My Orienpet lily ‘Satisfaction’ started blooming recently. Orienpets are a cross between Oriental lilies and trumpet lilies. They still have the Oriental lily scent (albeit a toned-down version), but they are better at surviving Midwest weather. I was impressed by a clump I saw blooming at Rotary Gardens in Janesville last summer.
When I saw the first blooms from ‘Satisfaction’, I was ready to buy more bulbs to tuck into various places in my garden. Now I’m not so sure. The raspberry-red color is very striking, but I’ve noticed the flowers really fade.
Within a few days the bold colors begin to disappear:
Before the week is out, the flowers are silvery-pink and the distinct yellow throat has almost disappeared:
I can’t blame the weather for the fading. We had no measurable rain while the flowers were blooming, and while July can be hot and brutal on flower petals, we’re about to break the record for the coolest July ever recorded in Wisconsin.
The faded blooms aren’t hideous or anything, but they’re just not the flashy, dark-pink flowers that originally caught my eye. I’m a bit wary of Orienpets now, but before I completely give up on them, I’ll plant a different cultivar this fall and see if the same fading problem occurs next summer.