Lilium martagon - bul-news.com

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Lilium martagon

Lilium martagon (Martagon or Turk's cap lily) is a species of lily. It has a widespread native region extending from central Europe east through northern Asia to Mongolia and Korea. Several subspecies have been named. The plant is stem-rooting, growing between 1 m and 2 m tall. The flower colour is typically a pink-purple, with dark spots, but is quite variable, extending from near white to near black. The flowers are scented. Numerous flowers are borne on a plant, and up to 50 can be found on vigorous plants.

Family: LILIACEAE Of the 80 recorded species belonging to this genus, most are native to three areas of the world: Europe, Asia and North America. Their culture depends in large part on their origin. Few can resist lilies in their garden for their magnificent flowers and ease of culture. Of the many ways of propagating lilies, seed is perhaps the best (if slowest) method of increase. Larger quantities may be raised in this way and unlike other methods of propagation, viral or fungal diseases that often affect lilies are not passed on.

Physical Characteristics

Bulb growing to 1.2m by 0.25m . It is hardy to zone 4. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 2 out of 5 for usefulness.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.

Cultivation details

Succeeds in ordinary well-drained garden soil.Prefers a good leafy soil in sun or semi-shade. Prefers its roots to be in the shade. Prefers a calcareous soil according to some reports, whilst one says that it is probably best in an acid or neutral soil.

A very ornamental and polymorphic plant. It takes 7 - 8 years to flower from seed. The flowers have an unpleasant odour. The flowers are sweetly fragrant, especially at night in order to attract the night hawk-moth for pollination.

Early to mid autumn is the best time to plant out the bulbs in cool temperate areas, in warmer areas they can be planted out as late as late autumn.

The plant should be protected against rabbits and slugs in early spring. If the shoot tip is eaten out the bulb will not grow in that year and will lose vigour.

Propagation

Seed - delayed hypogeal germination.Best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame, it should germinate in spring. Stored seed will require a warm/cold/warm cycle of stratification, each period being about 2 months long. Grow on in cool shady conditions. Great care should be taken in pricking out the young seedlings, many people leave them in the seed pot until they die down at the end of their second years growth. This necessitates sowing the seed thinly and using a reasonably fertile sowing medium. The plants will also require regular feeding when in growth. Divide the young bulbs when they are dormant, putting 2 - 3 in each pot, and grow them on for at least another year before planting them out into their permanent positions when the plants are dormant.

Division with care in the autumn once the leaves have died down. Replant immediately.

Bulb scales can be removed from the bulbs in early autumn. If they are kept in a warm dark place in a bag of moist peat, they will produce bulblets. These bulblets can be potted up and grown on in the greenhouse until they are large enough to plant out.