And look at this from the North Star Lily Society newsletter..... I had no idea!
Interest in Martagons is growing but I didn't realize exactly how much until I looked at the sales figures for the last ten years. Each year the Bulb Committee estimates the number of each division of lily to buy based on sales of the last few years and how quickly each sold out. In 2006, only 145 martagon bulbs were sold. Last year, in 2015, 482 were sold! Yes, interest is growing!
When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the losers. - Socrates
The increase in martagon sales doesn't surprise me at all. Here they are probably the easiest of all liliums to grow. Their recent increase in sales can be attributed to decrease in price and increase in availability over the last ten years. The price is what would have deterred the average gardener from a purchase in the past, paired with the false reputation they had of being difficult to grow, being fussy about their conditions etc. Who would want to take the chance on a $30 or $40 bulb with a reputation like that?
The $15 range or so enables one to think, hey maybe it's worth a try.
And realizing then, their unique beauty in the landscape. Like many plants, right place, right conditions will ensure success. Seeing them more frequently on garden tours also increases their popularity among gardeners. Martagons were sure find a surge in the marketplace!
Even I tried them this year. Picked up a bag of two bulbs last fall at a local nursery for $7.99. At four bucks a bulb that's not much to lose so why not! They were labeled Manitoba Morning but that is not what bloomed this spring. The bloom looked more like Maroon King with the spots being much less delineated as those of MM.
Only one bulb made a stem; the other made a couple of basal leaves then disappeared. Hope it returns next year!
The place some of them were in used to be shade, now pretty much sun. Thought they'd be happier back to shade. My other theory is that they have a nice relationship with oak trees. Any martagon planted near my oak does better than anywhere else, hands down.
'Pink Attraction' will be shared with neighbors. I noticed the overcrowding impacted the stem counts this year. Separating has been on my to do list for the last two years. Finally got to it!
William said:That's very quick increase, Tracey and those bulbs look very happy
I'll second that. It may rival Claude Shride!
Martagons are kinda like hostas with the sun/shade thing: they will bulk up best with full sun (as long as they don't fry!), but look best with at least some shade.
When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the losers. - Socrates
Tracey, when I saw your storm on the radar, I thought I better get steppin' and collect a few L. michiganense pods before I get soaked. But,not a drop came here anyway. And, I did manage to get some nice pods. Here's a picture of that near yellow verity I showed last summer. Same stem, flowers and pods. Thanks to pictures I brought with me, I was able to locate this same plant quite easily, even though the surrounding growth had gotten taller.
That is one handsome lily. I love the whorled inflorescence. Makes me want to crack out some seeds in the freezer and see if I can get it to grow here!
magnolialover said:It really is quite beautiful Lorn. And you beat the competition too! Right?
I sure did, on this one at least. But there is a new kind of competition on a grand scale this year. I'm going to go back and retrieve this stem for investigation later today.
