We had some discussion last year about leaves turning purple ~ any further occurences? Unfortunately, I failed to make note of the name that were affected last year ~ I believe I know which ones and they did not return.

I've had another one show up this year. Initally it came up a nice, strong sprout and then took a turn.


May 22 ~ straightened up fairly well and looking good.
May 26 - 29 delivered 6 inches of rain and I noticed that the neck of the lily was weak and flopped over. Installed support for it.


June 5 ~ Removed support as the neck seemed to have recovered and was strong again. Purple leaves noted, then treated with fungicide.

I had a purple leaved 'mutant' downfacing -Stargazer....in December-Jan.. Ifeel positive it[and the other 2 in the pot] will not return this year,.,..,actually, after stating that, I think I will go outside shortly and empty the pot and check the bulbs'IF ANY}

I have some purple leaved ones. I think this is a nutritional condition?

But... but...of what?

I don't know what... it's dark now... will check tomorrow...

I'm finding a couple references to calcium deficiency; here is one http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2Use...[Summary].pdf
Calcium (Ca) deficiency: Initially, brown spots occurred
on the distal tips of upper leaves. As the disorder
progressed, the spots became larger, young flower buds
became brown and aborted, and large flower buds
abscised. Affected leaves then developed a purple-brownish
coloration.

I think my purple leaves are lower ones. I did a search of the yahoo lily group and found a couple references to phosphorous deficiency.

Maybe feed them some calcium and phosphorous and they'll perk up?

My Trumpet Seedlings,have 'big strappy' leaves.. where the leaves that hang over the edge of the pot, have snapped, they have gone purple!,...FYI, I never got to the Stargazer pot-yet.. Birds and lily seedlings distracted me

No purple leaves for me so far. But the weather has been consistently cloudy and cool. If, it were to clear off and the lilies were all of a sudden exposed to very bright, intense sun--then I think I would have a good chance that I would see it on plants here and there (like one or two in a group of six). I think those most susceptable are the ones with a weakened bulb (for whatever reason) going into the spring growing season. That's what I found and concluded last year. I don't think temperatures have to be really hot either--just a too rapid of a change to several days of extremely bright, intense sunlight that follows an extended cloudy, cool period would do it. Of couse, adding heat could agrevate the situation, but that's not the case this year.

I also believe that rapid upward growth caused by an early warm spell depletes most of a weakened bulbs energy, before the stem has had adequate time to establish enough stem roots for continued uniform growth support throughout. Of course, last years weather was pretty unique, but the ones I examined last year had smaller, softer, nearly depleted bulbs with small, not fully developed stem roots. Those I repotted did not survive, but their stem bublets did. Orientals, or hybrids of them, seemed most affected. I did not see any with my Trumpets and Aurelians.

I don't think it's a soil/nutritional condition either because it only happens to one here and there. Anyway, it's too late to add the eggshells, oyster shells by the time one sees the condition for any type of immediate cure. There is none at that point, except just let the plant grow though it and hope for next year.

I'm am really curious to know exactly what biological process it is that is so disrupted that it causes a chemical change (or lack of it) inside the leaf itself, so as to form the purple color. What process can it be, that is not being completed?

Moby, your propping up that little limp lily is interesting. I had one exactly like that last year; I did the same thing as you did. It lived all summer long, short and stunted, but this year is just fine. While yours continued to grow nicely at least for a while, that ordeal may have something to do with its purple leaf condition now.

Phosphorus uptake can be affected by calcium. I don't remember how (if it is a deficiency or overabundance).

One might also take into consideration that most lilies normally have purpling when first emerging and during varying early growth.

But those early leaves don't really serve a purpose later on as the plant grows. The purple leaf condition we see happens after the plant is up 18 inches or so and it's usually terminal. After the purple stage, the leaves turn yellow and fall and the plant dries up. The plant does not come back up the following year.

Rick, I get purple cotyledons with seeding quite often if I expose the early seedlings to too much light to quickly. But that never seems to hurt anything--the new first and second leaf continue to grow as if nothing happened. You've most likely seen that, too. But when that happens to fully grown leaves on the entire stem of a nearly fully grown plant, it's a disaster. And it all happens so quickly, usually taking only a couple days.

Point taken, Lorn.

My point is for everyone to broaden their focus: that taking into consideration other purpling scenarios might have an impact on understanding the problem at hand. For instance, the fast growth of newer sprouts might correlate with the faster than healthy sustainability of the the plant overall.

--
Lorn, but I should have clarified what I meant by "purpling when first emerging and during varying early growth."

Yes, I do mean noses like these
lm


but also later early growth like this

Thought this might be interesting to you all.
I'm not sure what the correct term for this wooliness is, but I assure you, it is normal!

Eremostachys speciosa
http://nargs.org/smf/index.php...

Rick--exactly! Good illustrations, too! A picture is worth a thousand words.

There is no better 'a' sight, than early upward spires... great pictures

How about Saussurea gossipiphora for furriness...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IMmF...

pardalinum said:How about Saussurea gossipiphora for furriness...

Many Sausurea spp. produce that excessive "webbing". It is a general alpine adaption for cold mountain air, and many other genera do that to varying degrees.

I think your pic is about as extreme as it gets, though.

I was wondering why. Interesting bit of information!

Not many purple leaf reports this year. So, it must be environmental stress on a weakened bulb ( nutritional, damage, etc.) Maybe above ground plant growth outpaced stem root development during those early warm spells last year, also.

Did anybody have any this year? And if so, were they (anything) Oriental?