- Author: Launa Herrmann
Most of us are familiar with Asiatic and Oriental lilies, the true lilies that belong to the genus Lilium. They both develop from a bulb and share similarities yet they are different. The Oriental lily is taller and its bloom size larger than the Asiatic. The Asiatic is not as fragrant as the Oriental.
Recently breeders introduced a stunning hybrid, the tree lily, that is a cross between the Oriental and Asiatic. With the beauty and benefits of both types, the tree lily towers above most other plants in the garden. The one now in full bloom in my garden measures 8 feet in height. Yes, 8 feet tall. Frankly, I thought I was seeing things when its sturdy stake-like stem grew taller by the day pushing its whorls of linear leaves between the branches of a tree in search of sun.
I don't recall where exactly I purchased the bulb except that it was in one of those cellophane packages found in garden bins at one of Vacaville's big box stores. I just figured this massive lily was a plain ordinary Lilium that simply outdid itself this year.
The truth is this plant with upward facing white flowers brushed with soft red strokes is not an ordinary Oriental or Asiatic lily but a tree lily. Botanically named Lilium OT hybrid ‘Garden Pleasure,' this tree lily survives in my garden because it tolerates clay soil. Research reveals this giant lily grows in Zones 3 to 10 in either full sun or half shade and is available in other colors — Satisfaction, Purple Prince, Lavon and Conca d'Or. To view them, visit www.brecks.com