When Longiflorum-Asiatic (LA hybrid) lilies first arrived on the scene, they came in pale colors, and the petals were waxier and not as interesting as Asiatic lilies with their freckles and bicolors. I tested out a few cultivars. I had to admit that these crosses between Asiatic lilies and Easter lilies grew on very sturdy stems and returned year after year without fail, but I just couldn’t get past the drab colors.
I hadn’t tried a new LA hybrid in quite a number of years, but I planted ‘Algarve’ in the fall of 2008 and it bloomed this past summer. ‘Algarve’ grows two-to-three feet tall with medium pink flowers that mature to a lighter pink.
The flowers are big and sturdy, and when it rained there was very little pollen staining on the petals. That’s a big improvement from Asiatic lily flowers which can be ruined after one downpour. I planted my ‘Algarve’ bulbs next to my screen porch in a corner that only gets about 3 or 4 hours of sunlight each day. They didn’t mind a bit and bloomed happily for nearly a month.
LA hybrids are supposed to be slightly fragrant, but don’t plant them expecting to enjoy the fragrance from a distance (like the heady Oriental lilies). Unless you stick your nose in a flower you probably won’t detect anything.
I plan to try more LA hybrids. Thankfully they’re now available in a rainbow of colors—some even have freckles! They’re disease resistant, don’t require any fussing and perform wonderfully in part-shade or sun. What more could a gardener want?