... in the earliest days of the Twentieth Century. Even if the lily was not one of the most beautiful of flowers he would have had ample reason for hunting them. The lily has been a part of floral and human history for the better part of 3,600 years. It has been symbolic of faith, chastity, hope and piety for Christians since the birth of that faith. In fact the lily was so important to early Christians that they attached religious significance to the individual parts of the flower... believing those parts were symbolic of the Virgin Mary.
When I planted ten 'Muscadet' Oriental Lilies last fall I was aware of this flower's popularity and beauty. I knew nothing, however, of its long-lived history. But the beauty of these flowers is an attractant for more than just pollinating insects. Since the first bud opened I have been garnering little facts about this fascinating flower bulb.
The bulb has scales but no protective skin. The stems are stout and usually, even in Oklahoma's winds, do not need staking. Blooms on Oriental lilies are larger than the ones on Asiatics and they tend to be more fragrant... making the Orientals excellent cut-flowers. Oriental lilies are tolerant of cooler growing conditions than Asiatics. They also tolerate less than ideal growing conditions... although I would not test this tolerance beyond what is reasonable.
'Muscadet' is a hybrid Oriental that grows 3-6 feet tall in the garden. It is described as having, "... flowers 5-6" across and features 6 white petals with a pink stripe down the middle of each petal, prominent reddish brown anthers and deep rose spots at the throat."

'Munchkin' Oakleaf Hydrangea was evidently the stand-out result of an 1997 open pollination of H.q. 'Sikes Dwarf' by the shrub breeding program at the U.S. National Arboretum. It has all the attributes of its species... large inflorescences that emerge white and age to soft pink, leaves that turn mahogany in the fall and exfoliating cinnamon tan bark. Unlike its parent, which can grow to 8x8 feet, 'Munchkin' matures at 3.5-4 feet... making it valuable for today's smaller gardens.
" It is native to bluffs, moist woods, ravines and stream banks from Georgia to Florida to Louisiana."