Many of us love lilies because they are lovely flowers that beautify our environment but do you know the blackout Asiatic lily? It is a division I Asiatic hybrid lily grown, especially because of its elegant flowers.
This stunning and showy flower has a popular cut arrangement and got its name from its color. It has a dark red color but turns darker during the blooms. ‘Blackout’ Asiatic hybrids are distinguished by their enormous, generally non-fragrant flowers (4-6″ wide), a diverse range of colors and early summer bloom.
Asiatic lilies are among the first lilies to bloom. ‘Black Out’ has funnel-shaped, dark carmine red flowers with darker black-flushed-red markings in the center of each petal. Flowers bloom from June to July on rigid stalks that reach a height of 2–3 feet. The stems are covered with slender, lanceolate, dark green leaves.
How to Water Lilies ‘Black Out’
‘Black Out’ lily prefers wetness but is not resistant to standing water. During the seedling stage, a stringent watering regime is essential.
Water less often once seedlings emerge, unless there is a drought. Water the plants after topdressing (soil amendment). Improve soil drainage in the wet season.
Sunlight Requirements for Lilies ‘Black Out’
Sunlight requirements: Full sun
Sunlight Tolerance: partial sun
Lily ‘Black Out’ prefers filtered sunlight. If it is excessively strong, it might degrade the quality of the blooms and the entire plant. Most lilies require four to six hours (or more) of sunshine. More sunshine allows the plant to generate more nourishment, leaves and flowers.
If your lilies ‘Black Out’ are planted in a location that receives a lot of intense, direct sunlight, around 30% of the sunlight should be blocked. If planted in a garden, place it around the borders of shrubbery or near fences.
Ideal Temperature Range for Lilies: ‘Black Out’
Ideal temperature range: 5–35 °C
Temperature range: -20 to 38 °C
The ideal temperature range for growth is 16–25 °C. If temperatures rise beyond 28 °C, the plant will grow shorter, produce fewer flower buds and develop blind (non-productive) buds. It is best to keep the soil temperature between 12 and 15 °C. When temperatures drop below 13 °C at night, the leaves may turn yellow and fall off.
The plant stops growing below 8 °C. Lilies ‘Black Out’ are susceptible to freezing weather; therefore, bulbs should be collected and kept in the fall.
During the hot summer months, water regularly cools both the plant and the soil. Lilies should be watered right after planting and then every two or three days thereafter. They require approximately 2.5 cm of water per week. Stop watering 10 days before harvesting the bulbs because lilies ‘Black Out’ are susceptible to standing water.
High soil humidity might kill seedlings. Therefore, pay attention to drainage during the wet season.
What Soil Is Best for ‘Black Out’ Lilies?
Soil composition: chalky, clay, loam, and sand
Plant ‘Black Out’ lilies in loose, fertile, somewhat acidic soil with a high organic matter content.
Continuously growing lilies in the same location can dramatically impair blossom quality, so plant them in a well-drained, deep, sandy soil where no other Liliaceae plants have been established.
How to Fertilize Lilies ‘Black Out’?
Fertilize seedlings early in their development to ensure enough nutrition levels for stem growth. Later, adjust the soil according to plant and soil conditions.
Apply compound-base fertilizer before sowing; farm manure can also be used. Amend the soil twice during the growing season. When the seedling is about 10 cm tall, apply compound fertilizer. Compound fertilizer should be applied again during periods of rapid development and bulb enlargement.
How to Prune ‘Black Out’ Lilies?
Pruning Time: Spring and Summer
Benefits of Pruning: Grow vigorously and stay in shape
- When buds appear, remove the terminal (primary) bud to reduce nutrient use, transfer nutrients to the bulb, and promote bulb expansion.
- At the same time, remove the buds growing where the shoot emerges from the main stem (the leaf axil).
- Pinch off the buds after the dew has dried on a sunny morning. To improve the appearance and health of the lily, remove any damaged, dead, or too-long branches.
- Pruning faded flowers after blooming allows other buds to blossom more easily.
How to Plant ‘Black Out’ Lilies?
Lilies ‘Black Out’ are commonly available at local flower shops and from numerous online wholesalers.
Choose a plump bulb with strong roots that is pest- and disease-free and has a flat, round top. Before planting, soak the bulb with fungicide and thoroughly dry it.
The best time to grow lilies ‘Black Out’ is in late autumn, although they can also be planted in the spring. If planted in the fall, the plant will develop roots first. If planted in the spring, buds germinate first. To avoid cold-weather damage, plant as soon as possible following the spring thaw.
When planting, put the bulb with the top of the bud up and the roots down. Cover the bulb with dirt that is two to three times its height thick. Water thoroughly to moisten, but not to the point where water accumulates. While growing, use stakes to support weak stems.
How do You Harvest ‘Black Out’ Lilies?
Harvest fresh-cut flowers in the evening or early morning on a sunny day.
Freshly gathered flowers should be kept out of direct sunlight and maintained in cold storage to maintain their freshness.
Problems
Lily leaf bugs can cause problems in particular regions. Potential diseases include lily mosaic virus (early eradication of aphids that carry the disease is strongly advised because there is no cure once infected), bulb rot (especially in rainy, poorly drained soils), and botrytis.
- Plants may require staking if grown in too much shadow (stems weaken) or in areas prone to severe winds.
- Common pests and diseases for lilies include ‘blackout’ and brown spots. This infection may cause dark spots or patches to emerge on the plant.
Solutions: Minor occurrences of brown spots do not require treatment.
However, if the infection affects a large portion of the foliage and causes defoliation, the plant will benefit from treatment.
- Sap-sucking insects: Sap-sucking insects can form thick clusters of tiny yellow or white dots on the leaves.
Solutions: Sap-sucking insects can be difficult to identify since they are often tiny and cling to the undersides of plant leaves.
If you notice evidence of an infestation, follow these methods to eliminate it. Handpick insects and remove eggs.
- Yellow spot: Leaf spots might appear as yellow or white patches on the leaves.
Solutions: Diseases Fungicides can stop the spread of spores, but they may not treat an existing infection.
The first step is to remove and dispose of all contaminated plant parts. Then apply the substances that have been advised.
FAQs
What are Asiatic lilies used for?
In the Middle Ages, pulverized lily bulbs combined with honey were used to treat illnesses, snake bites, and even baldness and wrinkles.
Throughout history, the lily has represented hope, purity, innocence, the Virgin Mary, and motherhood.
Are Asiatic lilies poisonous?
The Asian lily, also known as the Asiatic lily or the Oriental lily, is a flower that is highly toxic to cats. This plant is not toxic to other animals.
Other species of lilies, while not toxic, can cause minor symptoms, including mouth discomfort and drool.
When should frozen bulbs be planted? Can they be refrozen?
When the bulbs arrive, open them and slowly defrost them in a shaded area at 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. If they cannot be planted right away, store them at 2 to 5 ℃.
If they cannot be planted within a week, store them at 0 to 2 ℃. Thawed bulbs cannot be refrozen.
Can lily bulbs be stored and planted in the future?
If grown bulbs are stored properly in cold storage, they can be planted the following year, but their performance will be lower than that of fresh bulbs.
In subtropical zones, with low temperatures around 0 ℃ in winter, the bulbs can overwinter outside and blossom again the following year.
In warmer climates, the bulbs do not live long after the blooming time and are typically destroyed each year.
Conclusion
So here is the beautiful blackout Asiatic lily, its care and pruning, and all you need to know about it. If you seek to improve the aesthetics of your home and surroundings, this flower is just great for that purpose.
