Lilium Pearl Loraine - Lily

Lilium 'Pearl Loraine' Asiatic Lily belongs to a series of hybrid lilies called 'Pearl', which are vigorous, floriferous, and easy to grow, in a palette of particularly refined colours. The flowers of 'Pearl Loraine' are very large, beautifully directed outward, and salmon-pink, an exquisite colour rarely seen in lilies. They bloom for several weeks in summer, carried by exceptionally strong stems. Once well established, this lily blooms faithfully every year and quickly naturalises in borders, pots, or even large rockeries. Its flowers are beautiful in bouquets.

The genus Lilium belongs to the family Liliaceae, its representatives are bulbous plants generally very resistant to cold in soils that do not retain excessive water in winter. 'Pearl Loraine', introduced in 2008, is a very recent hybrid obtained by cross-breeding various Asian species, including Lilium longiflorum which is vigorous and very accommodating. This bulbous plant spends the winter resting underground. Vegetation starts to appear around April, to produce a leafy stem. It will reach 1 to 1.20 metres (3 to 4 feet) high when in flower, and the clump will spread without theoretical limit over time, as the bulbs produce bulblets through vegetative multiplication. Its spectacular flowers appear from mid-June to mid-July, for about 4 weeks. On the leafy stems, numerous flowers with 6 recurved petals appear, up to 15 cm (6in) in diameter on a mature plant. Their colour is a soft watermelon red, darker towards the discreetly speckled black heart of the flower. Filaments of the same dark salmon red are covered with dark brown pollen, completing the harmony of colours. The stems are covered with alternate, dark green, narrow and shiny leaves.

This wonderful lily thrives in light, fertile, well-balanced and well-prepared soil where it will flourish year after year. You can plant it with perennial plants as it likes having its base shaded. 'Pearl Loraine' will blend in a small romantic bed with other orange, pink or white lilies, campanulas, daylilies in the same shades, foxgloves, or a Cloud Cabbage (Crambe cordifolia), for example. Creeping Phlox, rock cress, or silverweed will cover its base with an elegant carpet. This tall and beautiful lily is superb in tall borders or with shrubs. It is also an excellent cut flower.