Lilies pt.2- Asian Specimen Lilies

Lilium auratum. A.D. Dyachenko. http://www.botansad.com.ua

Lilium speciosum. http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com.

The best known lilies used in making hybrids are undoubtedly Asian species. Two of the best lilies that have been used in hybridizing are the goldband lily (L. auratum) and Japanese lily (L. speciosum)  of Japan. While others have certainly been used in the great variety of hybrids, these two are used to make many of the Oriental hybrid crosses, particular the one that brought ‘Stargazer’ to the gardening world. While there are many stargazer lilies on the market (so called because the lilies used in the crosses left the hybrids with a tendency to flower facing up at the sky) the resemblance with L. speciosum is uncanny for good reason.

The goldband lily of Japan is a beautiful lily of its own accord, sporting a bright gold band in the middle of each petal and brown spots (related var. platyphyllum lacks the brown spots.) The petals gently curl as well and are very large for the species. This is one of the taller and more floriferous lilies, growing to eight feet tall and containing as many as twenty flowers at a time! This is a midsummer bloomer with a strong lily scent (it lends this scent to the benchmark Oriental hybrid scent.)

The Japanese lily blooms later than many others (in August and September) but this lily in particular is the parent most responsible for the beloved Oriental hybrids. This lily is native to the mountains in central Japan, and grows up to about four feet tall. Not as floriferous or large as the goldband lily, it is white to pink in color, and wonderfully scented as well. The standard form is more floriferous than the hybrids, but with smaller flowers and less fragrance.

Lilium ‘Stargazer‘. 20 May 2006. Skarg. Wikimedia Commons.

As said before, these two species are responsible for the most part for ‘Stargazer,’ and its coloration and form is the tale of the hybridization. Its flower is a brilliant pink with noticeable darker bands running along the middle of the petals and spots, like its parent in L. speciosum; but its upright form and flowering period is similar to L. auratum. Stargazers tend to grow to be between four and five feet tall, with 5-6 flowers on the stalk.They are the easiest lily bulbs to grow in the garden, requiring well-drained acidic soil, and are hardy from zones 5-9. I daresay no garden should be complete without one

The stargazer fragrance is the benchmark I use in comparing other lilies. Its warm, sweet, and musky. The scent seems to combine Jasmine, lemon, and Asian Magnolia with a definite musk undertone. Its a sultry scent perfect for summer that makes its presence known in a room! What else can be said of the lily fragrance aside from magnificent? Now if only they can make new hybrids without the stamens all would be perfect (the pollen on the stamens is horribly staining and deathly toxic to cats.)

Mimosa (Albizia)

Albizia julibrissin. 2003. Michele Denbar. http://grannymountain.blogspot.com.

Summer is a season of rich scents, but none hits me so powerfully as mimosas do on a humid evening. Just as lindens are waning, mimosa takes full stage, casting its similar rich scent out through entire neighborhoods for pollinators. Mimosa is a catch all for many small trees and large shrubs in the Fabaceae family with similar flowers and tree structures, but these are actually quite different from the other mimosas out there. The fragrance I believe is almost as effective as the Acacias of the tropical world, but without the thorns.

This mimosa is also called the Persian silk tree for its silky flowers, but in the U.S. its best known as mimosa (although not related to Mimoseae. The tree does happen to be native to Persia in its river valleys, but also appears all the way over to East Asia. Its the hardiest tree of its tribe, hardy to zone 6a, and flourishing in every space the climate allows it to grow. As it is a tropical plant introduction, it decidedly adds a tropical feel to temperate landscapes, resembling the Acacias of Africa, although smaller. It will grow to be forty feet tall in zones 7-9, but in zones 5b-6b, it barely makes it over twenty feet, with a larger spread to thirty feet. As it is borderline hardy, it is almost always the last plant to leaf out in my area (mid May), along with crepe myrtle. Its bipinnate leaves are stunning in their length, and like many other plants in the genus, close at night, folding down in appearance.

The flowers begin to appear about this time of year in June and can last up until late August, scenting the summer nights with an incredible fragrance. The flowers are what make these trees unique, as they are watermelon pink, very much like a puffball, and appear in clusters that are identifiable from far away. The ‘flowers’ are actually composed of many small flowers in a big puffball-like cluster. The individual flowers are small, with  small calyxes and corollas, but very large stamens up to two inches long. The flower nectar attracts bees and hummingbirds during the course of the summer, and at the end of the season produce seedpods characteristic of the Legume family.

The fragrance is almost indescribable in these, as its a center point between three fragrances. It seems to be the middle note between gardenia, sweet pea, and watermelon (or perhaps pomegranate…certainly fruity). Its a fragrance that begs for more, and I cannot resist it! Even a few flowers are enough to do the trick, but a whole tree bedecked in blooms is a true ambrosia. The scent is strong day or night, but seems to prevail in humid evenings.

There are many cultivars available of the species, but the standard are the pink blossomed kind, which are unfortunately invasive in the Southeast. I’ve seen many growing wildly in the foothills beneath the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, and one would think it was the only flowering tree to grow in Knoxville if driving on the interstates in the city during its flowering period. Variants of this main species can have creamy yellow and white blooms, but this is generally uncommon. There is a redder variety called ‘Rosea,’ as well as a purple leaf variety called ‘Summer Chocolate.’ ‘Rosea’ is hardy to zone 5, and tends to end up as a twenty foot tree, while ‘Summer Chocolate’ is only hardy to zone 7, but is less floriferous.

I normally make a spiel about not growing invasive plants as standards, but this is one of the few exceptions I think we can allow for the sake of its scent. Do dispose of those seed pods though please!

Its hard to believe June is nearly over. There are so many plants I should have gotten to by now it makes my head spin, but I guess winter can always allow some catch up time, as unplanned for the bloom season as that is.

Catalpa and Paulownia

Catalpa bignonioides. Le.Loup.Gris. Wikimedia Commons.

There are many copycats in the plant world, between plant families in particular, but also those outside. Both Paulownia and Catalpa share a similar look, growth habit, and flower shape- which is why I decided to lump the two together in one post. Oh and their fragrances are nearly identical as well. They are in different plant families and come from different areas, but with similar ecoregions.

Lets start with Catalpas. Catalpa is native to the Eastern U.S. and Caribbean, with a few species in Asia as well. The trees grow up to sixty feet and have large, heart-shaped leaves, and large, foxglove-like flowers. The flowers are followed by long, cigar-shaped bean pods. The wood of the tree is soft and branches rather brittle. The tree makes a wonderful specimen planting for its showy nature, but the seed pods are difficult to clean up after winter.

The two American species are the most popularly planted. C. bignonioides is the Southern Catalpa, native to central Alabama, but planted largely throughout the Eastern U.S. C. speciosa, the Northern Catalpa, is native to the Mississippi and Ohio river confluence region, but is also widely grown throughout the Eastern U.S. The trees are identical, save for the Northern Catalpa is less floriferous, but has larger, and more fragrant flowers. Northern Catalpa is also slightly more hardy, but both are hardy to zone 5. The fragrance is described as being sweet-pea like, but I tend to think it more on a jasmine side. In either case, it is sweet, but a fragrance that does not lend itself to spreading through air. The trees bloom from May to June, maybe as early as April in zones 8-9, and as late as July in zone 5.

Paulownia tomentosa. Famartin. Wikimedia Commons.

Paulownia, or Princess tree, is a stately tree in a landscape, but is unfortunately invasive in the Southeastern U.S. One drive down Interstate 75 from London, Kentucky to Knoxville, Tennessee is enough to verify this. It is another Asian native, with cultural significance in China and Japan, where the Genus originates. Paulownia is nearly identical to Catalpa, but grows larger, and flowers earlier in spring, with purple flowers that are larger than Catalpa blooms. The winged seeds come in egg-shaped capsules born after flower dessication. The trees have this distinction of producing extremely large leaves when in its early-growth stages, or after the tree is cut back. In these years, the tree does not flower.

The flowers are a light lavender color, blooming in mid-to-late April and early May for two weeks (Catalpa blooms later in the season for much longer). The fragrance takes a cue from Catalpa, but throws in a strong vanilla fragrance to boot, and unlike Catalpa, generously fills the garden with its scent. The wood from Paulownia has a strong significance in Japanese art as well, and is one of more the more utilized woods for crates and chests, as it is very light and workable, much like Catalpa. Lastly, it does have agroforestry uses, but is best in its home range in China and Japan.

If one were to compare the use of the trees side-by-side, its best to air with Catalpa in the states, as its native to the region, and has more colorful flowers.

Well May has come to and end, and I’m sad about how many plants I didn’t get to this month but there is always the future right? Tomorrow will be a post about the wonderful month of June and what plants to expect then!

 

Peonies

Paeonia suffruticosa. Aberlin. Wikimedia Commons.

May cannot dare pass by without a mention of Peony. Peonies are native to the Northern Hemisphere and grow from Siberia to Oregon and are cultivated everywhere in between. They come in perennial peonies (dies back completely in winter, less than five feet tall) and tree varities (dies back to woody growth, greater than five feet tall), and are what I like to call non-rosy roses. They have a look and scent similar to large roses, and are just as popular in my opinion, although the bloom period is much less. They come in single to double varieties like roses as well.

The most popular varities known to horticulture are P. lactiflora and P. suffructicosa, perennial and tree peonies respectively. While having similar form and colors, the two differ in that the perennial clumping kind is less than five feet tall and dies back to the ground in winter, while the tree varieties die back to hardwood growth, and grow larger to five feet. The perennial hybrids are more popular and easier to grow in the garden, and more fragrant, but don’t last as long. I recommend growing the tree variety for this reason, as they are rarer but more spectacular in bloom, and will boom for longer. Both have a rankish rose smell, but P. lactiflora is more odoriferous.

In the great book The Fragrant Path, by Louise Beebe Wilder, Wilder lists P. lutea as having the most fragrant flowers of the bunch, being lily-like. Considering the book was written back in the 1920’s, this variety does not last under the same name any longer, but is another tree peony. The general consensus of scent is like Iris, they share a similar scent overall but there will always be outliers. As irises were mostly violet-like with a sickening twist, peonies are rose-like with a rankish twist.

Peonies are much beloved in Asia, and are one of the *unofficial* flowers of China (the country has no official flower). Peonies like a climate that is not too hot or cold and nice well-drained soil and full sun to do well. They are tolerant of most other conditions aside from late frosts. Peonies also are used to make a rose-like flavored water and candied peony petals. They also make a nice addition to teas fresh or dried. They are well-known for their medical benefits in certain species as well.

Its a plant I love so much but have never managed to grow, hopefully I can change this someday!  Anyways, May is more than half over, but the scents keep rolling in! Now is a time to say that I have many followers on this blog, if I have missed something you would like to have mentioned, do not hesitate to let me know!

Orange Jasmine

Murraya paniculata. http://www.toptropicals.com.

While May is all about Northern bloomers, this one is, and has been, gracing southern gardens for some time. In pots, this plant blooms during warmer months indoors, and is an ever bloomer in tropical locales. However, starting in April and going through June is the typical heaviest bloom period, where an entire greenhouse and/or garden is bathed in the delicious scent. Another Southeast Asian native, this plant is related to Citrus, where it gets half of its epitaph from. The shrub has a look and scent similar to Citrus, but grows smaller and makes for an excellent hedge. It has pinnate leaves, setting it apart from Citrus as well as smaller, densely clustered flowers.  It also has the ability to grow in any soil and climate conditions except for extreme drought and is only hardy to zone 10.

Orange Jasmine or Orange Jessamine grows all is planted all over the tropics and in several greenhouses. My own town has a large indoor collection at Pemberton’s. Murraya paniculata has a scent similar to orange blossoms, but also has the ability to blend in with season bloomers. I’ve noticed them smelling just like Easter Lilies when blooming near the holiday, and like Hyacinths in spring, but otherwise a very warm, sweet, orange blossom essence. Its a very interesting phenomenon, and is very generous with its scent no matter where it happens to grow. It also sets inedible red fruits after its bloom that can be used to propagate the plants, and makes for a good food source for birds.

Related to M. paniculata is M. koenigii, called Curry tree for its curry scented leaves. The fresh leaves are used in curry dishes and the oil from the seeds of the fruits in aromatherapy. It is also a tropical landscape plant, although the flowers are not as impressive or fragrant. The plants are also known for their medical benefits due to their chemical compounds.

I continue to be on backlog for detailing fragrances, just as I continue to be on backlog with plantings at my job. Gotta love this time of year!

Russian olive and relatives

Elaeagnus angustifolia. P. Breen. http://www.invasive.org.

For a genera that has produced several of the world’s noxious weeds, this happens to be one of my favorites for two reasons. The first is obviously the fragrance, or else I wouldn’t be writing about it, the second is that because its roots fix nitrogen- it can grow anywhere and remediate soil. For a small list of the invasive species in this genus: Silverberry, silverthorn, and Russian Olive are all covered here. The majority of the species is of Asian origin, save for a few species from The Caucuses and Southeast Europe around the Black Sea, and one species from North America. Also the majority are fragrant late spring to early summer bloomers, the one exception here being Elaeagnus pungens. The scent varies between species but it is always sweetly fragrant, often to the point of being a solid nasal knockout.

The most attractive species of the group is easily the Russian olive, Elaeagnus angustifolia. Its called the Russian olive as it was thought native to the area of Southern Russia and Georgia around the Black Sea, but actually is native to Western Asia and Iran. In any case, the tree has beautiful silver foliage, small fruits, and yellowish flowers that are abundantly sweet. The sometimes gnarled trunks often give it a look similar to olive trees from a distance, hence the name. It is also very drought tolerant, which is why it is invasive in the Southwest U.S., growing in many floodplains from Texas to California. The small fruits are edible and sweet, although mealy.

Elaeagnus umbellata. Nathan Soley. 2011. Phytoimages.siu.edu.

Next is Japanese silverberry, Elaeagnus umbellata. While this sometimes is a gnarled, small specimen tree in my hometown of Lexington, it is actually a noxious weed in several Southeastern states, and I can attest to it being a weed in Appalachian Kentucky as well. This tree happens to be a noxious weed in West Virginia, the next state over from me; and it grows everywhere there, filling the mountains with a very refined sweet odor in late April and early May. There happens to be one specimen growing outside Bluegrass Community and Technical College on Euclid Avenue, which sheds its scent all over the campus on a windy day. The scent is very sweet, almost overpowering, but not cloying, its similar to Gardenia, but more honey-like. The small tree is pretty when bedecked with flowers, but the flowers themselves are quite small, and the leaves not very attractive- thus its best feature comes down to soil rejuvenation, which is how it was introduced as a weed to begin with. The fruits are sweetly tart and edible, but small, and more likely to be eaten by birds first.

Elaeagnus pungens. Aleem. http://www.thelovelyplants.com.

Lastly, the thorny olive or Silverthorn, is another noxious weed of the southeast. It happens to bloom in fall, from September until November, but is easily the most fragrant of all the species, with a scent strongly resembling Gardenia. It makes a nice Landscaping plant in areas in Zones 7-9, including on beaches. The shrub grows prolifically, sending up long, vining branches out scrambling up trees and shrubs in its way. It needs serious pruning not to look gangly. The fruits produced are silverish and inedible, and the flowers are not quite conspicuous enough to be attractive, but the mysterious autumn scent is enough to look past its skid row countenance.

Invasive and noxious plants should obviously not be planted in areas where they are invasive, so do consider this if you are hoping to grow any of the species above. Otherwise, enjoy the wonderful scent!