LILY BASICS - Part 2 - Morphology W Photos

LILY BASICS (part 2)
Morphology
Morphology (plant parts)

Lilies have 6 petals (technically 3 are sepals). Bloom colours range from white, cream and
yellow to orange, pink, red – all colours but blues and purples – and from pale to intense
shades. Some lily blooms showcase pure clear colours, while others have contrasting coloured
throats, spots, freckles or brushmarks. Markings down the middle leading to the center of the
flower are thought to assist insects in their search for nectar. Raised spots called papillae are
also commonly found.
Flower sizes range from small and delicate to large and robust, and can be found singly on a
stem or as multiple blooms (up to 50) arranged in a variety of ways. Flower orientation varies
as well, with some lifting their faces to the sky, some facing to the side and others gracefully
Dori Jo with spots or freckles on Gran Cru with coloured throat Gypsy with clear pink colour

the throat.
drooping downwards. Flower
shapes can resemble trumpets, bowls, or goblets depending on the degree to which the petals
curve out and back from the center of the plant. In the most extreme case, the petals curve
back towards the base of the flower, creating a turk’s cap shape.
Lily leaves are secondary to the showy

flowers, but still offer an interesting texture in
the garden. They can vary in size, number
and distribution along the stem - some are
scattered while others are in whorls, emerging
from a single point along the stem and circling
around it. Lily plants also range in size from
short, petite plants of 15 to 20 centimetres to
taller varieties up to 1.5 to 2 meters in height,
plus every height in between.
With all this variety in mind, it’s easy to see

that there is the right lily for the right place in
any garden.
True lilies are lumped into a group of plants

loosely identified as ‘bulbs’, more technically Drawing reproduced by permission
known as geophytes – ‘geo’ meaning earth’, and phyte
from the ARLS and NALS
meaning plant. These plants survive at least a portion of
the year below ground in a dormant state. Lilies are true bulbs along with snowdrops and
hyacinths but geophytes include other types of structures including corms (crocus), rhizomes
(iris), tubers (potatoes), tuberous stem (cyclamen), tuberous roots (dahlias).
The lily bulb essentially contains all the plant parts, remaining dormant until the right conditions
exist. These fleshy, underground structures have a basal plate (the modified stem of the plant)
at the base, from which roots emerge. These roots anchor the lily plant into the ground,
preventing it from blowing over in the wind, and to a small degree also help with accessing
water and nutrients from the soil. .
The layered scales above the basal plate are

actually fleshy leaves, and these store food and
thus the energy for plant growth (until the roots
and above-ground leaves take over). At the top
of the bulb is the new growing tip, from which
the flower stem will emerge. This flower stem
also forms roots (called ‘stem roots’), between
the top of the bulb and the soil surface. These
are crucial in enabling the plant to absorb
enough nutrients – they are the main feeder
roots. This is why it’s important to plant lily
bulbs deep enough that these roots can develop.
Lily bulbs must be handled and stored carefully.

Avoid knocking or damaging the growing tip.
Drawing reproduced by permission Lily bulbs lack the protective papery skin (or tunic) found on
from ARLS and NALS other true bulb such as tulips or daffodils. They are known
as imbricate (or non-tunicate) bulbs. This leads them to be
even more susceptible to drying, so care must be taken to keep the bulbs cool and moist. If you
want to store lily bulbs clean them carefully and place in a plastic bag with some peat moss,
wood shavings, vermiculite or something similar, and keep cool and moist.
Watch for the next article, focusing on planting and culture.
Written by Jane Reksten, Manager, Botanic Gardens and Greenhouses at Olds College,
(www.oldscollege.ca) and the Alberta Regional Lily Society (www.arls-lilies.org)

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LILY BASICS (part 2)

Morphology (plant parts)

Dori Jo with spots or freckles on Gran Cru with coloured throat Gypsy with clear pink colour

Lily leaves are secondary to the showy

With all this variety in mind, it’s easy to see

True lilies are lumped into a group of plants

The layered scales above the basal plate are

Lily bulbs must be handled and stored carefully.

Watch for the next article, focusing on planting and culture.

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