Lilium Sunny Morning - Martagon Lily

Lilium 'Sunny Morning' is a superb hybrid variety of martagon lily that is floriferous, vigorous and reliable. Each bulb forms a floral stem resembling a candelabra, adorned with numerous small pendulous flowers with well-curved, orange petals with golden edges, intensely speckled with dark mahogany. It should be planted in a border exposed to morning sun or at the edge of a grove where its colours will be highlighted. It takes a little while to establish itself, but once established, it will faithfully bloom each year and multiply through the production of bulbils.

Lilium 'Sunny Morning' belongs to the Liliaceae family. It is a hybrid that combines the genes of Lilium martagon, a botanically delicate species, and L. hansonii, a vigorous and undemanding plant native to East Asia. 'Sunny Morning' is a deciduous bulb with a narrow and upright tuft of foliage from spring. This variety reaches a height of between 90 cm (35in) and 1 m (3ft) when flowering. Its growth will spread without theoretical limit over time, as the bulbs produce bulbils through vegetative multiplication. It blooms abundantly in June-July. On a mature plant, each floral stem bears up to 50 flowers with a diameter of 5 cm (2in), hanging towards the ground. Their thick and slightly shiny petals curl at maturity. The base colour is a soft salmon orange and each petal is bordered in yellow and sprinkled with reddish-brown. This range of colours blends beautifully with the prominent orange stamens. The flowers attract a large number of pollinating insects. The leaves of this lily are dark green and lanceolate in shape. This hybrid is a very long-lived plant that naturalises over time. The above-ground vegetation completely dries up in winter.

You can associate this 'Sunny Morning' lily with perennial plants in your garden, as lilies prefer to have their base in the shade. You can also grow it in a pot to bring it closer to your terrace or window borders and fully enjoy its exceptional flowering. The warm colours of this martagon lily harmonize well with whites and the entire range of yellow, red, or purple tones. To play with colour contrast, pair it with the blue flowers of sage or catnip, for example.