This is the fabulous flower that actually opened the door for our modern Oriental Hybrids like Stargazer and Casa Blanca. This tough, pest-free perennial plant with its magnificently beautiful blooms taught gardeners that lilies may look very special, but growing them can be as easy as a daffodil or a tulip.
Black Beauty is a cross between two very important wild lilies, and that's why it's often grouped with other species lilies, and considered a garden treasure. Both parents are from the Orient. Lilium speciosum var rubrum was crossed with L. Henryi, to achieve Black Beauty, and many believe it was one of the most revolutionary and successful hybridizations in botanical history. This garden magic was accomplished by the legendary American lily expert, Leslie Woodriff in 1957.
Whatever you think of the lily, it has been a gardener's favorite from the beginning, and still competes with all the lavish new hybrids today. It is truly incredible in an arrangement. Another huge plus is its hardiness and dependability. Most anywhere in the US, a few bulbs planted this year will result in a widening and enlarging clump, often becoming practically a forest of lily stems. And in late summer when they bloom--with 15-40 flowers per stem--the show is like a rainstorm of gorgeous red bells, bobbing in the wind. There is only one Black Beauty lily, and no garden or wild meadow should be without it.
Growing Lilies: True lilies (which don't include daylilies and others which are not in the genus Lilium) are easy to grow today, and more popular every season. Since they are upright and take practically no space at ground level, it's easy to plant lilies between other established perennials and shrubs. Most can also tolerate some shade, which adds versatility for the gardener. There are many lily groups, but to keep it simple, we will consider only a few of the main types that are important to gardeners. Each lily we ship includes complete instructions for planting. So don't hesitate. You can easily bring the spectacular beauty of lily flowers to any summer meadow or garden
Tiger Lilies. This group is led by the famous old orange wild lily, which used to be called Lilium tigrinum. Botanists have changed that to Lilum lancifolium, but that doesn't stop most people (including us) from using the old name 'tigrinum.' From the original orange, the hybridizers have created new colors from white to pink. All have the large flowers, spots, and tough perennial qualities of the original.
