The Oriental Lily

 Many Westerners confuse 'Asian' with 'Oriental'. But they are not the same, in people or lilies. The Oriental Lily has a number of distinct differences from its cousin.

The Oriental is often taller than an Asiatic lily, growing 3-6 feet in contrast to the Asiatic's 2-5 feet. There is some overlap in the range, to be sure, but these are averages.

Unlike the Asiatic, which enjoys up to six full hours of sun per day, the Oriental can do with a bit less. They thrive when protected from the hot afternoon sun and are less sturdy in the face of high winds.

Planting near the house on the West side is a good idea where they can receive ample sunshine, but less so of that afternoon or late day heat. Also, while winds tend to swirl around buildings, there is often a narrow channel that is a type of 'eye of the hurricane' near the walls. So, planting close to a wall can help shield them from too-strong winds that would tend to snap the stalk.

Take care to select a place, though, that doesn't retain excess water after runoff from the roof. A place where there is a gentle slope away from the house (which is how any good house is built) is best. If drainage isn't aided by geometry, it can be encouraged by proper soil type. A good blend of sand-clay character is best. Excess water in the soil will often produce root rot and encourage botrytis, a bluish mold.

One delightful advantage the Oriental offers is a lovely scent. Asiatics are beautiful but have no particular aroma. Oriental lilies produce a spicy blend of perfumes that make them not only lovely to look at but pleasant to smell.

No particular effort is required to produce the aroma, but lack of good care can destroy it. Like all flowers, you should avoid watering the petals. Those dewy drops may make photographs look impressive but they're generally not good for the bloom. Apart from the possibility of burn spots (the droplets act like tiny magnifying glasses in the sun), they tend to cause petals to wilt in hot weather.

There are dozens of delightful species in this division (Division 7 in official catalogs).

The Black Beauty offers a dark crimson flower with a white edge, creating a dramatic display in the garden or inside a flower pot. They tend to average between 4-6 feet, though, so plant them toward the rear in the garden or pick a large pot when planting inside.

The Casablanca, by contrast, is a pure white. With extraordinary petals they make for outstanding wedding flowers. To provide some contrast and color, they can be combined with Stargazers, which are a deep red (like fine roses) and sport a white trim. For something a little lighter, but still dramatic, the Mona Lisa produces pink blooms with a dark center.

Oriental lilies mix well with Asiatics and there's no reason you can't plant both in the same garden. Take care, though, the Asiatics tend to spread well, so provide plenty of room between stalks to give underground roots enough space.

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