Oriental-Trumpet Hybrids (Orienpet or OT)
Also called Orienpets or OT Hybrids, these Interspecific crosses between Oriental and Trumpet lilies have produced lily bulbs that easily weather late Midwestern frosts without bud kill, but have the sweet fragrance and shape of Oriental lilies. These improved hybrids have all been trialed under garden conditions, so now you can have solid yellow "Orientals" for late summer, with increased drought-resistance and reliability. Hybridizers are working on increasing the color range, and as additional varieties become available, they will be introduced in this section. Also included in this group are Orientals, bred from the famous Tetraploid form of 'Black Beauty' crossed with a Tetraploid conversion of 'Rachel Pappo' or 'Journey's End'. These wonderful cultivars tend to the red shades and have proven themselves in garden trials all across the USA.
Planting: As with either the purebred Trumpet or Oriental lilies, bulbs the size of your fist or smaller should have 5 to 6 inches of soil covering them. Exhibition-size™ or Private Harvest™ grades need to be much deeper. The old adage of "2-1/2 times the depth (of the bulb) works here. If you have heavy soil, it would be better to plant a bit more shallow or use a raised for better drainage.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
After 45 years of producing what our customers have told us are the best of the best in lilies, we are retiring after shipping is completed in April. With the lack of available help for planting, harvesting, and processing our bulbs, it seems that the time is right. This being the case, in Mid April, we will be listing whatever stock is remaining. A news letter will be sent out at that time. (There will be no lily bulbs offered for Fall 2023 planting.) For those who have been inquiring about the magnificent hybrids of our longtime friend, Johan Mak, Bob agreed to continue with his selections for shipping and planting during the Spring of 2024. Johan's varieties will be uploaded mid summer after his crop estimates have been completed.
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Bob and Dianna