'Crimson Pixie' Asiatic Lily

Description:

The 'Crimson Pixie' Lily is a brilliant red-orange Asiatic lily that is very popular among Canadian gardens, and for good reason. Asiatic lilies come in nearly every colour, and are the hardiest of the lilies. They also bloom before other types of lily, very early in the season. These pictures are of the patch of lilies in my front flower bed. I took them after a light rain shower, and came across a fantastic oddity. In the last photo, the lily appears to be mutated, yet viable. There are only 5 petals and 3 anthers present; opposed to the genetically programmed wild type design of 6 leaves and 6 anthers. (Anthers are the tips connected to the filaments that are rising up from the centre of the flower. Anthers hold the pollen!). The petals and anthers were not torn off, instead there appeared to be "stubs" where the appendages were aborted. I just thought it was interesting, and worth sharing!

Habitat:

Being a hardy flower, it is capable of thriving in most reasonable environments: (Sun Exposure: Full Sun or Partial Shade, Soil Type: Normal or Sandy or Clay, Soil pH: Neutral or Alkaline or Acid, Soil Moisture: Average, Blooming Time: Early Summer - Mid Summer).

Notes:

Lilies symbolize fertility and are often used as a wedding flower. Interestingly, lilies are also a symbol of death, commonly being placed on graves. (It is said that lilies spontaneously appeared on the graves of people executed for crimes they did not commit). In history, white lilies were used in medicine: -Ancient Romans used the juice from lily bulbs to cure corns. -Spaniards believed that eating a lily's petals would restore someone who had been transformed into a beast back into human form.