Hi Maddie,

I've been trying my hand at seed lately (with mixed results). Some don't seem to want to germinate for anything, even though these have all been the "easy" immediate epigeal type. The seeds I have had the best results for are L. Leucanthum and L. Candidum. The Candidum germinated well and this winter (following their second season) have nice large rosettes. I'm hopeful they'll bloom this spring.

I started them indoors in potting soil (at about this time of year). I don't recall how long they took to germinate. It may have been up to 8 weeks. (Some of my seed took a long time I just don't remember which ones!)

-Helen

Just sow them in a pot of moist potting mix with sharp drainage, and keep them at 60-70F for about a month. They're easy. They like to go dormant in midsummer, although the seedlings don't stop growing unless you let them get too dry.

Thanks guys.

So they're "easy"...LOL. They're the worst divas in my garden.
Yet they're divine, so I'll give it a try. Does anyone know how long it'll take them for the first bloom?

Maddie

It's easy to start the seed. Some people have terrible problems keeping them going in the garden. I'm not sure why. Maybe too much water in the summertime.

If you are really good at growing them from seed, some of them will bloom in one year. Otherwise, two years.

Lilydude, thanks.
You're probably right about too much water in the sumertime - the ones that are in my "hilly" rose bed are doing much better.

Maddie

I have an extremely eager Madonna Lily. It has 6 good sized shoots that started growing in early January. This lily seems very resistant to cold. For two years now, it has sprouted in early January. I gave it slight protection by leaning an old window in front of it to keep it a few degrees warmer at night during our February cold spell. It is likely that the protection wasn't needed, however. I hope it sets seed this year. Even if it doesn't, I will probably dig up the clump in summer since the bulbs have been pushing out of the ground as they grow larger. The clump is seemingly very pleased with its south wall of house location. I believe I am in zone 7b, in extreme southern New Jersey.

For lilies, it is usually necessary and always best to have at least two genetically distinct plants for good seed set. You can sometimes get seed from a solitary plant, but it is not good quality, and the resulting plants may be weak. Unfortunately, since most commercial lily growers propagate from scales or tissue culture, large numbers of their plants will be genetically identical.

Palmfan, why don't you try to find another Madonna Lily to plant next to yours, and then cross-pollinate them by hand this summer? Try to get it from a grower different from the one that grew your first bulb. With a little luck, you'll get hundreds of good seed.