I think L. regale isn't as hardy as Asiatics or Orientals, but I don't know for sure. I think it's from a warmer part of China, but I don't really know. I know that most L. regale and/or longiflorum descendants that I've planted here don't survive our fall and spring freeze/thaw cycles, and/or our winter lows. I've never tried a Leucanthum.

Each species lily is hardy in its own natural zone and environment, but not necessarily anywhere else. Lilium formosa (or is it formosanum?), plain old Easter lily, for example, is native to a zone 6, not hardy here (in zone 5)at all and is likely to succumb the very first winter. For another example, Madonna lilies, which love the dry summers of high Sierra valleys, don't survive our long, cold and wet summers and falls. They simply rot here, even though they could tolerate our winter lows just fine.

I think The Lily Garden is in the Seattle/Tacoma area, or is it in the Willamette Valley in Oregon? Either way, the climate is more benign than mine, or yours. They're my favorite source, but I select my varieties carefully.

Jeanne

I don't know anything about Lilium leucanthemum, but my Regal lilies were planted before 2002, when I started keeping records, and are still going strong. Mine are in ordinary lightly amended clay soil in a pretty shady area now (tree has grown). I don't do anything much for them, seldom even fertilize. I have not had much luck at all with the turk's cap species lilies, but the trumpety ones do pretty well for me. Maybe yours got chewed up from below by voles or other beasties or rotted from winter wet. I've had that happen but my biggest problem that I have with lilies is RABBITS. They love to eat them just as they are emerging, bud & foliage.

I find this an interesting thread. I have been trying to find out the longevity of oriental lilies, such as Stargazer, Casa Blanca, Tom Pounce, etc, and the oriental hybrids. I guess this may be a difficult question to answer, and depends on a lot of factors. As much as I like them, I don't want to spend a lot on plants that aren't going to thrive more than a year or two. Is there any more out there that can put in their two cents?

gootziecat

Gootziecat,

Orientals don't do as well for me as LA Hybrids, Trumpets, & Orienpets do in terms of longevity & spread. I think it is a matter of soil type & PH. I have heavy non-acidic clay, more neutral to alkaline, so not the best conditions for any lily, but it seems to effect the Orientals the most.

BTW, I grow Asiatics mostly in the shady parts of the yard (I don't have a lot of shade to begin with) because I like the bits of color they produce early in the season against all the crisp brand new greens on ferns, hostas & spring ephemerals. That is purely a choice for me. I know they would do better in sun, but they are so inexpensive, I do what I want! Anyway, it wouldn't be accurate for me to comment on where they fit in on the spectrum of lilies that I can grow well in my garden.

Here is a picture of my best growing Oriental lily, sorry no ID. Originally 2 bulbs planted about 5 years ago (the one by the fence was actually dug out by a rodent, damaged with toothmarks, & replanted by me the year before last). Currently have 3 tall blooming (rodent damaged one) & 6 various sized blooming bulbs in second clump.

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My favorite late blooming lily, however, is Black Beauty. This one grows and gets some increase, even in shady areas. You don't need a lot of increase on this as you can see by this picture of one with 52 blooms. I'm not really sure where this one fits in the lily classes :~)
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Black Beauty is an Orienpet hybrid, and your's is gorgeous ! I think I may have to order one or two of those :-)

I think your other lily, with the spots, may be a "Dizzy".

I'm thinking that maybe the bulbs that failed may have suffered with that odd, warm winter, and then quick freeze. I know I also had Casa Blanca from years back, from White Flower Farm, and they disappeared, too. If anything, I am hoping this finally teaches me my lesson about record-keeping ! I preach it all the time to friends and family, but then don't do it myself :-(.

Leslie,

The pictures are beautiful! Black Beauty is a beauty indeed.

Thank you for the information. I am planning on a new bed for next spring and trying to decide what I want to put in it. I really like fragrant lilies but found while living in zone 5 they just didn't seem to make it long, not making it through the first winter. I like to watch things grow and flourish, not wain after the planning, expense and work. I have a large hosta bed that is looking pretty sorry from the drought we've had here this summer.

Philomena, thanks for the IDs and comments.

gootziecat

'Black Beauty' is listed sometimes as an Orienpet, sometimes as a Species Lily even on professional growers' web sites.

Leslie, I am pretty sure that your NOID is 'Arena'. Thanks for posting your wonderful pictures!

Alina.

Alina, aha, yes, you're right - that lily is surely 'Arena' - I hadn't taken into account the yellow coming up from the center, on the petals - 'Dizzy' is pink/fuschia in the center, no yellow.

Thanks !!

Thanks Alina, I do believe you're right. I remember buying Arena at some time or another. I'll start labelling my pictures, so I remember it. I do have a list of bulb purchases, but it was started after I bought many of them, & I'm bad about updating with the new ones too. LOL.

Philomena, I know what you mean about drought. Usually on my heavy clay soil I don't worry about watering, instead I worry about rot. It's not a good environment for bulbs here with the cold, wrong PH, and the clay, & though many can make it through the cold temps, most bulbs have real problems with winter wet.

However, the last few summers the rains (when they've come) have been at odd times. A few summers back we had a really bad year with no spring rains & water restrictions all summer. This year we are supposed to be in a non-drought situation, but we had no appreciable rains from the 2nd week of June through the third week of July, when we finally got one hard downpour & nothing since then. The lilies seem happy, but the hosta do not, and the water bill this month was scary!

Leslie and gootziecal love yur postings. Leslie, your lilies with the hosta is a great combo and think I will try it. As far a record keeping, I ike the easiest, which may be one of the following: just put all your invoices in an envelope, they usually have an order or a ship date. When I first had my video camera, I took a quick span every month so that I would know the following spring what to move (I talked while taping). My garden is right out my kitchen window (I planned it that way!) so I am constantly making diagrams of what to move also. You could also take a digital picture of your new additions the first year they come up. Yes, I've lost a few (thanks for info on madonna, I won't keep buying them!), but will forgo a new outfit to buy bulbs. Sometimes after Easter, I buy the lilies for $1 a pot. They multiply quite well.
I'm really enjoying this forum! --Faye in Maryland

I don't keep up with my lilies as well as I could, but I do lose some, Most are in pots (voles), and when ssssshifted to light shade until late fall--things get hectic.

Anyway, I have noticed that in brent/Becky cat, they will sometimes note that a particular lily is a long time perennial-like Vivaldi. & it certainly is a long lived Asiatic-for me. The same for other or., etc. they have rec. in their catlg.

LA's just have to be divided often here.but they are so sturdy. What about Oripets? My Pink Perfection is VERY old-as is Regale, BB, -most of mine come from BigBox(and have all prospered-I usually examine them very well in my auto before I even take them home), and if all prices continue to soar, only choice bulbs from LILy Pad, etc.