Completely crazy for regal lilies
The strong perfume of the regal lily led to an almost ruinous purchase contract and even almost cost the life of a plant hunter. But read for yourself.
There are no half measures with the regal lily (Lilium regale), which can grow up to 180 cm tall: one either turns one's back or succumbs to its
noblesse forever! The reason being the strong,
heady perfume given off by the large, white funnel-shaped flowers with lemon-yellow throat and purple-coloured exterior along the median nerve.
They certainly left Beverley Nichols, the British author, spellbound. He was so enchanted at their sight that he immediately bought the
ramshackle farmhouse in front of which they were growing. In his words: «I was intoxicated by their beauty. The moment I saw them, I imagined myself
signing the contract for the house. The size of the building, the cost of repairs,
not to mention the expense of the upkeep – all those bothersome details suddenly seemed insignificant. I simply had to own those lilies!»
The regal lily was discovered by Ernest Henry Wilson, a British explorer, and it almost cost him his life. In the summer of 1910,
the most successful of the many plant hunters stumbled upon their wild habitat in a remote mountain area of western China, where he and the
members of his expedition dug up over 6,000 bulbs. Wilson was seriously injured by falling rocks. With his leg shattered, he remained lying on the
edge of
a precipice and gave orders for the botanical collection to be brought to safety first before he would allow himself to be rescued.
Further exciting topics about lilies
Lilies and their history
Since when are there lilies? Where do they come from? And why are they so popular worldwide? Here you will find the answers to these and other questions.
What does the word «lily» mean?
Today the lily has a similar name in many languages. But this name comes from ancient Egypt and originally meant something else.
Lilies for men and gods
Lilies stand for love, innocence, ephemerality and rebirth. That is why there are exciting stories about customs - but also anecdotes from the world of the gods.
Madonna lily
It enchants with its brilliant white and stood for paganism until the Middle Ages. Here we explain why this lily is now called Madonna lily.
Completely crazy for regal lilies
The strong perfume of the regal lily led to an almost ruinous purchase contract and even almost cost the life of a plant hunter. But read for yourself.
Fire lily
It wards off storms, makes it easier for the hens to breed, helps us find a partner and is even a beauty elixir: here you can learn a lot about the Fire lily.
The mysterious night life of the Turk's cap
Why does the Turk’s Cap only smell at night? And how is a lily pollinated with its flowers hanging down? The exciting answers to these questions can be found here.