Lilium 'Yelloween'

ORIENPET LILY
Family: Liliaceae
Pronounced: LEE-lee-um

 

Quick Jumps

Growing Guide
Rainy Side Notes

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GROWING GUIDE

Origin:
Garden.
Plant Group:
Bulbs.
Hardiness:
Sunset zones: All.
USDA zones: 4-8.
Mature size:
Height: 7-8 feet (2.1-2.4 m).
Flowering period:
June-July.
Flowering attributes:
Large, outward-facing, fragrant, sunshine-yellow flower, with a hint of green in its throat.
Light:
Full sun.
Soil:
Humus rich, slightly acidic, moist, well-drained soil.
Feeding:
In spring, when lilies are at the spear stage of growth (like asparagus), fertilize with a complete organic fertilizer. Do not feed again for the rest of the year; excessive fertilizing can promote disease and soft growth.
Propagation Methods:
As soon as the foliage dies back, dig bulbs and remove scales, bulbils and offsets from bulb; immediately replant.
Pruning Methods:
Remove dried stems only after foliage dies back.

 

Rainy Side Notes

 

One of life's small pleasures, was the lily's first year grown in a pot that sat outside my window. In the afternoons, I would open up the house and let the aroma drift through and aromatize the air. This cultivar has fragrant, sunshine-yellow, large, outward-facing flowers, which fills the air with its sweet fragrance.

The Oriental-trumpet hybrids, often referred to as orienpets or OT hybrids, have added a lot of excitement to the lily world—increasing the Oriental lily colors to include yellow and gold, while keeping the fragrance.

Lilium ‘Yelloween’ was selected for the cut flower market for its tall stems and because it could produce flowers in cooler conditions, making greenhouse growing with less heat more economical. The cultivar is a cross between an Oriental x Aurelia hybrid lily and bred by Pieter Jan Kos from World Breeding B.V. in the Netherlands.

The plant is oblivious to our cold springs in the Pacific Northwest. When established they can grow up to eight feet tall, with up to 15 buds per stem. Now that’s what I call a cut flower!

Pick flowers when the first blossom opens. The flower lasts from 5-9 days in a vase. Pull the pollen sacks off when the flower opens to keep pollen from staining linens beneath. If pollen should get on clothes or linens, let it dry before wiping it off. If wiped when wet, the pollen stains.

Mulch your lilies with composted manures, compost, or shredded bark, which keeps the roots cool, and adds additional humus to the soil.

 

More Lilies.

Photographed in author's garden.