I have a addiction to Orienpet lilies. I want to try them all! They are so easy to grow, and most of the cultivars I’ve planted bloomed like crazy. The only negative thing I can say about them is that sometimes critters (like chipmunks and rabbits) love Orientpet lilies as much as I do.
Last summer I gave ‘Sweetheart’ a try:
The flowers have a splash of red in the center. When they first open, the outside petals are a cream color, but as they age that cream becomes light yellow:
My Orienpets grow a little taller each year and the stems get sturdier. Some of my ‘Satisfaction’ Orienpets have popped up on stems that could rival a corn stalk for thickness.
‘Sweetheart’ grows 3 to 4 feet tall and begins blooming in late July. I usually plant my Orienpet lilies in late fall, but you can also plant them in the spring. Right now ‘Sweetheart’ is available for spring planting at B&D Lilies (no affiliation). They’ve never sent me anything but HUGE, healthy bulbs.
I planted ‘Sweetheart’ in front of my arborvitae hedge so the yellow flowers would really stand out against the dark-green backdrop. ‘Sweetheart’ is hardy in Zones 5-9. I’ve never protected any of my Orienpet bulbs over the winter and all of them survived two bitter winters in a row. I wouldn’t be surprised if they could tolerate a Zone 4 climate.