Good observation about the Martagon lilies, Debbie. It comes in handy as I for the first time planted some Martagons this autumn and I feel that it helps to know the 'enemy' so to speak as one need to concentrate the picking and crushing efforts where it's most effective. Those Lily Beetles do love to sunbath in the spring, so it makes much sense that the more shaded placement would help to protect them some.
When we got the Lily Beetle here many years ago, we just simply gave up and stopped growing lilies altogether - it wasn't a huge loss as we didn't have many to start with (and a few of 'Stargazer's managed to survive pretty much on their own, but now I'm back as I simply couldn't help myself - I was suckered in reading about 'tree lilies' lol. However we don't have many gardening neighbors (certainly not many that grows lilies) and I believe that helps a lot as in the end one pretty much have to deal with
their Lily Beetles as well
.
I'm afraid I didn't look at your zone before. Growing Crown Imperials where you are would involve extra steps and perhaps not be worth it in the end. A pity as they do work really well as a capture crop.
Do you grow any LA lilies? In my garden they seem to be preferred food later on in the summer, but not completely sure about this yet as the observation needs to be repeated a few years more. I was thinking that this had to do with them having
L. longiflorum in their "blood" and if so it would be consistent with my observations about 'Lankon' being extra delicious as it also has
L. longiflorum heritage. At any rate it's not as good a capture crop as the Crown Imperial, but still I find it interesting and in the end perhaps useful as well.
