L. candidum; Division Three Madonna Lily
Lilium candidum; is in my mind a truly remarkable Mediterranean lily and so far I have not had difficulty growing it. Lilium candidum needs a specific climate for survival, as most species do. Once you have the understanding of this beauty, it will increase and thrive for many seasons for enjoyment of all.
- Western American Species —Western America California
- Eastern American Species —-Eastern America Minnesota and beyond
- European Species -POLAND -Bulgaria- Romania – Ukraine Spain
- Caucasian Species -Iran Turkey = The Caucasus Region ( the area between the Black and the Caspian Seas
- Sino-Himalayan Species Tibet, China, and Himalayan
- Siberian Japanese and other Asia
My L. candidum came from Granada, Spain. Connecting in the village of Alhambra, we had success obtaining some of the coveted bulbs. How fortunate I was that my Grand-daughter had the opportunity to do some research for me. I will be forever grateful.
unique characteristics of this beauty are as follows:
1. It forms bulbs at ground level so when planting do not make the mistake of deeply planting this particular species. 2 INCHES MAX FOR DEPTH — (5 cm)
2. Grows a basal rosette of leaves during winter. The sweet rosette emerges with the grace and charm right along with my glanthus collection. see inserted first photo
3. Air circulation is also very important, because candidum is susceptible to botrytis. It is very important that the leaves dry as soon as possible after the rain.
4. Have you ever heard of good drainage? This is extremely important. L. candidum needs perfect drainage. The water must truly run fast and furious through the pot or grounds that you have provided, and in my experience, the sooner the better it drains the better…. Adding sand and stones to the soil will help. ( lots of sand ) If you have clay soil you should grow candidum in a pot in specially prepared soil. It’s very important that you don’t add any humus or peat, as this will cause rotting and decay. Lilium candidum love poor dry soils with neutral or alkaline pH. They are just not demanding.
So— With my mild winter and no snow cover, I chose to sink the pot next to the foundation of the Hartle-Gilman Gardens display beds. Dry, protected by the eve-troughs, the bulbs stayed moist, but not saturated and I piled several layers to create a micro climate. Removing to see in the spring had me see the rosette forming, Carefully removing the pot, I brought it in and placed it on a window sill, eastern exposure and cracked the window to allow the temperatures to chill the area so to speak. Watering weekly …. This is what Lilium candidum seem to prefer I didn’t find any problem with rain during growing period (as long as drainage and air circulation is perfect). I was in control because it was growing behind pane glass with a breeze …. LOL. BUT, I have been informed that during, and especially after flowering L. candidum need to have dry soil. If your summers are really wet you should cover your candidum and protect it against extreme weather of perception. After flowering they have to have at least 2-3 months of dormant period and dry soil. (imperative) Get it out of any moist areas. During this time you can relocate them if you want but they don’t like to move often if they are in the grounds. If you find the place they like, leave them alone for longer period of time (until they get overcrowded). They thrive on neglect.
Candidum is not a virus carrier actually quite the opposite, it is very susceptible to other lilium viruses. so pot these beauties separately away from all of your hybrids.
Less is best when it comes to watering your beautiful Madonna Lily.
