Addisonia 51 



(Plate 25 0) 



LILIUM CANDIDUM 

 Madonna Lily 



Native of southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia 

 Family Liuaceae Lily Family 



Lilium candidum L. Sp. PI. 302. 1753. 



Madonna lilies are the glory of the June garden and if planted in 

 masses in the flower-border with delphiniums, in all shades of blue, 

 and Campanula persicifolia, they are a never-to-be-forgotten de- 

 light. This lovely lily is undoubtedly the one mentioned in the 

 Bible. As its many common names of Annunciation Lily, Bourbon 

 Lily, Lent Lily, St. Joseph's Lily, indicate, it has figured in paintings 

 and tapestries from the earliest times until the present day. 



Lilium candidum blooms in June and July. In planting this 

 lily, a fairly sunny location is best and the bulbs should be placed 

 so that the top is only scantily covered with soil. It does not strike 

 roots from the stem above the bulb but is sparsely and deeply 

 rooted from the base. At the New York Botanical Garden it has 

 done well in a rich loam in a well-drained location. A way to grow 

 it that has proven successful is to dig a hole two feet wide and two 

 feet deep and fill it up to within three inches of the surface, and 

 then place the bulb on its side on sand and cover with sand. This 

 provides good drainage. The best time to plant is in the late 

 summer so that the bulb will have sufficient time to make its growth 

 of new leaves. In winter it is well to cover with a light mulch. 



Lilium candidum is subject to the very destructive rot common 

 in lilies. When a plant is diseased it is best to dig up and burn the 

 bulb, and choose another location for subsequent plantings. It is 

 claimed that an effective way to cure diseased bulbs is to dig them 

 up as soon as the tops have died down, after flowering, dust them 

 well with sulphur, and place them in full sun on a shelf in the green- 

 house for several weeks. Mr. E. H. Wilson says "the madonna 

 lily is the glory and pride of many a cottager's garden in the south 

 of England yet often on the Squire's estate nearby neither skill nor 

 care can induce it to happily make itself at home," and again, 

 "Bulbs grown in the south of England are said to be the best, tho' 

 the majority of dealers still insist that the French grown bulbs are 

 superior." 



