Types of lilies and flower history
The history of the lily flower. Types of lilies, their varieties and forms
On the varieties of lilies, we discussed in detail in this article: Varieties of lilies - classification and description of varieties. In the continuation of the topic, let's talk about the history of the lily flower and the kinds of lilies. All this will help you a little in their successful growing in a flower garden.
What associations do you have when you mention the word "lily"? Most likely, an image of a snow-white elegant flower with a delicate aroma or a beautiful female name pops up in my memory. Perhaps the fun people will remember the bright yellow pollen on the nose, and the thin, keen natures are the subjects of the novels of Alexander Dumas and romantic France, the symbol of which was a majestic white lily.
About this exquisite and proud flower is composed of many legends and myths. The image of a lily, appreciated for its subtle beauty, was widely used in the decorative art of antiquity, as well as in medieval mystical literature and art. In ancient Greece, the white lily was considered the flower of the goddess Hera, which arose from the drops of her milk. The Romans revered the white lily as a flower of Juno and a symbol of hope.
In the Christian religion, snow-white lily symbolizes purity and chastity, so the plant is traditionally found in picturesque images next to the Virgin and other immaculate saints. Starting from the Renaissance, the branch of lilies is an indispensable element in the scene of the Annunciation. We see a white lily on the canvases of Da Vinci, Botticelli, Rossetti, Caravaggio, Lotti and other great artists. It was Christianity that contributed to the spread of this species in European countries, since the presence of such a lily was mandatory for medieval monastery gardens. Through Great Britain and the Netherlands, snow-white lily came to the countries of America.
As you know, the painters were well oriented in the European and Oriental directions of sacred and secular art, some of the artists were trained in Italy or Germany. It was from there that the tradition came to represent the white lily next to the Mother of God. However, apparently, the plant itself did not come up against the eyes of painters, so they painted anything on icons, not lilies only. Most often it was an ordinary branch with white flowers.
From ancient times, lily is known to man. So, the Mediterranean species of white lily is grown as a decorative, medicinal and ethereal-oil plant from the times of Ancient Egypt and Assyria, that is more than 3 thousand years. For the same purpose, it was cultivated in Ancient Greece, Byzantium and Rome.
White lily is sometimes called medicinal lily due to the presence in the petals of essential oils that are used in homeopathy, and in a limited amount - in perfumery. In addition, the bulbs contain mucous substances, vitamins and sugar, have a diuretic, emollient and analgesic effect.
Since the XV century, other European species of lilies and their garden forms gradually fill the gardens and flower beds. First and foremost, it is a rather unpretentious orange lily and a similar lily-bulbous lily, and also a very stable lily-bushy lily. The image of these flowers is found in the paintings of artists of the time, but much less often the white lily.
In East Asian countries, local species of lily have been highly valued and cultivated since the XNUMXth century or even earlier. In these parts, lilies that are lanceolate, or tiger, golden, Henry, Brown, are still used as vegetable and medicinal plants, and as decorative - Japanese, beautiful, long-flowered and reddish lilies, Siberians collected onions of local species for food and medicine.
Lilies of China, Japan and the Asian part of Russia began to appear in European gardens, primarily England and Belgium, at the end of the XVIII century. For a hundred years here brought about 30 species. Many of them (Henry lily, tiger, beautiful, golden, dwarfish, Willmott) are still grown or used in hybridization for obtaining the best varieties.
After the discovery of America, Europeans got acquainted with interesting and unprecedented lilies. These unusual species (leopard lilies, Canadian, gorgeous) fell into the gardens in their homeland and were exported to Europe, primarily to England, France, Germany. Some of them were preserved in the garden culture in the form that has not been changed so far.
Unfortunately, we have to admit that the brought lilies, especially the most exotic and decorative ones, turned out to be rather capricious and were infected by viruses. Therefore, in the 80s of the XIX century, interest in them noticeably subsided. The discovery and mass distribution in Europe and America of the beginning of the XNUMXth century of completely new Chinese species with large white flowers - lily royal and Sargent, distinguished by considerable stability, revived interest in lilies and gave a new push to selection.
For a long time in floriculture reigned a long-flowered lily and Taiwanese with white flowers, as well as more beautiful in color lilies beautiful and golden. With the beginning of active work on hybridization in the first half of the XX century, species lilies are gradually replaced by varieties that have arisen on their basis.
Amateur flower growers and lily professionals in many countries are united in specialized societies to exchange information and planting material, as well as to register and compile lists of cultivated lilies. Now in the world 49 societies of lily lovers are registered in 13 countries. The most famous is the Lily Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK, which publishes the most comprehensive list of registered varieties. In the USSR, the All-Union Organization of Lily Lovers (VOL) arose in 1989.
In many countries of the world, lily has been and remains a constant attribute of horticultural culture and is widely used in landscaping. Species lilies are recommended for the so-called "wild gardens" that mimic the corners of the wild.
Types of lilies and their varieties and forms
A little more than 100 species of lilies are known, but together with their varieties and decorative forms this number reaches almost 1300. For example, Lilies golden There are 120 garden forms. All of them are a valuable gene pool and are used to produce new varieties. Due to their high decorative qualities, some forms adorn gardens and parks. “Savages” look especially good in landscaped gardens.
Since ancient times, Lily white (L. candidum), other names are snow-white, milky white, white, and even medicinal lily. Has 5-20 pure white, directed to the sides, wide-funnel-shaped flowers with a diameter of 5-7cm. The smell is pleasant. Plant height 90-110 cm. Comes from the Middle East. This is the only species with a Mediterranean type of development. It blooms in early June.
Lily of the Royal (L. regale), is also known as Lily Regalia, regal, chinese, tibetan. This is the youngest of the garden lilies, discovered only 100 years ago in remote areas of China among the stones on the steep mountain slopes. The flowers are white, have a yellow pharynx and brownish-purple outside. In the inflorescence of 3-9 flowers, directed to the sides and down, the diameter is 9-12 cm with a tube length of up to 15 cm. The stem is strong, straight, height 90-120 cm. The bulb is large, dark purple. Flowering in late June - July. The plant is very resistant to diseases and pests, as well as adverse weather factors. On sale you can find the white-flowered form of album (f. Album) with flowers without the slightest pink. The plant itself seems more sophisticated, and the flowers exude a delicate aroma.
Lily Lanceolinate (L. lancifolium), or tiger lily, - the bulb is white, 6-8 cm in diameter, very dense, with wide scales. The flowers are brick-red, with large specks, directed downward, turbid, diameter 10-12 cm, do not smell. The inflorescence is loose, from 5-7 (up to 15) flowers. Flowering - at the end of July. The height of the plant is 100 cm. Numerous black bulbs are formed in the axils of the leaves almost throughout the stem. There is also a variety of brilliant splendens (var. Splendens) and a variety of terry florepeno (var. Florepleno).
Lilia curly, lilac (L. martagon) distributed in the temperate zone almost throughout Eurasia, occasionally found in our forests, prefers partial shade, especially in hot summers. The bulb is bright yellow, friable. The flowers are from light pink to lilac, often with specks, directed downward, chalmoid, 3-4 cm in diameter. Inflorescence of 9-15 flowers, loose. Early flowering (late May - early June). The height of the plant is 80-100 cm. It has a decorative white-flowered album (L.album) form.
Lily Henry (L. henryi) Chinese origin. Her bulb is dark brown, dense and large. The flowers are orange, very bright, directed down, on long pedicels, turban-shaped, 6-8 cm in diameter. The inflorescence is loose, from 6-14 flowers. Flowering later (end of July - beginning of August). Plant height 90-110 cm, stalks arcuate.
Lily beautiful (L. speciosum) originally from Japan. Bulb almost round, diameter 6-8 (up to 10) cm, yellowish-purple. Chalmoid flowers with strongly bent perianth segments, up to 15 cm in diameter, pure white, pink, crimson, often mottled, with long stamens and yellow, red or brown anthers. It requires a fairly deep landing (from 20 to 25 cm). During growth, he is afraid of dry air and scorching heat. Relatively winter-hardy, but for winter it must be covered. On sale sometimes there is a white form of album (f. Album) and red rubrum (f. Rubrum).
Lily dwarf (L. pumilum) in nature is found in the Far East, Mongolia, northern China. The bulb is white, up to 4 centimeter in diameter and 6 centimeter in height, with small wide, tightly fitting scales. Height 60-80 see inflorescence loose, from 7-20 flowers. Bright red chalmoid flowers up to 4 cm in diameter have a delicate gentle smell. Blooms in early June. Bulbs of high winter hardiness, but short-lived, give little daughter bulbs and children. Easily propagated by seeds.
Below other entries on the topic "Dacha and garden - with their own hands"
- Lilies - purchase, storage planting (photo)
- Types of lilies and flower history
- Ligas tiger and lily chalmoid - species, photo and description
- Lilies - varieties, classification of lilies, photos
- Lily flowers (photo) - planting and care, reproduction and properties from A to Z
- Reproduction of lilies, methods and selection of planting material
- Lily Marchon (photo) - grades of planting and care
- If lilies degenerate - transplant will help
- Belamkanda (photo) or tiger lily - growing
- The structure of lilies - flowers, stems, leaves and bulbs
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My grandmother in the village, where I spent as a child every summer, grew up beautiful small lilies. Only she called them locusts for some reason. Now my grandmothers are no longer with us, and I want to plant locusts in my dacha in memory of her. Are they really called that?
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Saranka, or curly lily, or Turkish lily, is one of the most common lilies in nature. Due to its unpretentiousness, the plant is found almost everywhere. Locust breeds both in a vegetative way (dividing bulbs and rooting scales), and generative (using seeds). If the lily has 2 flowering stems, then it has an adult bulb, from which the daughter budded. Bulbs in August divide, forming 2 independent copies. But such events are carried out once every 1-3 years, since the bulbs grow quite slowly. Therefore, locusts are often propagated by rooting scales.
Immediately after flowering the bulb is excavated, the outer scales are separated. They are buried in boxes with sod-humus soil, and peat is covered from above with tops. The boxes are covered with a film and placed in a cool, shaded place. By the beginning of autumn at the base of the scales is formed by 1-2 bulb-babies with roots and the first leaf. They are planted on a permanent place in the open ground.
The sowing of the saranka seeds is also effective. Seeds mature annually in early August. They are sown under winter or early spring. The locust has an underground type of germination, so beautiful flowering plants you can see only in 3-4 years.