Flowers A to Z - Oriental Lily

Oriental Lily, Stargazer Lily

Botanical Name :	Lilium spp. (Oriental types)
Common Name :	Oriental Lily, Oriental Hybrids
Product Use :	Cut Flower
Pronunciation :	LIL-ee-um
Family Roots :	Member of the Liliaceae (lily family). Native to China and Japan. Common relatives include asparagus, lily-of-the-valley, daylily, hyacinth and grape hyacinth.
Personality :	Flowers cup-shaped to flat with recurved tips, up to 8 inches in diameter, usually pendant. Stems 24-40 inches long, 1-5 flowers per stem. Plant is a herbaceous perennial from a bulb, classed as a monocotyledon, leaves mostly parallel veined. Flower fragrances are often intensely sweet, may be overpowering.
Availability :	Year-round.
Flower Color :	White, pink, red; may be speckled and/or bicolor.
Decorative Life :	4-11 days, cultivars vary.
Ethylene Sensitivity :	Varies
Ethylene Comments :	Ethylene sensitivity depends on cultivar; leaf, bud and/or flower drop are results. For example. 'Stargazer' is not very ethylene sensitive but can benefit from anti-ethylene treatments. Best treatment would consist of an anti-yellowing solution (GA4,7) being used for sure possibly with an anti-ethylene treatment (STS or MCP) also included for potential added protection.
Post Harvest Care Opportunities :	As an insurance policy, may want to consider treating with an anti-ethylene product. Choose stems with at least 2 fully developed (but not opened) buds and the rest well-colored, remove bottom foliage, recut stems under water and use fresh flower food but avoid brands with high sugar for some cultivars as leaf yellowing can be made worse. Leaf yellowing can be due to low light or excess sugar in vase solution. Some markets sell anti-yellowing spray or uptake solutions that can be beneficial in delaying leaf yellowing. However, some anti-yellowing treatments may slow/inhibit bud opening and/or result in faded flower colors. Some cultivars are sensitive to fluoride levels normally found in drinking water.
Storage Specifics :	Store at 36-38 F (less than 3 days), 34-36 F (more than three days). Lower temperatures can cause chill related damage under some circumstances. With 'Stargazer', treating with MCP prior to storage can greatly reduce cold storage-induced bud drop.
Preharvest & Harvest Factors:	With 'Stargazer', any flower less than 2.8 inches (7.0 cm) long at the time of harvest is much more prone to aborting.
Tidbits :	Oriental hybrids are the results of crosses using L. auratum, L. speciosum, and L. rubellum. Well-known Oriental lily cultivars include 'Star Gazer' (rose), 'Casa Blanca' (white), 'Journey's End' (pink), 'Mona Lisa' (pink). Latin form of the Greek leiron (used by Theophrastus for the Madonna lily). Crosses between Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum) and Asiatic or Oriental hybrids have produced the "LA" and "LO" hybrids, which often have little or no fragrance and improved leaf characteristics. In Ancient Greece, the lily was the flower of Hera, goddess of the moon, earth, air, woman's life, marriage and childbirth. In ancient Rome, it was the symbol of Juno, the goddess of light, sky, marriage and motherhood. Pollen sheds easily and stains whatever it touches. Removal of the stamens from the flower prevents this, but shortens vase life. With over 3000 species, the lily family includes many medicinal and food species in addition to ornamental species. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology lists this species as an allergy-safe pollen producing plant. With more than 100 species, the Lily genus has been in cultivation for centuries, and has acquired many religious and mystical associations. Known as the flower of the Virgin Mary, the Lily has long been thought to represent purity and innocence.
Recent Research Findings :	For maximum flower coloration and leaf quality, Han (2001) reported that Orientals should be harvested and then placed in a flower food solution and sprayed with a commercial mixture of benzyl adenine and gibberellin 4+7 according to label directions. See More Hoogasian Flowers A to Z at: http://www.hoogasian.com/FlowersAtoZ.html