OT Hybrid Lily 'Elusive' - 5 pieces

CHF 19.90

OT Hybrid Lily 'Elusive' - 5 pieces

Name: OT Hybrid Lily 'Elusive' - 5 pieces
Brand: Lilium
Price: 19.90 CHF
Availability: OutOfStock

Lilium 'Elusive'

CHF 19.90

Smoky pink to salmon with a yellow star
OT hybrid with medium scent
Flowers in July and August
About 130–150 cm tall, sturdy
Cut flower, pollinator-friendly

'Elusive' is an OT lily in a colour that is rare among large garden lilies: a soft, smoky pink to salmon with a yellow star in the centre. The fragrant flowers stand on tall, firm stems. A variety for connoisseurs.

About this variety

The name 'Elusive' means hard to pin down, and that applies to its colour. The pink of the flowers is muted and warm, sometimes more salmon, sometimes softly powdery. A yellow star glows in the centre, with fine golden speckles and greenish midribs adding structure. The petals are narrow and slightly recurved.

At about 130–150 cm tall, it is an eye-catcher for the back of the border. In a group, it forms a loose summer screen. Good companions are sedum, penstemons in shades of pink, grasses or bronze foliage. It also goes well with blue globe thistles. It is only moderately suited to pots.

The scent is mild and fruity. In the vase, the unusual colour stands out, especially alongside peach and apricot shades. Bees visit the open flowers. It is at its peak in July and August. Cut the stems in bud and leave at least a third of the foliage on the plant. This keeps the bulb strong, and 'Elusive' becomes more impressive from year to year.

Planting

Plant the bulbs from September to November or in spring from February to May. Set them 15–20 cm deep, about three times the height of the bulb, 25–30 cm apart. A sunny to partly shaded position with moist, well-drained, loamy or sandy soil is ideal. Make sure the base is shaded.

Care

Water evenly but not too much, and avoid waterlogging. Feed with an organic fertiliser in spring. In windy conditions, a stake gives the tall stems support. Watch out for the lily beetle and let the foliage yellow after flowering; the bulbs are hardy. Lilies are poisonous to cats, including the pollen and vase water.

Specifications

Botanical name: Lilium 'Elusive'
Genus: Lilies
Class: OT hybrid
Supplied as: Flower bulbs
Flower colour: Pink, Yellow
Fragrant: Yes
Fragrance strength: Medium
Flowering time: July, August
Flowering season: High summer
Foliage colour: Mid-green
Height: 140 cm
Spread: 30 cm
Habit: Upright
Position: Sun, Partial shade
Suitable for: Bed, Pot and container, Wildlife garden and meadow, Woodland edge, Cutting garden
Soil type: Loamy, Sandy
Drainage: Well-drained
Soil moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Neutral
Soil note: Suitable for many Swiss garden soils. A loose structure and good drainage matter more than a particular soil type.
Water needs: Medium
Planting time: February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December
Planting depth: 5.9–7.9 in
Spacing: 9.8–11.8 in
Number per m²: 12
Hardiness in Switzerland: Hardy in Switzerland
Hardiness by location: Hardy, also at higher altitudes
Hardiness zone (USDA): 4–9
Overwintering note: Generally hardy in garden soil in Switzerland. At high, windy sites and in containers, plan extra winter protection and avoid winter wet.
For containers: Only partly suitable for containers
Container note: Only recommended in a sufficiently large, stable, well-drained container.
Cut flower: Suitable as a cut flower
Naturalising: Not suitable
Naturalising note: Persists for several years in a suitable spot, but does not normally spread over larger areas on its own.
For bees and butterflies: Pollinator-friendly
Toxicity: Highly toxic to cats. Always keep the plant, pollen and vase water away from cats.