tuberose flowers are white and open over a long period during the summer on flower stalks up to three feet tall. Flowers are tubular, two inches long, and flare out into six-petaled stars. Single Bloom is not as ornamental as The Pearl, a double-flowered variety whose blooms resemble miniature peonies. However, Single Bloom lasts longer in a vase. In any case, the Southern Bulb Company (southernbulbs.com) is where you will find this plant. Detailed planting instructions on this website, including a video, provide all the information you need to grow this unique species. Unlike other agaves, it will need regular water, although a good weekly soak should be sufficient.
All of the plants mentioned above are strong bloomers that spread from year to year. It is best to divide them every three years or so to keep up the quantity and quality of their flowers. If you are limited to gardening on a patio or balcony, rest assured they are excellent selections for container growing. Now is the time to order bulbs, especially lilies, for fall planting since they sell out quickly from premium online bulb suppliers.
Tuberose was brought to Europe by Spanish explorers returning from Mexico in the early 15th century. Its aromatic quality was immediately appreciated and, two centuries later, would become the mainstay of France’s perfume industry, which today harvests two million pounds of tuberose flowers each year.
Speaking of French perfume, a perfumer’s garden has recently been opened on the grounds of the Versailles palace, recreating a similar garden that flourished in the days of Louis XIV. It was in his era, around 250 years ago, that the profession of perfumer came to be. The king’s greatness was displayed through the abundance of fragrant plants, imported from across the seas and thus a testimony to his wealth and power, that were on display in his gardens for foreign dignitaries to see and sniff. Among the flowers in the garden are those known as silent flowers – such as violet, peony, and hyacinth – which produce a scent but do not contain any extractable oils that can be used for making perfume.
California native of the week: California copperleaf (Acalypha californica) is a ground cover with unique charm. Its flowers are little red caterpillars that will remind you of those you see on its cousin, the chenille plant (Acalypha hispida). The copperleaf appellation is based on the color its leaves may show during the summer. Even when leaves are green, their delicately serrated margins are red, and stems are red as well. The plant grows into an attractive low mound and will not need water more than once a month. You can procure California copperleaf growing in one-gallon containers at the Tree of Life Nursery (californianativeplants.com) in San Juan Capistrano and at the Theodore Payne Foundation (theodorepayne.org) in Sun Valley.
If you have had success growing lilies, please email your story to me so I can share it with readers of this column. Your questions and comments regarding any gardening subject or problem, as well as your photos, are always welcome. Send them to joshua@perfectplants.com.
