Peter Heus |

KEY WORDS

seed propagation, double dormancy, scaling, vegetative propagation,

NOMENCLATURE ITIS (2002)

ocated south of Hinton, West Virginia, Enchanter’s Garden is L situated in a hollow that drains into the Greenbriar River. The beauty and abundance of native wildflowers here beckoned me down the path to learn their identities, habitats, and how to use them in landscapes. One of the most beautiful species I propagate is Canada lily ( canadense L. [Liliaceae]). Canada lily is native to eastern North America, and is found from Quebec south to . Small populations are found on the western edge of its range from North Dakota south to Nebraska and Arkansas. Two subspecies are recognized: L. canadense ssp. canadense L. and L. canadense ssp. edito- rum Fern.(Wherry). Both are found in Virginia and inhabit wet prairies and meadows, damp forest edges, and clear- ings. It is a common species in a prairie remnant in Virginia (Heus 2003). The species is never abundant and is consid- ered rare in portions of its range. Wild bulbs should never be collected. The nodding yellow to orange to red flowers have slightly arched tepals and are attached to a long peduncle. Six sta- mens and a 3-lobed stigma accentuate the spectacular tepals which are spotted Propagation protocol for red-brown. To see one in flower in its natural habitat is simply a breathtaking canada lily experience. Canada lily blooms in June

Opposite: Canada lily (Lilium canadense) (Lilium canadense L. [Liliaceae]). Photo by Joseph G Strauch Jr 107

NATIVEPLANTS | FALL 2003 and July and are visited by a variety of approximate rate of 2 g per 1 l (1 qt) pollinators, including the Ruby- container volume of medium and add Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus 0.5 g of bone meal near the bottom of colubris L) [Trochilidae]). Following the container. pollination, the fruit develops into a dry I repot my nursery stock every 2 y, dehiscent capsule of 3 cells, each with 2 starting with quart size containers and rows of dozens of seeds in each cell. ultimately potting them into 3-l (1-gal) containers. It takes about 5 y to produce saleable Canada lilies from seeds. At this SEED PROPAGATION stage, bulbs produce a single flower but are capable of producing multiple flow- Seeds are collected in the fall just as the ers within another year or two. capsules begin to split along the sutures. Seeds do not require further cleaning and can be easily shaken out of the cap- VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION sule in closed paper bags. Canada lily seeds have a double dor- Lilies have scaly bulbs that are charac- mancy and require both a warm and terized by the scales being separate and cold stratification. If sown directly in attached to the basal plate. They are eas- flats outdoors in fall, seeds will lay dor- ily damaged and will dry out quickly mant until the first growing season, in since they do not have a protective tunic which a small bulb is produced by fall. A like other bulbs, so it is necessary to single leaf emerges the second growing handle them more carefully. Another season followed by a whorl of leaves by interesting feature of lily bulbs is that the end of the third growing season. I they have contractile roots; these are am able to trim off 1 y of this process by short, thickened fleshy roots that pull artificially stratifying the seeds. Fresh the bulb to a deeper depth in the soil seeds are sown in moistened germina- profile over the years. tion media such as Scott’s Metro Mix Sizable nursery stock capable of flow- 360 (The Scott’s Company, Marysville, ering can be obtained in 4 y by scaling Ohio) 1:1 (v:v) mix of coarse perlite mature Canada lily bulbs. I lift mature and vermiculite or I use composted leaf bulb stock from raised nursery beds mold. I water the medium, sown with either in early spring or preferably in late seeds, sparingly until slightly damp and summer or fall after flowering (Figure 1). place it in an airtight container at 21 to About half of the outer layer of scales is 23 °C (70 to 75 °F) for 120 d after which removed from the mother bulb and the small bulb is produced. Next, I place inserted into open flats filled with the them under refrigeration at 4 °C (40 °F) germination medium as described for for 60 d and finally sow the bulblets in seed propagation. A small adventitious sterilized outdoor raised beds or in bulblet with roots will form at the base of open flats of germination medium in the scale by the end of the first growing early May. produce a single leaf season. I transplant bulblets into indi- Figure 1. Using 4-y-old bulbs (top), the outer 2 layers of that emerges 1 to 2 w after sowing. Once vidual containers at the beginning of the scales can be removed (middle), and planted about 1.25 cm (0.5 in) deep (bottom). The bulblets will produce roots and seedlings emerge and are established, I second growing season using the same new plants. transplant them out of the flats into medium and fertilizer as described for individual containers using a growing seed propagation. Photos by Peter Heus medium of 60% rotted pine bark, 30% Canada lily is one of the few native sphagnum peat moss, 5% perlite, and lilies that are somewhat rhizomatous 5% local shale gravel (v:v:v:v). I incor- and naturally increases from lateral bul- porate Osmocote Plus with minors blets produced from the main rhizome-

(15N:9P2O5: 11K2O; The Scott’s like bulb. These lateral bulbs can be eas- 108 Company, Marysville, Ohio) at the ily divided from seed propagated stock

NATIVEPLANTS | FALL 2003 PROPAGATION PROTOCOL FOR CANADA LILY (LILIUM CANADENSE) plants that are 7 to 8 y old and potted Lilium species. Although I have not seen what rhizomatous and lateral bulbs can individually. Nursery stock can be the beetle in my area, I believe that it is be divided from mature nursery stock. divided in early spring or fall. important to inform people about the spread of this serious pest. REFERENCES OTHER CONCERNS SUMMARY Cullina W. 2000. The New England Wildflower Voles and chipmunks are a serious Society guide to growing and propagating problem to propagating native lilies. Canada lily is one of the most spectacu- wildflowers of the United States and Canada. Since I have a hefty time investment in lar flowers in eastern North America. Boston (MA): Houghton Mifflin Co. 322 p. obtaining nursery stock, I fence the lily Although propagating this species Heus P. 2003. An historical prairie remnant in propagation beds and the container requires patience, growers are rewarded Virginia. Native Plants Journal 4: 104–106. stock area with mesh poultry wire and with stunning flowers whose beauty [ITIS] Integrated Taxonomic Information System. line them with concrete blocks bedded surpasses any Lilium cultivar. Seed 2002. URL: http://www.itis. usda.gov (accessed with broken glass as a deterrent. propagation requires a 120-d warm 22 Jun 2003). A grave concern to the well being of stratification followed by a 60-d cold our native North American lilies and frit- stratification to overcome double dor- illaries (Fritillaria spp. L. [Liliaceae] is the mancy. Seeds are sown in May and a AUTHOR INFORMATION recent introduction of the Asian lily leaf small bulblet is produced the first year, beetle (Lilioceris lilii Scopoli [Coleoptera: followed by a whorl of leaves by the Peter Heus Chrysomelidae])(Cullina 2000). It is a third year and flowers by the fifth year. Enchanter’s Garden small red beetle that was introduced into Flowering nursery stock can be HC 77, Box 108 Hinton, WV 25951 the northeastern US in the mid 1990s obtained in 4 y by scaling mature bulbs, 304.466.3154 and is of great concern and may serious- much in the same manner as used for ly threaten our wild populations of commercial lilies. Canada lily is some-

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PETER HEUS NATIVEPLANTS | FALL 2003