O. Lilies Zone 8

I just ordered some dwarf Oriental Lilies for my son in zone 8 Florida. Then, I called a local nursery in his area and was told they don't grow O. Lilies there--never heard of them.
So now, I am wondering if I made a mistake ordering Oriental Lilies to put in a large pot???
Please advise.
The description said they would grow in zone 8.

I hope you ordered them for fall planting. If I can grow Orientals in zone 10, I'm sure they can be grown in zone 8 in pots. Orientals don't thrive here, but they do bloom for 2 or 3 years before giving up. I have a dwarf Oriental that I bought at the grocery store 4 years ago, and just plopped it in the ground when it was through blooming. It has come back every year and is the first one to bloom.
Check the Flower ID thread here for a good discussion on soil preferences.

This message was edited May 13, 2014 12:41 PM

No, they are on their way right now. What do you recommend?
Should I have him send them to me? Or What?

Edited to say: "Thank you for the information" :)

This message was edited May 13, 2014 4:05 PM

I don't know what to tell you. My Dwarf is long since finished, and my Star Gazers are just emerging from the ground. Hopefully, some one more knowledegable will respond.

I live in z 9A Houston metro area and growing lilies is a 50/50 proposition. Some do fantastic and some show up once and never again. Is it my soil, who I bought from, bulb hardiness, when planted? I cannot say. I can only say that hybrids having Easter lily and oriental as parents (LO) are 100% reliable growers, sun or shade, when planted or whoever vendor.

I can also share ones that are great growers for me, May or may not be LOs.

Triumphator
White triumphator
Richmond
Red alert
Swansea
Royal sunset
Red Dutch (a walmart purchase)
Faith
A couple others but names escape me, both yellow.

If I buy more of the ones I already grow and consider tried and true, I get them from anybody with the best price; if planting for the first time, I go to b&d, Ramona

Hope this helps



This message was edited May 24, 2014 4:11 PM

Birder, have you tried calling the vendor? Whether or not the bulbs have been in cold storage would probably make a difference.

No, haven't called the vendor. Why would cold storage make a difference? Haven't heard of that, but I don't know too much about lilies. I just grow them and enjoy them.

Vossner, thankyou so much for your info. These were a mixture of red and white dwarf oriental lilies. I got them from van Bourgandien (sp?). I have purchased the same mixture from them in the past and have to say, for me, in my area, they performed fantastically. I lost them this year because they were in a pot, and the winter was too cold although, they had survived past winters. It just got too cold last winter So, I ordered more this year and decided to send them to Fl also. When I was searching for some good soil for the Fl person to put in the pots, I was told "never heard of them" "can't grown them here".

So, hopefully, the lilies will make it. If not, it will be a lesson learned.

Again, thank you for your input and information. DG always come through.