Lilium Josephine

Oriental Lily 'Josephine' is a sumptuous variety, which produces impressively large flowers, also highly fragrant, in the second half of summer. Their wavy petals are gracefully curved, tender pink, crossed by an almost white midrib and delicately speckled with dark pink.  It is a precious yet vigorous lily that will faithfully flower in a flower bed, a pot or even a large rockery. Its flowers, borne by strong stems, will bring a touch of exoticism and charm to homemade bouquets.

The genus Lillium belongs to the lily family, its representatives are bulbous plants whose foliage disappears in winter. In spring, leafy stems emerge from the ground, which rise and form a narrow and very vertical clump. 'Josephine' is a horticultural hybrid introduced in 2010. It was obtained through the cross-breeding of various species native to the Far East. This plant will reach a height of about 1m (3ft) when in flower, and the clump will spread indefinitely over time, with the bulbs producing bulblets through vegetative multiplication. In August, umbels of flowers appear, directed outwards, well displayed. They are trumpet-shaped and very wide, measuring up to 25 cm (10in) in diameter, and pleasantly fragrant. These imposing corollas are pale pink and white with satin highlights, heavily spotted with deep pink. The stamens carry cinnamon to brown pollen when ripe, completing the very fresh harmony of colours. The strong stems are covered with alternate, dark green, shiny and lanceolate leaves.

Oriental lilies do not like chalky, poorly drained and heavy soils, they are a little more difficult to grow than Asiatic lilies if the conditions are not met. You can grow them with perennial plants as they like to have their feet in the shade and the perennials will help prevent the stems from bending in the wind, or simply under the weight of the flowers. 'Josephine' is perfect for growing in containers, which can be placed on the terrace, near entrances, or in high-traffic areas to enjoy its exotic and fragrant flowers up close. This lily is also ideal in a low shrub bed, and of course as a cut flower. Grow it with compact hydrangeas, pieris, Chinese azaleas or dwarf rhododendrons, in a large ericaceous bed.