double-flowered tiger lily; was: Re: [pbs] Bulb Odds and ends
DaveKarn@aol.com (Mon, 12 Jul 2004 09:57:47 PDT)

In a message dated 11-Jul-04 6:06:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
jimmckenney@starpower.net writes:

Jim ~

Not necessarily. The "tiger lily" has long been known to harbor a number of
lily viruses making of it, thus, a "Typhoid Mary" when grown anywhere near
more sensitive lilies, e.g., the Orientals. It is of more than passing interest
that this (triploid?) lily has been grown for hundreds of years (L.
lancifolium or L. tigrinum) in spite of its virus and has been remarkably tolerant of
it. Would that breeders could isolate those genes and get them into the other
lilies that would really benefit from a little stiffening of the spine, as it
were!

There have been a number of hybrids made with this lily over the years. I've
grown a few of them and, while relatively vigorous, eventually didn't shed
any tears when the gophers got to them . . .

Dave Karnstedt
Silverton, OR, USA
Cool, wet Winters; warm, dry Summers
email: davekarn@AOL.com