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Asiatic Upfacing Lily
Lilium ‘Sun Ray’ has golden-yellow flowers with green throats and a light dusting of speckles in the center. Plants are hardy to the Chicago region. The blooms are upfacing on stems that stand 2 to 3 feet tall in late spring and early summer. They are not fragrant. Sun Ray is an Asiatic hybrid. Asiatic hybrids are the easiest lilies to grow, are quite winter hardy, and reproduce readily. They generally bloom earlier than other lilies and will have a higher bud count on a straight stem. Typically they are not fragrant. The grace and beauty of this lily make it a lovely addition to the garden. Lilies love full sun but will do well in partial shade. They tolerate hot summer days, as long as the bulbs are deep enough to remain cool. Lower plants surrounding the lilies will help protect their roots from drying out. As a lily becomes more established, it will produce more blooms on higher stems. Lilies make an excellent cut flower with long-lasting blooms and buds that continue to mature and open after cutting.
This lily is ideal for potted plant forcing because the natural short stems require fewer growth regulators to keep them in scale with the growing container.