double-flowered tiger lily; was: Re: [pbs] Bulb Odds and ends

DaveKarn@aol.com DaveKarn@aol.com
Mon, 12 Jul 2004 09:57:47 PDT
In a message dated 11-Jul-04 6:06:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
jimmckenney@starpower.net writes:

> Maybe that's why it makes the typical lily enthusiast's skin crawl. 

Jim ~

Not necessarily.  The "tiger lily" has long been known to harbor a number of 
lily viruses making of it, thus, a "Typhoid Mary" when grown anywhere near 
more sensitive lilies, e.g., the Orientals.  It is of more than passing interest 
that this (triploid?) lily has been grown for hundreds of years (L. 
lancifolium or L. tigrinum) in spite of its virus and has been remarkably tolerant of 
it.  Would that breeders could isolate those genes and get them into the other 
lilies that would really benefit from a little stiffening of the spine, as it 
were!  

There have been a number of hybrids made with this lily over the years.  I've 
grown a few of them and, while relatively vigorous, eventually didn't shed 
any tears when the gophers got to them . . .

Dave Karnstedt
Silverton, OR, USA
Cool, wet Winters; warm, dry Summers
email:  davekarn@AOL.com


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