I would like the members opinion on this tall lily seedling with is rather unusually shaped upfacing flowers. I have to admit I really really like having it in the garden, but that is me. Perhaps, as a hybridizer I am just taken with its shape rather than its overal look? I keep imagining the same in various solid colours such as yellow, white, or pink, or maybe somthing almost black.
Anyway, your comments would be most welcome.
Jim

Up-facing flowers in racemes is fairly unusual! It's usually out- or down-facing flowers in racemes and up-facing flowers in umbels. Personally I like up-facing flowers, since you can have shorter plants without having to bend down to appreciate the flowers.

It's a very unusual look. Even though I'm not a fan of most up-facing lilies I like this one. I can see the landscape value and potential for ease of bunching; could be a big winner with bulb and cut flower growers!

Nice short and fat buds, too. I do like the flower shape, but it does look like it is trying to imitate some other genus: Anemone, perhaps?

I have gone back to your images several times now, to see if my initial very positive impression would change, Jim. Immediately I liked this lily very much for its striking appearance! It has a beautiful rich color as well and it certainly has a wow-factor. It would indeed be very nice to have in different colors.

The strongly up-facing look works really well with the shape. I like nearly all types of lilies, but normally if given a choice I'd prefer a more side-facing or down-facing lily, but with this particular shape, I don't think it would have given such a strong look.

From the picture it doesn't seem to have a lot of buds, but I don't know how old your plants are, so that might change in the future? But that's about the only negative I can come to think of after going back and examining this one several times.

I would tend to agree with Della's comments about it, both for landscape and cutting. If it propagates well, the flowers are long lasting and it grows big bulbs I could definitely see some commercial possibilities here.

Fata Morgana has a little of that look. Not sure how well it would do as a parent, but you might introduce yellow, more stalky growth and shorter pedicels, if those might be your aims.

I think shorter pedicels and/or more buds would ruin the waterlily look of the seedling. Something quite exciting about it is that it is already approaching a corymb, and (as a pond of waterlily flowers would appear), I'd try to enhance that, letting other colours happen along the way as they may, until the form and structure is stable. Personal taste

Options though for introducing other colours may be pretty limited, and with Fata Morgana's look I think it would be a good place to start to raise another generation to select from.

Jim, I'm trying to say that I think the "overall look" is the charm of it, and the waterlily impression comes not just from the shape of the flower but from the plant structure too. Make more

Wow! Thanks for all the thoughts on this lily. They are much appreciated. Skane, thanks to you and Rick and Della for all the positive comments on this seedling. I had just moved it into this bed the year this photo was taken. I will be moving it again as there is now little room in the bed as the other plants are encroaching on it.
It is a seedling that I always stop and have a look at when I am in that part of the garden. Rick, if I can find 'Fata Morgana I will try to use it and in the meantime keep looking for any other suitable partners.
Not sure exactly why, but I always imagine it growing with tall grasses.
Thanks again.
Jim

JimSaskatoon said:
Not sure exactly why, but I always imagine it growing with tall grasses.
Thanks again.
Jim

I think the slender structure of the inflorescence makes it look like it would sway in the wind like grass does, and be a harmonious companion. But since the lily is relatively stiff, is that a good thing, or a bad thing?

I think I may have given my Fata Morgana the boot last fall. It's a nice lily, but with limited space, some things have to go to discover new things. But, I didn't transfer its name from my "present" plant list to my "past" plant list, so I might still have it....

Sorry William I kind of got mixed up on your name - just looked in the corner.

No worries, Jim