Lilium Foxtrot - Lily

Lilium 'Foxtrot'  is one of the first Asiatic lily hybrids to bloom in the garden. It has clusters of the brightest light pink flowers, cheerfully turned towards the sky. The heart of the flower is a deep pink, and its golden yellow anthers bring a precious touch to this refreshing ensemble. This variety is particularly compact, with dense green and shiny foliage that works well in pots and bouquets.

The 'Foxtrot' Lily is a beautiful American novelty ideal for cut flowers, but still little known. It is a deciduous bulbous plant, with a narrow and vertical tuft from spring onwards and belongs to the lily family. This very dense plant reaches 45 to 55 cm high when in bloom, becoming stronger over the years, and the clump will spread indefinitely with time, as the bulbs produce bulblets through vegetative multiplication. It flowers early, from June onwards. At the top of the stout stems, thick 6-petaled flowers appear in upright umbels. These flowers are not huge, but have an exceptionally bright pink colour. They are fleshy and waxy, overall light pink washed with a deeper pink at the centre of the petals, which is accentuated by a red median line and a white throat with stamens with golden pollen. At full bloom, small pale yellow-green areas speckled with purple can be seen near the throat. The stems are densely covered with alternate, dark green, shiny, narrow leaves.

This lily prefers rich humus, neutral to slightly acidic, well-drained and light soil. You can plant it with perennial plants or modest and not too dense bushes like dwarf maples or deciduous azaleas, as it likes having its base in the shade. These will help prevent the stems from bending under the wind. 'Foxtrot' pairs well with paniculate gypsophila, daylilies, chamomiles, and Coreopsis, as well as roses. Lilies are ideal for borders and in pots with their dense and compact habit, and of course in bouquets.