Help... Winter Lily Pollen Stains!

'Zambesi' - Fresh white flowers & pollen just beginning to "open".

Note from Dianna: 

Kathy, a gardener who loves her lilies in the greater Seattle area, sent us an email in November asking for help with pollen stains on her wool sweater.  A day later, when asked if she could write a short story and document the pollen removal with photos, she reported that even after a a single day of exposing the fabric to sunshine, the stain had already shrunk too much to make dramatic photos. 

Good work, Kathy!

(All photographs by B&D Lilies.)

Kathy's "Winter" Lily Pollen Report

"Here I am in the kitchen cooking away with a beautiful vase of lilies on the counter. They smell so wonderful. Now, I've heard pollen does not come out of fabric and I should be cutting off the anthers where the pollen dust sits. Problem is, I've also been told the fragrance is emitted from the anther. True, False, I don't know. For this story it's true because that's the reason I had not cut the anthers off.

Back to dancing around the kitchen because I'm cooking a great dinner for a special person. As I dip and turn I realize I'm close to brushing up against the lily, I panic and try to dodge it, but my arm sweeps by the anthers getting covered across the whole upper arm. I immediately take the wool sweater off and flush it with water with nothing happening. Adding dish soap and rubbing between my hands only makes it spread. I stop. Ring it, pat it, and PANIC!

I run to the computer to hunt for any information on the web. Everyone recommended the sun on a sunny day. They also had fabric like cotton and linen. I have wool, it's winter and I live in the Pacific Northwest, which means no sun.

Taking a chance. I put the sweater in a single pane window that had morning light, not sun light. Next afternoon when I had time to get back to the sweater the spot looked a little diminished. As it set in the window over the next month little by little the spot has disappeared.

Lessons:

1. The sun works on materials of cotton, linen, wool and probably many others
2. Natural Light over a longer period of time works too.
3. The fragrance comes from the anther, pistil and even the petals.
4. Don't touch the area that was brushed by the anthers. Let it dry and brush it off in a day or two with a soft brush. Tape also works if you don't have a brush."

Further Notes from Dianna

'Corcovado' OT - anthers "closed", Style moist.

• When a lily flower first opens, the anthers are moist and tightly closed.  As the day progresses, they unfurl, exposing the pollen grains.

• Petal tips have the greatest concentration of fragrance oils, so sniff the edges of a fully opened flower for the best scent.  The center of the lily, where the reproductive parts are located, can be removed without any loss of perceived fragrance. 

• The "Style", which ends in a three part "knob" and drips sweet-tasting stigmatic fluid, also exhibits light scent, and in the case of a large purebred Oriental lily, can sometimes plentifully run down the bottom petal.  This sticky protrusion helps to hold the pollen from other varieties tightly to the Style, as hummingbirds, bees and other insects brush against it. This is how new hybrids are created from the resulting seed—produced later in the summer between compatible plants, if the growing season is favorable.

Can you see the pollen grains? (Hint: Look at the texture.)

• Pollen is generally sticky, even when "dry", which is the reason why you should never try to brush pollen off with your hand; the natural oils present on your skin will smear and "set" the pollen into fabric, or simply beautify your skin with a lovely orange-yellow cast.  

• If pollen is on your skin, such as an arm, flicking a soft cloth or brush on the grains can generally remove it.  In the field, we've used the end of a clean tractor towel to knock the pollen off jeans, not nearly as effective as a brush, but good for emergencies.

• It is a simple thing to gently pull off the dangling anthers with your fingers before they fully open, or use a tissue to remove open ones and keep your fingers from turning yellow.  With a dry artist brush, you can sweep off any dropped pollen grains on the petals to tidy the flower, but only if the petals and pollen are dry.  Lily pollen grains are generally too sticky and large to blow around upon the wind, so generally do not affect those with sensitivities to spring and summer pollen, and for those of us with fragrance allergies, unscented lilies are generally preferred for indoor use. 

'Little Yellow Kiss'

'Miss Lucy'

'Polka Dot' - a Spring 2014 Introduction.

• Don't want to go to the bother of picking off pollen to bring the stems indoors for vases?  Choose one of the pollen-free varieties, such as 'Little Yellow Kiss' (Asiatic) or one of the fluffy and fragrant Double Orientals for your home.  The anthers are either not completely formed—hidden completely inside the petals—like 'Miss Lucy' or do not naturally produce a significant amount of pollen beyond a few grains.

Lilies for Cutting - How to Choose the Best Varieties

'Yelloween'

3 simple things

Lilies need as many leaves as possible left on the stems after flowering to build up the bulb for next year's bloom.  Did you know, that in the process of growing a stem and flowers, over half of the bulb is "used up" in the process?   A bulb that was the size of a small orange or lemon at planting could actually drop down to the size of an un-shelled walnut during flowering.  This is the main reason why we recommended applying a second dose of complete fertilizer (e.g. 5-10-10, vegetable or rose food) just before the buds begin opening, so the bulb will have access to nutrients at this crucial time of growth.

If a floral designer cuts more than 1/3 of the leaves on a shorter growing, 2 to 3 foot stem (e.g.  Muscadette), the lily bulb will not be able to fully replenish itself before winter, most likely causing a non-blooming bulb ("blind stem") the next season.  While choosing varieties for the cutting garden, select cultivars which are at least 3 feet in height, so only a minimum number of leaves will be removed during cutting for indoor use. 

 'Yelloween' one year was over 6 feet tall following a cool spring, which made a perfect candidate for cutting, because the stem was quite long with many leaves.  Over winter, that bulb divided and the next summer there were two stems 4 feet tall, but they each had 8 to 10 flowers.  However, since the flowering head to stem ratio was more evenly balanced, to cut the entire bouquet of flowers on the stem would have possibly meant removing too many leaves as well.   
 
With shorter growing lilies, simply removing a single blossom here and there will do no harm and the flowers are marvelous in a bud vase or simply floated in a shallow dish. One advantage is that a single blossom removed from the garden stem will virtually go without notice in the overall design, but a single fragrant lily flower can still perfume an entire room.

'Suncrest'

 1. For a new planting, choose varieties for your cutting garden that are at least 4 feet in height, especially should you require longer stems for huge urns.  Try to leave at least half the leaves or 2+ feet of leaf-clothed stem if possible, so your bulb will not be damaged.  Be mindful that if you or Mother Nature tends to over water your lily garden at times, and the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off, those leaves are lost forever that summer.  Although the bulbs will not die, the lack of lower leaves means that you should not remove any upper leaves with the flowers.  Instead, just take individual buds, which will actually reduce the strain on the bulb for rebuilding itself.  In our commercial field, we allow the ends of each row to bloom, then remove the rest of the unopened flowers. 

Upwards looking flowers, such as 'Suncrest', are easiest to arrange in a vase because you do not need to cut as much stem for a normal household-sized arrangement; you can make a few selections in the 3 foot range.  Outfacing or pendant cultivars like 'Black Beauty' or Martagon Hybrids, require more stem for balance because the flowers are generally further apart and not closely clustered at the top.  These are best in larger containers or used in Ikebana dishes.   'Black Beauty' will make a tall stem, so it is easier to cut and use.  Martagon lilies, although beautiful in delicate looking arrangements, naturally have so few leaves in their whorled pattern it is sometimes better to just leave them in the garden, unless you have a tiny bud vase and can use a single blossom.

 2. Cut in the morning when the lower buds are fully "colored up" and just beginning to crack open. Strip off the lower leaves and immediately place in lukewarm water with Flora-life or another florist preservative if you wish.  You want to feed the stem, not treat a headache - so the folklore of an aspirin in water to prolong the lily bloom is really not effective.  Besides, the individual flowers last a long time even if you do nothing but merely provide water.

Simply pull off the pollen-bearing anthers.

3. As the buds begin to open, gently pull off the reddish-brown, pollen-bearing anthers before they unfurl.  By removing the anthers, you extend the life of the cut flower and eliminate stains on your tablecloth - and yellow smudged noses - as your guests enjoy the fragrance.  Depending on the number of flowers on an individual stem, which all eventually open (even the small green ones), you can enjoy your lily bouquet for 10-14 days indoors.  Change the water about every 4 or 5 days and remove any wilted stems of greenery or other flowers.

 

Dianna's short list of favorite lilies for cutting

Asiatics

'Eyeliner' (black edging is best viewed up close)

'Pirandello'

'Arbatax'

'Suncrest' (opens light yellow, bleaches to cream)

'Lionheart' (strong stems with good length)

'Royal Sunset'

'Kentucky'

Orientals

'Pookie'

'Siberia' (Smaller flowers than 'Casablanca')

'Sorbonne' (great scent)

'Arabian Red'

'Acapulco' (grow in part shade for longer stems)

OT (Orienpet) Hybrids

'Cocossa'

'Ormea' (smaller flowers)

'Bonbini' (mix with clusters of tiny pink roses)

'Sweetheart'

'Yelloween'

More challenging to arrange, due to larger flowers

or heavy inflorescence (lots of buds)

'Gizmo' (huge flowers, needs a massive vase)

'Casablanca'

'Scheherazade' (lots of buds)

'Holland Beauty'

'Black Beauty' (lots of buds)

'Conca d'Or' 

Larger, brighter flowers next year   Micro-nutrients are the secret!

What are you feeding your lilies?  We recommend a balanced commercial fertilizer of 5-10-10 or Rose fertilizer, about one tablespoon around each large sprout when they first emerge in spring. Repeat just before the flowers begin to open, then also add a generous tablespoon of either granular Trace Minerals around the base of the stem or a coating of Liquid Kelp sprayed on the leaves.  

Liquid fish fertilizer is also very good too, but remember that some natural formulas can leave traces of brown on the flowers, not good if cutting flowers for a show.  (Dianna remembers spraying fish fertilizer all through the garden just before Port Townsend's annual Rhododendron parade in Port Townsend one rather windy day.  Bob's bright red and newly restored Farmall C tractor, that was scheduled to pull the Cub Scout's parade entry, was covered in evenly spaced brown speckles the next morning, evoking a bit of panic on everyone's part, especially Mom, who was the zealous applicator.  Luckily the tractor was well waxed and cleaned up fast with a soapy bath, but the living room window... well, it took a lot longer with a razor blade scraper.) 

This fall, when the stems have matured and cut down to ground level, an inch of well aged compost or manure is useful if you have sandy soil.   Folks with clay-laden soils, and especially who have very wet winters, should only do top-dressing in summer.  Too much moisture retaining material, including mulch, does not allow your soil to dry well between rains, trapping moisture around the bulbs.  In cold climates, Zone 6 or below, mulch your lilies after the soil has frozen a few inches, to deter rodents from burrowing into the lily bed and feasting under a warm mulch.

Easy Steps Using Pineapple Lilies (Eucomis) in a Floral Arrangement

Pineapple Lilies make long-lasting cut flowers.  The stems and flowers are waxy with good substance.

Materials Needed:

Volcano-shaped, flat bottom bulbs.

• An uneven number of flowers are best to create balance in your floral arrangement. The entire flowering stem of a Pineapple Lily (Eucomis) can be used as a cut flower because the leaves emerge in a rosette from the top of the volcano-shaped bulb, rather than along the stem like true lilies (Lilium).  Consequently, removing the entire stem will not harm your bulbs in any way - in fact you might be encouraging them to make more offsets as well.  These are long-lived plants and you'll be able to pick stems each year.  Gather your flowers the evening before and place in a cool spot using only fresh tap water.

See the spotting patterns?

• Pull out the stems - rather than cutting - and you will have a neat white end at the bottom that is naturally “sealed” like the middle stem shown in the photograph. 
• Gather interesting branches from your garden - Branches and twigs will help keep the flowers upright in the vase and add intrigue to your arrangement.  If possible, try to choose shapes that curve aside and are not strictly vertical.
• Jar of glass beads – used to safely anchor the base of the stem in the bottom of the container.  Wire “frogs” are not recommended because the bottom of the stems are soft and will become mushy if overworked or repeatedly "pinned".  Glass beads are gentle on the stem edges and are quite attractive when used in a clear vase.  Choose either clear or a complementary color to show off the finely decorated stems to advantage.
• Choose a heavy glass or pottery vase to increase stability and to visually balance the large size of the flowers in the arrangement, but not so large that it will be hard to change the water without using a siphon hose - a trick used for massive floral arrangements.
  

Procedure:

1. Add glass beads to a depth of about three inches or more, depending on how transparent your container is – use more beads if you want them to be a highly visible part of the arrangement.  However, many Eucomis have interesting speckled stems which are pretty on their own, so take a critical look at the stems and then decide how you want the beads to fit into the overall "look". Add foliage, such as Fennel, Salal, Hosta leaves, Cryptomeria japonica (Dianna's favorite filler because it will last a month or more in water) or other conifers that will soften the overall effect and last a long time.
2. Add supporting structure, a few interesting bare branches will make a difference – in the arrangements pictured the branches are from an alpine conifer that experienced winter kill.  Balance the branches carefully; positioning one branch swooping to the side and slightly forward is always a good move.  Each single element or layer (foliage, branches etc.) you put into the vase should look balanced on its own.  Step back to look at your work, or leave it for a short while and upon return you'll likely discover a new perspective.
3. Add stems of Eucomis cut to varying heights with the tallest in back if you are making a “one side only” composition.  If you need to cut the stems to make them shorter for your vase, they will tend to get a bit soggy on the cut edge over time. *See note below.
4. Adjust the individual elements to make the design pleasing.  Try rotating the stems in place to align the angle of the flowers rather than switching their positions.  Be certain to add flowers or more foliage in the back of the vase to round it out.  Even though the back side might not be as visible, a fluffy amount of foliage all around the rim will help make the transition from vase to flowers more pleasing, plus people tend to “peek” behind arrangements to see how they are composed, so don’t give away your secrets!
5.  Fill container to within one or two inches of the rim with plain tap water.
6.  Photograph your work.
7. Change vase water regularly. Eucomis stems last a very long time – up to a month, longer as the seed pods develop - so the water needs to be changed at least once a week.  Place a folded heavy bath towels at the edge of your kitchen sink, using it as a soft base to steady the vase and tip most of the water into the sink.  Replace with fresh water and reposition the flowers if necessary.  This is especially important if you needed to cut the stems because those edges will tend to dissolve over time.  

*NOTE: Do not use flower conditioners; Pineapple Lilies do not need the prepared solution, plus it could reduce the longevity of the stems which are thick and fleshy.  The waxy/rubber-like stems and florets are probably 90% water, with a network of fibrous cells holding them together – as observed from Dianna's unsuccessful experience in trying to dry the flowers for use year-round.   Enjoy Pineapple Lilies in their season, the stems and florets shrivel away to paper thin when dried.  However, that infuriating trait will make it easy to collect seed if you hang them upside down for several months with a collection box underneath to catch the falling seeds.

These other arrangements used pottery urns and wooden “accent” spirals, found at a local market to tie in the solid black color of the vases.  Dip the ends of any wooden or dried material into melted wax to keep them from decomposing while you enjoy the Pineapple Lily arrangement for several weeks; this will also preserve them for reuse in the future.  Eucomis are only available in spring; check our website for information on varieties.  When the "add to cart" button is visible, they are available to order.