Trumpet lilies announce themselves with bursts of color. Though given an entire division (Division 6 in the official catalog), these are not ‘purebred’ lilies but a hybrid derived from Asiatics.
Nevertheless, they are worthy not only of a division but of all the attention they get.
The name comes from their shape, which has the cone-like appearance of a musical instrument. A better word might be the Victrola; since you’ve seen old photos of record players from 1910, you can recognize the shape immediately.
Fortunately for flower lovers, the Trumpet lily makes beautiful music in its way. Unlike the Asiatics from which they’re derived, trumpets have a lovely fragrance.
Not very similar to roses or lavender, it’s an aroma that can’t be described. It must be experienced. Once you do, you’ll be pleased you added this terrific flower to your garden.
Many species will provide those values of beauty and perfume.
The white Lorina is an outstanding example. Its delicate shades of yellow sloping into the center make for a lovely wedding flower. The Pink Perfection is equally delightful.
Both blooms around mid-July and so make for a superb summertime garden flower. They thrive equally well in a pot, provided the soil is allowed to drain well, and they get the ample sunshine that lilies love.
The Madame Butterfly
The Madame Butterfly (a Lilium henryi hybrid) offers swirling petals with a delicate white exterior fading to a golden interior. That makes them perfect for a wedding flower or any floral display.
They flower in late July to mid-August, so adding them to the mix allows for blooms the entire summer. They reach five feet or more at maturity, so they may need to be staked in windy areas.
If you’re looking for a genuinely tall stalk, check out some High Stakes. This Trumpet lily can reach seven feet at maturity and provide 30 blooms. That is one truly impressive flower. These will require staking, whether grown outdoors or in a pot.
For another highly colorful alternative, the Golden Scepter can’t be beaten. It provides petals of a lovely deep yellow and offers a sweet fragrance that would make other flowers jealous. At about four feet, they’re much easier to handle, too.
There are many other color choices in the Trumpet family. The Lilium Regale offers white petals with a pink reverse bursting with color. The leaves also add their outstanding beauty, silvery green with a delicate curl.
They often bloom as early as late June, making an excellent beginning to a summer full of color and fragrance.
Unlike their cousins in the other divisions, all these Trumpets can enjoy a somewhat alkaline soil.
Most others prefer acidic soil. That makes them the perfect alternative if you’re having trouble maintaining the right conditions for other lily species.
Trumpet Lily Question and Answer
Question: Last fall, I planted hybrid trumpet lilies. This spring, I became impatient and dug down to see if the ones not coming up were rotted. They had started to grow, but I broke the growing shoot off. Will they still come up this spring? Iowa
Answer: Your trumpet lily may or may not appear, but it will not bloom this year. The embryo bloom stalk was already in the lily when you planted the bulb, ready to push forth. Breaking off the growing shoot destroys the whole thing unless another adventitious bloom stalk present in the bulbs develops.
Q-20277 – 7335 by NA