Lilium Sweet Sugar

Lilium Sweet Sugar is a sought-after hybrid Asian lily of the Lilium longiflorum species, valued in floristry for its long stems, fantastic colour, and light fragrance. This variety produces flowers that appear to be spray-painted. They stand tall and face upwards. This variety, which is a bit sensitive to cold, can be grown in pots and forced to advance the flowering date. In the garden, it prefers moist and fertile soils. A touch of elegance and romance for flower beds, potted plants, and homemade bouquets.

The 'Sweet Sugar' Lily is a horticultural creation by Vletter & Den Haan (Netherlands). It is a bulbous plant with deciduous vegetation from the lily family. It is part of a group of hybrids derived from Asian species such as Lilium longiflorum and L. formosanum, both of which are a bit frost-sensitive. These varieties are prized in floristry and are somewhat susceptible to viruses and severe frost. In full bloom, 'Sweet Sugar' reaches a height of between 80 cm and 1.10 m, and its vegetation spreads over time, with bulbs producing numerous bulblets through vegetative multiplication. Each floral stem bears 5 to 7 flowers measuring approximately 12 cm in diameter and facing upwards. They have a "sprayed" pattern as if the throat of the flower and the edge of the petals had been sprinkled with purplish crimson. At the heart of each flower, there are yellow stamens with mahogany anthers. The long glossy, dark green leaves are narrow and lance-shaped, with parallel veins. The vegetation dries up in autumn, while the bulb enters a dormant state. The bulbs are reserve organs with fleshy and overlapping scales.

Hybrid longiflorum lilies such as 'Sweet Sugar' bloom after 12 or 13 weeks of cultivation, and it is possible to "force" them by planting them early in the season in a conservatory or a warm room. The soil they are planted in should remain moist throughout the growth and flowering period. In the garden, in regions that are not too cold, you can associate these hybrid lilies with non-invasive perennial plants (lupins, delphiniums) or undemanding small bushes such as Caryopteris 'Sterling Silver', bushy potentillas in assorted colours, and even with small ground cover roses. Lilies appreciate having their feet in the shade, and the companion plants will help prevent the stems from bending under the wind. The 'Sweet Sugar' lily will be superb in flower beds, pots, and of course, as a cut flower.