Royal hybrid lily: characteristics of the variety and features of agricultural technology. Trumpet lilies - growing a royal garden with your own hands Royal lily flower

The royal white lily is the most exquisite decoration of any flower garden. But this does not mean that caring for this majestic plant is difficult and burdensome.

It is undoubtedly necessary, but without being too labor-intensive, it allows you to achieve spectacular flowering of an excellent ornamental crop. Let's talk about planting and the main aspects of the necessary set of care measures.

Royal lily: description of the variety

Bred at the beginning of the last century, one of the most beautiful varieties bears the crowned name and is a representative of the most common type of trumpet lily. This is a tall, strong plant, reaching 1-1.2 m in height, with a strong, straight, bluish-green stem covered with narrow linear leaves. Their length is 7-15 cm, and their width is no more than 1.3-1.5 cm. Large tubular white flowers with strongly reflexed perianth petals reveal a copper-yellow pharynx and light green style and stigmas, covered with orange pollen. On the outside, the buds, reaching 13-15 cm in length, are covered with a violet-lilac coating. One stem can have up to 7-8 buds, and sometimes one flower can replace a whole bouquet. The seed capsule contains up to 200 seeds, which ripen by the end of September.

A feature of the crop is the ability to transmit all varietal characteristics using any method of propagation: both seeds and bulbs. Only the ripening time is different. After planting with seeds, the plant will delight you with flowers in the third year, and when propagated by bulbs - in the next season.

Features of the view

Like many other bulbous crops, the royal lily is very unpretentious, but planting high-quality bulbs makes caring for the plant much easier. Therefore, when purchasing material, you should take a closer look and choose one that meets the following criteria:

healthy appearance and elastic, fresh structure;
absence of damage and rotten areas;
tight fit of scales.

It is better to purchase lily bulbs in specialized stores. It is necessary to pay attention to the quality of their packaging. Typically, a conscientious grower who cares about maintaining his own reputation pays special attention to protecting the bulbs from external influences and packs them so that they are well preserved for spring planting.

The species qualities of the royal lily lie in the plant's relatively calm attitude to short-term drying out of the soil and intolerance to excess moisture. Apparently, the origin of the flower plays a role - the homeland of wild-growing ancestors is the highland regions of China and Asia Minor, known for their harsh, dry climate. Therefore, when choosing a planting site, you should be guided by these features and remember that it will not be possible to grow a crop such as the royal lily in an area with a close approach of groundwater.

Site selection and preparation

Lilies grow well in poor, light soils. Heavy clays and fatty black soils significantly slow down their development, since they retain water and can cause rotting of roots and bulbs, which require enough air and a small amount of water. The optimal location is a sunlit place with loose, water- and breathable soil enriched with humus. Slightly acidic sandy loams and loams are most suitable for good plant growth and development.

If the soil in the garden is heavy, you will have to specially prepare the place: add river sand, peat or well-rotted plant residues. Experienced gardeners recommend avoiding adding fresh manure to the soil, as this can provoke damage to lilies by gray rot or fusarium.

Royal lilies: planting and care

Before planting, purchased bulbs are soaked in a weak solution of manganese (for 2-3 hours) or a biostimulant, for example “Epin” or “Zircon” (according to the instructions for the drug).

This procedure will “wake up” the sleeping bulb, disinfect it and facilitate rooting. Lilies are planted in prepared holes according to patterns determined by purpose. In group planting, intervals between bulbs of 12-15 cm are allowed. The distance between groups should not be less than 40-45 cm. This is required to maintain the feeding area.

When planting in rows, the size of the bulbs plays a role: large ones are placed 20-25 cm from each other, and small ones - 15 cm. The intervals between rows should be at least 30-40 cm. The planting depth is also focused on the size of the bulbs: above the top of a large one there should be be at least 15 cm of soil, above shallow soil - 10 cm. Children are buried by 6-8 cm. The royal lily tolerates planting well, quickly adapts and begins to grow. The preferred time for this is spring or early autumn, but if necessary, transplantation can be done at any time of the season.

Feeding

A strong plant for good development and high-quality flowering requires fertilizing with a complete complex mineral fertilizer three times during the growing season:

for the first time in the spring, granules are scattered when sprouts appear from the ground;
the second feeding is carried out with the appearance of buds;
the third - at the end of flowering.

Cultivation care

The royal lily, which is generally easy to care for, still dictates its own conditions. For example, to obtain high-quality flowers, it is necessary to protect the plant and place it under the protection of buildings, trees or shrubs, since their majestic inflorescences are damaged by winds and rain. But white lilies do not need to be replanted for a long time.

With good care, reproducing by dividing bulbs and building up impressive nests, they do not lose their decorativeness and productivity. This is the peculiarity of such a culture as the royal lily. The importance of caring measures for the development of the plant cannot be overestimated, since the care of the gardener allows the flowering of the crowned beauty to prolong.

In the Christian religion, the royal lily is a symbol of the Most Pure Virgin Mary, and the flower of this plant appears on the coats of arms of the richest families living in various countries. People admire its tropical beauty, and its grace gives the variety the right to be called royal.

Site selection

This species is grown in open ground or in winter in greenhouses. Lily is not afraid of frost and can grow up to 120 cm in height. White fragrant flowers form brushes containing up to 20 pieces. The area where the royal lily will be located must be protected from strong winds, and it must also be well lit. The soil should be fertile, loose, and absorb moisture well.

Timing and landing

Some varieties of these flowers grow in soils that have a neutral reaction. You can place seedlings in the ground in autumn and spring. When the ground thaws well, the royal lily is planted. This usually happens in the second half of April. Sprouts can be protected from frost with straw or hay. Flowers of this variety can be planted from August to early September. Before placing them in the ground, you need to prepare the site 15-20 days in advance. To do this, humus, peat and ash are added to the digging, as well as a small amount. Then the area must be loosened, leveled, watered and left for a while until flowers are planted.

Layout

Bulbs with large flowers are planted 20 cm apart and between rows, and smaller ones - 10-15 cm apart. The royal lily does not require complex care. The plant needs to be fed, watered, weeds removed, and the soil loosened. This variety requires moist soil, so the flower must be watered in the morning and daytime at the root, without getting a stream of water on the leaves. It is also necessary to loosen the soil with great care and not very deeply, so as not to damage the roots located near the surface.

Plant nutrition

Lilies are fed several times during the growing season. Fertilizers are applied for the first time in early spring, after the snow has melted. Fertilizing is done using mineral and organic fertilizers containing nitrogen. Flowers must be mulched. To do this, peat or humus is applied to the soil around the plant with a layer of 5-6 cm.

The royal lily also perfectly absorbs ash, which is applied 3-4 times during the growing season. The second time the soil is enriched is when the plant begins to bud, and in July the plants are fertilized with phosphorus and potassium. For better flowering next year, you can remove a few buds.

Autumn care

The royal lily, the photo of which is presented above, can remain in one place for 4-5 years, then the plants need to be replanted, since due to depletion of the soil, the flowers are crushed. In autumn, the top part of the plants is cut off, leaving stumps 20 cm high. Then the roots are covered with dry leaves or humus, after which it is advisable to put spruce branches. With the onset of spring, the shelter is removed before shoots appear.

The royal hybrid lily or Lilium regale became the progenitor of the trumpet lily and the Orléans lily and was widely cultivated until recently in many countries around the world. This decorative flower combines grace and grandeur. The name royal lily was given by the American botanist Ernest Wilson back in 1903. Many gardeners know this species better under the names regal lily or Tibetan lily. The valley of the Min-Jian River is considered to be the birthplace of this hybrid form.

Lily as a symbol

The image of a lily has had significance in various historical, world and national cultures. The Lilium regale symbol can be found in Egyptian hieroglyphs, Persian cryptography, the decor of antique dishes, on coins and jewelry. It is also often present in songs, legends, tales, rituals and beliefs.

The symbolism of the Bohemian and Polish gentry, as well as some states, includes the image of Lilium regale, which was a decoration of coats of arms, flags, standards, and military awards. In Christian traditions, white lily flowers are associated with the image of the Holy Virgin Mary, therefore Lilium regale was grown almost everywhere on the territory of monasteries. Today, this flower adorns garden plots and floral arrangements.

Varietal characteristics

The hybrid lily Lilium regale was introduced into cultivation more than a hundred years ago. when Wilson sent about seven thousand plant bulbs to Massachusetts to decorate the famous Arnold Arboretum garden.

The stem-root ornamental plant has a round-conical white-pink bulb, the peculiarity of which is rapid darkening when exposed to air with the acquisition of a very characteristic purple color. The diameter of a standard bulb does not exceed 13-15 cm with a height of 12-14 cm. Perennial sub-bulb roots are present. The height of a very durable, matte surface, dark green peduncle can vary from one to two meters. Racemose inflorescences with sufficient density include about 15-30 flowers.

The duration of flowering does not exceed three weeks, most often only ten days. The diameter of the white fragrant flowers when opened is 12-14 cm. The outer part of the petals is pink-purple in color. The inside is white. The anthers have a creamy-yellow hue.

Lily: varieties (video)

Planting technology

Lilium regale can be planted in open ground flower beds both in the fall and at the beginning of the growing season - in early spring. To obtain earlier and more abundant flowering, preference should be given to planting lilies in the autumn, which allows the bulbs to take root well before the onset of severe frosts.

The area for planting and growing royal lilies should be prepared in advance:

the soil of the flower garden should be well-drained, easily allow water to pass through when watering and not retain it around the root system of the ornamental crop;
It is not recommended to use areas with too heavy soils for growing Lilium regale;
several months before planting lily bulbs, it is recommended to add organic matter and mineral complexes to the soil;
The bulbs are planted with a depth of approximately 16-20 cm, but the size of the planting holes may vary depending on the size of the planting material;
the standard average distance between grown royal lilies should not be less than 10-12 cm, and large-flowered varieties are planted with a minimum distance of 16-19 cm from each other.

When planting Lilium regale lily bulbs, it is advisable to add fertile soil to the bottom of the planting hole. The same nutritious soil mixture should be used when filling in planting material.

Seed cultivation involves sowing seeds in special planting containers, filled with nutritious soil, in February or the first ten days of March. Before emergence, it is necessary to provide the plantings with a temperature of 18-20°C and regularly carry out irrigation measures.

If the rules of sowing technology are observed, as well as optimal microclimatic conditions, the first lily shoots appear in two to three weeks, after which it is necessary to reduce the temperature to 8-12°C. With the onset of stable warmth, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place in open ground, where they are provided with standard care.

Almost all garden lilies do not require intensive care, regardless of the growing season. Lilium regale is no exception in this regard. When cultivating it in home gardening conditions, you need to know the following:

To feed the Lilium regale lily, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are used in the spring and phosphorus-potassium mineral complexes in the fall;
the use of fresh manure and compost to feed the royal lily often causes fungal diseases to damage the ornamental crop;
in order to prevent the development of the most common diseases, three times a year the above-ground part of the lily should be treated with a solution based on Bordeaux mixture;
A very good way to protect Lilium regale bulbs from overheating is to plant low-growing ornamental plants such as hosta, flax or garden bells around the lily;

watering lilies should be quite rare, but plentiful, in the evening, which will moisten the soil to a considerable depth;
during the irrigation process, water should not be allowed to get on the peduncles, leaves and buds or flowers;
the stems of tall varieties of lilies must be supported with special supports to avoid breaking;
to obtain abundant flowering of Lilium regale, it is necessary to regularly remove all faded inflorescences on the plant, and when using flowers in floristry, cuts must be made obliquely;
Every five years, the royal lily needs to be transplanted to a new place, and it is this moment that is most often used for vegetative propagation by young daughter bulbs, which, under conditions of high agricultural technology, are formed in abundance at the base of the plant stems.

How to replant lilies (video)

When growing royal lilies, it is important to take into account the fact that this crop needs to be covered in winter with a layer of foliage up to 8-10 cm. Lilium regale grows very well between sparse shrub plantations, which help retain snow mass in winter, which helps protect lily bulbs from freezing.

Since ancient times, lilies have been considered the most noble and brilliant flowers. They proudly hold a majestic head on a thin stem and captivate with their grace and harmony of form. It is not for nothing that the lily is considered a symbol of beauty, impeccable perfection, hope, purity, and mercy. Her image can be seen on many heraldic symbols of antiquity, emblems of royal power, and coins. The incomparable fragrance of the flower allowed it to gain worldwide popularity. “May your house be strewn with lilies” - this was the wish for well-being in medieval France.

There are many types and shades of this ornamental plant, but since ancient times the white Royal Lily was considered the most valuable and rare. Its homeland is considered to be Southwestern China. These amazing flowers of a curved tubular-bell-shaped form with a snow-white corolla and yellow stamens will undoubtedly decorate your garden. Each stem can bloom from 1 to 6 flowers, sometimes reaching up to 25 cm in diameter.

Features of planting, care and propagation of the royal lily:

The underground part of the plant consists of a bulb on which there are fragile roots. Depending on the climate, it is recommended to plant the bulbs in early spring or late autumn. Experienced gardeners prefer autumn planting, so that before the onset of frost the plant has time to take root and form full-fledged flower buds. By the time spring arrives, the young lily will already have enough strength for the upcoming flowering. If you plant bulbs in the spring, there is a high probability that the lilies will not bloom this year. This is due to the fact that in the spring the flower will spend a lot of energy on rooting and growing shoots, but there will not be enough energy to form buds.

For planting, select a place with good drainage of water: the plant does not tolerate stagnation. The depth of the holes dug for planting should be 3 times the size of the flower bulbs (i.e. the depth is 7 cm). At the bottom of the hole, make good drainage from crushed stone and small fragments of brick. Then lay out a layer of soil, followed by a layer of sand (2 cm) on top. Thanks to such a cushion, there will be no stagnation of water in the soil and the bulb will not be in danger of rotting.

At the time of planting and immediately after it, this place should not be watered.

To protect the plant from fungal diseases, before planting, keep the bulbs in a strong solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).

A place that is too shady for planting will not be suitable: the flowering of the lily will be delayed by 2-3 weeks, or will be absent altogether. Although the shoots themselves grow well in both shade and partial shade, the most important thing for them is the presence of a warm atmosphere and the absence of strong wind.

Royal lily bulbs, being in the ground, tolerate frost well. If you follow the rules of watering and agricultural technology, the flower will grow in one place for many years. The plant needs to be watered regularly when the budding process is underway. Water during fertilization as well. Nitrogen fertilizer (ammonium nitrate) is introduced in early spring, and potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is introduced in July.

Do not forget to periodically loosen and weed the soil around the plant: too hard soil and weeds inhibit the development of its root system and inhibit growth.

After 4-5 years, you can see many “babies” at the base of the bulb, preventing its full growth. Therefore, the time has come to separate the young onions from the mother. This is done at the end of summer or at the very beginning of autumn. Carefully dig up the large onion and separate the new onions from it. The old bulb can be returned to its original place, and the “youth” can be planted in other places in the garden plot. In general, lilies tolerate transplantation very well.

The flower can reproduce by seeds and scales, however, the bulbs obtained in this way will take longer to develop and flowering can be expected only after 3-4 years.

Royal lilies can sometimes be affected by aphids, thrips, lily beetles, root mites, spider mites, and mosaic fungal disease. This scourge is fought with the help of chemicals. The drug Abiga-Pik and 1% Bordeaux mixture are effective. Spraying for prevention is carried out in early spring at the beginning of the growing season, and then every 2 weeks. Diseased plants are removed and burned.

After flowering has finished, gardeners cut off half the stem of the plant. This is necessary to increase the flow of energy to the bulb, which will grow and reproduce better. This operation does not harm the photosynthesis process at all. The entire stem is cut off if it has drooped and turned yellow.

Once you plant a lily in your garden, you will see how easy it is to care for. The plant does not need your constant presence at all, but it will give you the delicate fragrance of charming flowers.

Medicinal properties of the royal lily:

This amazing plant is grown not only for its decorative, but also for its medicinal properties. During the flowering period, you can collect the buds and prepare your own medicinal tincture. Take a dark glass jar and fill it with blooming flowers. Fill them with wine alcohol: it should cover the petals by 3 cm. Cover the top of the jar tightly with paper and place in a dark place for 6 weeks. After this, the tincture is ready for use for cosmetic purposes. For example, to cleanse the skin, take 1/3 of the tincture, add 2 parts of boiled water. Wipe your skin with the solution as needed. For muscle pain, rub the sore areas with a slightly diluted tincture. For inflamed abrasions and cuts, remove the lily petal from the tincture and apply it to the wound, bandage the top. The next day there will be no more abscess in this place.

Royal lily (royal, regale, Tibetan, Chinese)- the most majestic plant of the entire Liliaceae family. It was discovered relatively recently, at the very beginning of the last century, in one of the provinces of China. Thanks to its beautiful large inflorescences with a strong aroma and abundant flowering, it quickly won the hearts of flower growers and became one of the most common lilies in culture.

This is a perennial herbaceous bulbous plant. Its large, white, pink-tinged bulb is conical in shape. It is formed by many individual juicy scales.

It forms a tall (0.5-2.5 m) stem, along the entire length of which dense, rough, sessile, narrow lanceolate leaves are densely arranged in regular order. Their length at the base reaches 15 cm, and closer to the top they become somewhat shorter. This flowering shoot is relatively thin, but quite strong. It supports a large racemose inflorescence located at its top, consisting of 5-15 flowers. When closed, the buds are tubular in shape, 13-15 cm long, with a purple tint.

Each funnel-shaped flower reaches 10-15 cm in diameter, has 6 petals with a bent edge - three of which are wider, and three more are somewhat narrower. They are snow white with a yellow center on the inside and a purple tint on the outside.

The inflorescences bloom in mid-summer (in the second half of July) and within 2-3 weeks they delight with their beauty and strong pleasant aroma.

Under natural conditions, it grows on rocky mountain slopes at an altitude of 800-2500m above sea level, as well as on rocky shores of reservoirs. As an ornamental plant, it is planted in flower beds, lawns and flower beds, both singly and in groups.

Planting and care

Despite her beauty, she is not capricious and does not require special care. By winter, its entire above-ground part dies off, and the bulb quietly overwinters in the soil, even without shelter. But its modern hybrids, most often, require additional insulation.

For planting, select a sunny, well-warmed place. It also grows well in openwork shade. Prefers soil that is loose and fertile, well permeable to water and air, preferably with a neutral reaction of the soil solution.

It is planted in early spring, before the bulb begins to grow, or in early autumn. 15-25cm is left between the bulbs in a row, depending on their size, and up to 40cm between rows. When planting, they are deepened, like everything else, to three bulb heights.

Water it moderately, in no case allowing the soil to become waterlogged, as this leads to rotting of the bulb and its death. It can withstand even temporary drought, but to obtain large inflorescences it is better not to allow this.

They feed it three times during the growing season: at the beginning of growth, before flowering and after it. In addition to the main nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), microelements are also added. It is recommended to use complex mineral fertilizer for fertilizing. Such fertilizing ensures not only abundant flowering, but also normal growth of the bulb, as well as the formation of buds of next year's flowering shoots.

The soil is periodically loosened and weeds removed.

It is propagated, most often, by children growing near the bulb at the base of the stem, and by bulbous scales. Reproduction by seeds is possible, but this is a longer process.

After 4-5 years of growth in one place, the plant begins to bloom weaker and develop worse. This serves as a signal to transplant it and separate the children. They do this most often in the fall. By this time, the bulb has already accumulated the required amount of nutrients and is fully formed.

Late return spring frosts often lead to the death of the tops of shoots with flower buds. In such areas, it is recommended to artificially slow down the awakening of the bulbs by shading the soil or covering it with an additional layer of snow. All this delays its warming up, and hence the beginning of the plant’s growing season.

Knots for memory

It served as the basis for the creation of many modern hybrid varieties, the first of which were bred already in the 20s of the last century.
Proper care of the plant ensures its high decorative value and durability, resistance to adverse conditions and diseases.
One inflorescence successfully replaces a whole bouquet.
The petals of its inflorescences and bulbs have healing properties. They are used to prepare various decoctions, tinctures, oils and lotions.