Discussion began here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/868480/#new with post dated July 29, 7:54pm.
The Citronella strain certainly must have variations. Before I delve into speculation, I should really confirm a suspicion, if my plants are Citronella after all, as a key characteristic I have seems to be left out of all descriptions I've seen: mine produce bulbils, not a lot, and only on the distil (upper) end of the stem. Do you guys' do that? Mine are beginning to form already, so you all's plants (in warmer climates) should be well on there way.
This message was edited Jul 31, 2008 7:35 AM
Lilium leichtlinii and Lilium Citronella
Rick are you saying 'Citronella' makes bulbils? I'll go check... The one I have labeled as 'Citronella' doesn't have bulbils. Hybrids can be so close to species in looks, and species so variable in form I think only genetic testing could reveal the truth at times.
This message was edited Jul 31, 2008 7:51 AM
No 'Citronella' bulbils here. I have 5 of them and no bulbils on anything.
Never any bulbils here either. All of my Citronella have distinctly dark stems; very eyecatching in the garden when the Asiatics are up just a foot or two in the spring. I have a "tall" form purchased from the PNWLS. According to the register, the background of Citronella includes L. amabile, L. dauricum and L. davidii. According to B & D lilies, there are "...only a few of the most vigorous clones..." in the group (comparing to the original strain that was available from OBF) available. B & D's photo of a bloom (I'm looking at Spring '05 catalog, page 29") is quite different from my Cits. They show a bloom with fine spotting (smallish spots), whereas all of my Cits have larger spots. I have purchased from a total of 3 sources, a total of 7 bulbs.
Exactly. I had read all that info too, Pard. Where would a trait of bulbils come from when NONE of its ancestors ever have them? Although my flowers match leichtlinii very closely, as do others' Ctronella here. None of that little speckling.
How about plant form and foliage compared to leichtlinii? No dark stems here either. How about you, Andy and Mag?
Pard, how do your Citronella stack up against our leichtlinii?
Mine is below
Mag's http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=5335273
Lilyfan's http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=5346107
Other observations: My leaves are dark, but not that dark. They are darker than say, the nearby orientals. I pulled off a leaf of 'Citronella' and I would suffice to say that they are the excat same color in my garden. The source for my 'Citronella' was none other than John Scheepers/VE. Both of them lose spotting toward the tips of the petals, but I would say 'Citronella' loses it sooner. Also the species bloomed later than 'Citronella', but was also newly planted this year. I would be curious to see what happens next year.
p.s Lefty:pollen on the way ;)
Tall Citronella stem. I didn't rotate because that would cut off the top and bottom...
Tall Citronella bloom. Last one, I got it just in time...
And its reverse...
OOPS!!
My Citronella is done blooming so I can only compare the plants, which look identical.
Do you mean your's has the dark stems also? Does everybody's Citronellas have dark stems?
Darker than those nearby an d darker compared to many, but you know, until this thread I don't know if I would have really noticed them to be considerably dark. I wouldn't say, for example, "look at how dark those stems are" .
Thanks for the clarification, Pard. I hate to be a picky stickler, but I still want to know if you all think there is foliage difference too (as well as your stem, Andy). My supposed Citronella's foliage is very different from L. leichtlinii.
My so called citronella and L. leichtlinii have darker stems that turn greenish around the top area. The foliage looks identical.
Another spotted yellow lily with re-curved tepal is the lancifolium flaviflorum, which does have bulbils
Of course !!!
Us men can have such one tracked minds! (At least I'm sure most women will agree with that.)
Guilty here.
I have to agree with some, that an actual variety of yellow lancifolium doesn't exist, as the yellow form(s) in circulation hardly resemble the orange L.lancifolium widely accepted now. However, my "Citronella" fits exactly with materials known as the "accepted" variety flaviflorum.
Thanks plntsrock!
No problem. The citronella I saw at Longwood Gardens this summer did not have bulbils.
I just recently subscribed and tried starting a forum on L. lancifolium, but no replies yet. I did a search on virus and got some of my questions answered though.
I happen to live near Charlie Kroell, who has taught me a thing or too and he is oblivious to the virus. He says, "Yeah, I think I've heard of that".
It has been my impression that L. lancifolium in the carrier of the symptomless virus. Any good suggestions, anyone, of where to find some more definitive info about it?
You all are a great, very informative bunch.
SHOULD READ: "...It has been my impression that L. lancifolium IS the carrier...", not
"...in the carrier..." sorry.
David
dark stems
