Wild Golden Rayed Lily of Japan Bulbs

If a beauty contest were held for lilies--species, hybrids, all of them--this is surely the lily that would win. If you know the Casa Blanca lily, the big scented white florist favorite, or Stargazer, the No. 1 red, you may see some of their beauty in this one, since it is a wild parent of both. But in this case, the parent is far more spectacular than the offspring.

As lily expert Michael Jefferson-Brown says, 'In a genus where splendour is commonplace, this one stands out as magnificent.' But even his comment is an understatement.

Enormous flowers between 10 and 12 inches across have elegantly curled tips at the end of the tepals (petals.) It has a heavenly scent. Blooms are pure white with gold stripes down the middle of each tepal, and then further highlights of bright crimson spots. Lilium speciosum var rubrum is truly a masterpiece of the flower kingdom, and probably one of the most spectacular wildflowers in the world.

This incredible species, along with Lilium speciosum, the Rose Red Lily of Japan, has been the source of almost all our Oriental Hybrids. But what do you think? Most people think none of the descendants comes close to this parent for sheer beauty.

The bulbs are quite rare, and necessarily expensive. But they are hardy and grow well in most all of North America. Ours were cultivated in Holland, not gathered from the wild. Detailed planting instructions are included. Nothing could be more magnificent as a specimen in your wild garden.