Well, at least there's one Kushi Maya growing well in the Midwest. It's living in an abandoned compost pile under total neglect, except for an occasion toss of triple 10 fertilizer in the Spring and Fall if there's enough left in the bottom of the bucket when I'm done feeding my good stuff.

Before I start, I must say a lot of people have trouble growing Kushi Maya, myself included. Since this one example grew so well and others were reporting problems, I decided to go out and buy 6 more, 3 each from two different sources which were planted in two different gardens. They don't look good at all. In fact, they are struggling just to hold their own.

I bought a single bulb in 2012. I didn't have a spot for it and didn't know how to grow it, so it got put back in a small cardboard box it came in and covered with soil. From there it went to the back of the lily fridge and was forgotten. The following year came and it had grown a squirrely stem about 15 inches long and I decided I better do something. The bulb had shriveled to the size of a dried up prune, but it had grown several small offsets which got my interest. I decided the old compost pile might be a good place, plenty of afternoon high canopy shade and soil high in organic matter with good drainage. I dug a trench there and carefully planted bulb and stem horizontally, leaving only a couple inches of the stem exposed. The end turned green and went skyward that first summer. As these pictures show it's been living in neglect ever since. It appears that the mother bulb did not survive. I did a thorough cleanup of it's living space last week.

First two photos taken late August, 3016








Dug and replanted early Oct. 2016

I often wondered if I cared too much about that particular cultivar when I got it and perhaps that's why I failed. Added a ton of non animal source compost mixed in native soil, raised bed, afternoon shade....and it shrunk to the size of an acorn, from larger than the size of a walnut. Maybe it was your residual triple 10, Lorn.

Tracey, there's something about that compost pile that holds the key. I know its wetter and damper there and cooler, too. Lots of leaf compost and chunks of old sod, etc. I'll try and get a pH. But, my gosh, the ones I bought last year won't grow with the rest of my Orientals and OT's or anything in a regular garden. Maybe it likes a more natural environment with all the weeds and grass as company.

How about the temperatures inside the compost pile? As you know the compost gives off some heat and gas as it goes through its cycle

Dave, that pile has long since matured out and can best be described as remnants of a compost pile.

My best Kushi Maya lilies grow in close contact with other perennials. When the buds are half grown, you can't see where the stems emerge from the ground; there is too much foliage from other plants. And shade! These grow 5ft from the north side of my garage. And even when the sun overhead is to the north in early summer, they only get dappled sun through tree branches.

Tracey, I've added two pictures of mine to the data base for easy comparison. It almost appears as though we're dealing with two different clone varietals when you compare yours and Joe's to mine and Mike's. Your petals are narrower and more pointed with less curl at the tips where our petals are wider and fuller. The mid rib on yours is strong and pronounced even to a farrow on the face of the sepals that yours is and all but absent on ours. When you compare reverses for color, note that yours retains a lot of the species green whereas mine is cordovan. The long and short of this is that Yours and Joe's resemble the species a lot more than mike's and mine. Ours look more Oriental Any thoughts and comments.

Rick, which one would you say best resembles yours, Tracey's or mine?

Roosterlorn said:Rick, which one would you say best resembles yours, Tracey's or mine?

Yes. ..........But I'm serious!

The blooms can vary from year to year and place to place in the garden.



But not as much as Lilium papilliferum. These are the same clone:

Thinking mine might be closer to the species makes me feel like less of failure. My came that very first year it was offered, Faraway Flowers through Hyde UK. I have killed a l. napalense. So the thought of me killing its offspring is no surprise

Some things you just chalk up to not meant to be. I have always thought that species was really special, the color, the form, even the leaves... Thinking it was bred with something else, that still had the look of it, but maybe added hardiness and potential for garden worthiness, had to try it.

Maybe they are different clones from the same cross. Or maybe they are the same. I'm never confident with this sort of thing, as Lefty mentioned there are so many variables. But Lorn's theory makes me feel better about myself, so I'll stick with that.

Remember when Lankon came out and there were many that looked quite different, especially with respect to the extent of speckles? Was there ever a definitive answer to whether it was simply a very variable clone or different clones? Anyone know?

Lily (Lilium 'Lankon')

Well I now can say with verity that one is drifting in my garden. I started with 3 bulbs that all flowered the sameshade. Now this year, one is decidedly darker, while the others remain the same. They all grow right next to each other, so I think I can rule out cultural conditions.

Last year - all the same


This year one stem is....

Well.... perhaps it has traveling genes then...

Rick, if there is some way you could tag that plant, and the see what it looks like next year. I'll bet it returns more like the average. Lankon grows hardily here also, but no dark flowers yet.

Already thought of that, but somehow my tag got lost.

I'm pretty sure I have pics of the whole group again this year, so it might help....

edited to say:
Perhaps I shouldn't have jumped the gun and said "with verity". In fact that was why I hadn't posted about it earlier when the flower opened - I still want to see what happens in the future.

Richard Hyde recently announced that they have two new hybrids from Kushi Maya. They are sterile triploids (Kushi Maya X Unnamed Oriental Trumpet). The approved names are 'Yin' and 'Yang' and are somewhat shorter in height than Kushi Maya. Yin has very large flowers and is more upfacing than Yang.

Yin


Yang

Wonder if they bred the persnicketiness out of it?

I'm just wondering if they have retained the night fragrance or if it's just straight up oriental on the fragrance front.

Lorn, I thought it was an unnamed OT it was crossed with. I definitely like 'Yang' better.

OOPS--you're right, an 'unnamed OT'. Thanks for the correction.