Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Silk Road

I was converted to these flamboyant lilies a couple of years ago, after The Lily Garden popped a bonus bulb into my order. I thought I would hate it, that first year, but, while I was suspicious, watching its huge, painted petals unfurl, it was the scent at night on the terrace, and the night pollinators drawn to its suggestive inner sanctum, that seduced me.

This plant, one of three, now, is about seven feet tall, and would be stunning in a broader border.

The flowers are about 7" across at the mouth, not fully open.

The anthers are beautiful things. The pistil a little...um...

More pollen on everyone's noses.



9 comments:

  1. For such delights "Chinese" Wilson suffered his terrible injuries.
    This beauty might almost be big enough to slug it out with my palms!


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Henry_Wilson

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  2. wow, how obscene! how stunning! do you have the lily beetles to contend with there? do lillies want full sun? (and how many L's are in lily, anyway?)

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  3. Beence - hurry up and move already!! It's time!

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  4. Dinahmow - I had to look him up...wonderful! I hope he wrote an autobiography. Ah...um...you included a link. Thank you!

    Donna - yeah - Like, in your face lewdness. Aw, heck.

    Maybe I do get lily beetles because only a third of my lilies bloomed this year or made buds. Usually regular as clockwork. Maybe I was too careless this year. I consider them very easy to grow. Yes, sun. Though perhaps dappled shade with real sunlight in the bright parts might work for a few. I have Formosa lilies about to bloom in a city park under plane trees. I planted them two years ago. They get a bit leggy, though. As you can see, I adore them, and with so many kinds you can have them blooming almost over three months. And they keep coming back.

    Um...day lilies? :-)

    Beence, is the lily making you feel threatened???? :-)

    I think Lisa is telling us to Get a Room!

    Waaahahahahahahaha.

    Sorry Lisa.

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  5. that is an awesomely sexual lily! and sweet-scented, too? wow!

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  6. Lovely! But (and I don't want to rain on anyone's parade here!) hopefully you know the danger posed to cats by such beauties? The Cats Protection League replies to this Q thus:

    Do lilies pose a threat to my cat’s health?

    Lilies are extremely poisonous to cats. Signs of poisoning can include continued vomiting, blindness, paralysis, renal failure, coma and death. It is not only the ingestion of the plant that can cause such signs in cats, brushing past the flower and then grooming the pollen from the fur can also have the same effect.

    Identified as the most dangerous types of lily are: the Easter Lily (Lilium Longiflorum), the Tiger Lily (Lilium Tigrinum), the Rubrum Lily (Lilium Speciosum), the Stargazer Lily (Lilium Orientalis), the Japanese Show Lily (Lilium Lancifolium), Asiatic Lilies and species of the Day Lily (Hemerocalis), but do take care with all types of lily.

    Lilies are becoming increasingly popular in bouquets and incidents of poisoning are increasing according to the RSPCA, but do not panic, just use your common sense when dealing with lilies and avoid including them in bouquets. The RSPCA is currently campaigning for clearer labeling about the dangers to cats on bouquets and plants.

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  7. Hi Rachel - yes, I know they are poisonous. Thank you for the warning, though. Fortunately Don Es has never tried to eat lilies, nor have any of our other cats though the years: somehow they know to stick to grass. I wonder if it may be an Indoor cat thing...they always seems so desperate for green things.

    So many things are poisonous, unbeknownst to us. Englih ivy? Deadly.

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  8. ohhhhh yea, daylilies. unfortunately i am much more at work than at home during the week (what's up with that, anyway?). i hope to have photos uploaded by friday-- mercifully, i have the day off.

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