Montezuma Oriental Lily

“MONTEZUMA” ORIENTAL LILY

• CATEGORY                         ORIENTAL LILY
• VARIETY                               “MONTEZUMA”
• DESCRIPTION                      RASPBERRY-RED FLOWERS WITH RUBY-RED SPOTS
• HEIGHT                                   130-140 CM
• BLOOMS                                 SPRING & SUMMER
• SIZE                                           16/18
• QUANTITY PER UNIT                1-24

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

“Montezuma” Is A Ravishing Raspberry-Red Lily With Ruby-Red Spots And Thin Lavender Edges On Stems Up To Four Feet. The Lavender Edge Is Visible On The Richly Coloured Buds Giving An Interesting And Unusual”Striped” Effect. Perhaps The Boldest, One Of The Richest, Brightest Colours Yet Seen In The Oriental Hyrids. They Have An Intoxicating Fragrance. These Trumpet-Shaped Flowers Are Borne In Succession From Mid-Late Summer On Sturdy Stems Lined With Lance-Shaped Green Foliage.

The “Oriental” Hybrids Were Raised From Japanese Species. Their Mid To Late Summer Blooms Open Into Elegant Stars And The Whorled Leaves Are Broader Than Those Of The Other Hybrids. They Will Grow Vigorously If They Are Planted In Dappled Sunlight.

Cultivated For Over 5 Thousand Years Lillies Are Undoubtedly One Of The Most Beloved And Treasured Of All Perennial Garden Flowers. They Are Undeniably Beautiful. From When They First Break The Topsoil Lilies Command Attention, The Stems With Their Spirals Of Fresh Clean-Cut Narrow Leaves, Lengthen At An Almost Visible Rate And Are Soon Topped By Prolific Buds That Hint Of The Exotic Blooms To Come. The Splendour Of The “Oriental” Species And The Hybrids That Have Developed From Them Are Lush And Prolific. “Oriental Lilies” Result From Complex Crosses Of Several Asian Lily Species.

Most Members Of Oriental Family Flower In Late Summer And Grow From 90-100 Cms. They Are Renowned For Their Large Flaring Bowl-Shaped Blooms. The Blooms Are Often Spotted, Fragrant And Have Distictive Hairs At The Base Of The Tepals. If Planted In The Autumn, They Will Flower In The Spring.

Lily Bulbs Should Be Planted In Holes Such That The Tops Of The Bulbs Are About 12 Cm Underground. Sprinkle A Small Amount Of Fertilizer Into The Hole Before Placing The Bulbs. Lilies Prefer Full To Partial Sun And Neutral, Well-Drained Humus-Rich Soil. They Are Perfect For Cutting Gardens, Summer Containers And Mixed Borders. If The Lilies Grow More Than 90 Cms, They May Require Staking Although You Will Likely Find The Stems Are Incredibly Strong. As Soon As Buds Form Is The Time To Begin Staking The Plants. Lilies Are Long Lasting In The Garden And In Bouquets.

They Will Multiply Each Year And Every Few Years Will Require Thinning, So That They Don’t Become Too Crowded. Allow The Plants To Die Off Naturally Rather Than Cutting Them Down After Blooming. This Will Ensure The Bulbs Have Seen A Full Return Of Nutients From The Plant Before Winter.