Lilium bolanderi update
Kenneth Hixson (Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:45:23 PST)

Hi, Max
Lilium bolanderi.... Leaves have begun to emerge in the last week

Up here in Oregon, none of the western americans have
started to emerge, though I've been looking every couple days.
I normally put seed that is received late (most purchased seed)
into the freezer over the summer and plant them in the fall.
Germination is higher, and so is survival. Planting
(purchased) western american lily seed in a plastic
bag of peat & perlite and putting it in the refrigerator
results in the seedlings coming out of the refrigerator a
couple months later at a time when fall planted seedlings
are starting to die down, so the spring planted seed just
doesn't get time enough to form a bulblet large enough to
survive the hostile summer temperatures. Western american
lilies need about two months at 40-45F to form bulblets but
do not send up a leaf until conditions warm up to the right
range, which is when fluctuating temperatures help the bulblet
decide when to send up a leaf. Western american lilies
germinate to form a bulblet underground first, before sending
up a leaf (this is called hypogeal germination). This contrasts
with many lilies which send up a linear "seed leaf" like
an onion when they germinate, which is called epigeal
germination.
Fall planted seed may germinate in the fall, but
seems to take no harm from freezing temperatures for the
first year or two.

Possible exceptions are L. parryi and some forms of
L. humboldtii, which don't seem to need as much cool winter weather.

L. bolanderi isn't easy, so keep us informed of your
experiences, good or bad.

Ken