December, 1920 
199 
Z3l)£ .flower (Brower 
The Madonna Lily. 
Propagation of the Madonna Lily. 
By David Griffiths, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture, 
(Washington, D. C.) 
[Written 'xprtssly far The Flawtr Grawir.] 
EDITOR of The Flower 
Grower on page 152 of the cur- 
| rent volume calls for directions 
for the culture of Lilium candi- 
dum. It is not surprising that so old 
and so familiar a plant as this Lily 
should be such a stranger to so many 
growers, when its propagation is con- 
sidered. We have been depending on 
the foreign propagator too much. 
It really is one of the easiest of Lilies 
to grow. It is on a par with Lilium 
longiflorum, L. myriophylum, and L. 
ligrinum. It is likewise most readily 
propagated by several methods. 
Seed — It is seldom that seed is pro- 
duced, but when a set is obtained 
germination is readily accomplished. I 
have gotten seed but once, but occa- 
sionally hear from people who do get it. 
It is suggested to the readers of The 
Flower Grower who have clumps of 
this Lily, that they hand-pollinate with 
its own pollen and with that of some 
other species. Seedling strains may 
give us greater vigor than the stocks 
which have been propagated so long 
vegetatively. 
Scale — This is the method almost 
universally employed in increasing the 
stock of this species. On Puget Sound 
we scale the bulbs usually in July, 
shortly after the plants have flowered, 
and plant the scales in beds as we do 
Tulips, one or two to the inch in rows 
six inches apart, where they remain 
two years undisturbed. They are cov- 
ered two inches deep. The resulting 
bulbs begin to flower the third year. 
If one has a greenhouse in any region 
where the temperatures run high in 
summer, the propagation can be very 
much accelerated. We have been able 
to get the old scales all transferred 
into bulblets between June 20 and 
October 1, by keeping them on moist 
sand under the benches of the green- 
house. The space under the benches 
was closed in by burlap. The scales 
were kept in precisely the same atmos- 
pheric condition as required for the 
propagation of Hyacinths except that 
they were laid on the sand under the 
benches instead of on wire trays. It 
will be readily seen that this trick is a 
decided advantage, inasmuch as it puts 
one a year ahead in the production of 
these bulbs from scales. If planted in 
the open ground it takes a year to get 
the scales used up. In the vicinity of 
Washington, D. C., the bulbs are ma- 
ture in late June and can then be 
scaled. By late September the scales 
are used up and the bulblets start to 
root and form top growth. They can 
then be planted one and one-half to 
two inches deep in the open ground. 
Stems — There are very few crops in 
which the waste product can be used 
for propagation as it can in this Lily. 
As is well known, the foliage com- 
monly dies in this Lily shortly after the 
flowers have faded. If the flower stem 
is cut say within a foot of the ground, 
as is common in marketing the flower, 
the remainder of the stem can be used 
in propagation. With a twist and sharp 
pull sidewise the base of the stem can 
be easily pulled out of the bulb, with 
apparently no injury to the latter. 
These old stem bases can then be 
layered in sand and in four months 
A propagated stem of Lilium candidum 
slightly reduced. The stem was forwarded 
to Washington, D. C.. from Bellingham, 
Wash., about the middle of July, and immedi- 
ately went into the Hyacinth propagating 
chamber under the bench. It showed bulb- 
lets in two weeks. It was photographed Sep- 
tember 25, 1920, when the bulblets were fully 
formed and ready to be planted out. 
will produce six to fifteen bulblets, 
some of which may flower the second 
year and many the third. 
There are various ways of handling 
these stems. We have had good suc- 
cess with them in the same chamber as 
Hyacinths were incubated, i. e., under 
benches in the greenhouse as described 
above. We have also had good propa- 
gation in a month or six weeks’ longer 
time when the stem bases were layered 
in sand, where the conditions were not 
altogether dry but still not moist 
enough for plant growth. 
The method of propagation from the 
stems is to be recommended as quick, 
efficient and inexpensive. Its applica- 
tion, furthermore, is not confined to 
this Lily. It has a very wide applica- 
tion in the genus, as does also the 
method by scales. 
In the Puget Sound region it is the 
universal custom to jerk the stems out 
of the bulbs and clean up the beds as 
soon as the flowers have faded. There 
is apparently no evil effect from the 
practice. Whether this practice would 
be safe where July and August are wet 
months is not known. 
Bulb: — There is a propagation oc- 
curring naturally by splitting up of the 
old bulb, but in this species it is a 
rather slow method of increase, for the 
bulbs get very large before they split 
where conditions are suitable for the 
best development of the species. 
Suggestions for Growing 
the Madonna Lily. 
Shipments of Madonna Lily (Lilium 
candidum) bulbs from I 1 ' ranee seem 
delayed this fall and although early 
September planting is always recom- 
mended, last spring I saw some beauti- 
ful specimens of these Lilies from bulbs 
planted much later. While fall growth 
is imperative the top growth starts so 
quickly after planting, many gardeners 
have splendid results from late plant- 
ings. 
As soon as possible after bulbs are 
received, plant in the following man- 
ner : Dig a hole eight inches deep 
(with a sharp trowel) put a layer of 
sand in the bottom, lay the bulb on its 
side and cover entirely with sand. 
Then fill the hole with soil. Do not 
put on the winter covering until the 
ground is well frozen, then cover with 
about six inches of straw or leaves 
(never manure.) 
In the spring when I uncover my 
Madonna Lilies I sprinkle a teaspoon- 
ful of ground bone-meal in a circle 
three inches from the stalk, rake this 
lightly in the soil and repeat this feed- 
ing when the buds begin to show. 
This method provides the necessary 
food for spring growth. 
Some claim a layer of clay under- 
neath the Lily bed is necessary to con- 
serve moisture, but my Lilies grow 
beautifully in a very sandy garden soil. 
It is true I water them during periods 
of drought late in the season as well 
as during blooming time. Possibly 
this accounts for their vigorous growth. 
Madonna Lilies are often advertised 
as being of the “easiest culture.” Does 
not “easy culture” mean lack of care 
to some gardeners? Care in this case 
means providing food and water and 
stirring the soil frequently, especially 
just before blooming time. 
After two or three years the bulbs 
often become crowded^ then it isneces- 
