I feel a change in the air! After what seemed like an eternity of sweltering upper 90s, we've finally broken the heat dome! Of course, the humidity is still thick, but at least we can once again hear the thunder and feel the rain-cooled breeze. Though I've not caught a whiff of tea olive, I know it's just around the corner! That is my personal favorite signal that Fall is on its way.
I'm fascinated with common names for plants, and I like to make up new names for my favorite species. For a long time I've wanted to call something "August Lily", but I can't narrow down anything that only blooms in August. But here are some contenders:
It could refer to the giant white Lilium formosanum, or Taiwan lily. This is a self-seeding perennial that is mostly self-sustaining as long as it receives full sun and protection against deer. I'd suggest starting this lily by direct-seeding in the ground- just scratch up some soil in full sun then scatter a few seed, it's that easy! It definitely blooms in August, but it may also begin blooming in July, so it isn't the perfect fit! I also don't feel the color white is perhaps the best color to evoke the month of August. Is that just me??
If you do a Google search for "August Lily" you will likely find references to hostas. I'm pretty sure these are the heirloom hostas or Hosta plantaginea 'Grandiflora', which are primarily grown for their tall fragrant white flower spikes rather than their large patterned leaves. This is also a good choice for southern gardens and should re-seed throughout the garden; however, I see these more as June and July blooming rather than August, though I could be confused about the species. Do any of my readers know a hosta that reliably blooms only in August?
Another plant that could be conceivably called "August Lily" is the aptly named "Hurricane" or Spider lily, as is more commonly used. But this genus is huge and contains species and cultivars that start blooming as early as July and continue until early October. Lycoris are diverse and, most gardeners in the area only grow the mid-to-late September-blooming variety of red Spider Lily.
But I'm on a mission to acquire a clone of the red spider lily I saw blooming in mid-August in Newnan. I first discovered it this year while driving in a historically African-American neighborhood east of town. The tiny yard was covered in bright red lilies, and I nearly ran off the road with excitement! I keep fantasizing about asking the owner for a bulb, but so far I've not built up the courage. Any thoughts on how I should go about this?
Anyway, there are other plants that could conceivably qualify as "August lilies"- species like Zephyranthes (rain lilies) and also the aptly named school-house lily (or Rhodophiala bifida). But rain lilies bloom sporadically throughout the summer and schoolhouse lilies typically wait until the first of September. So my quest to find a true August Lily continues!
If you know of a perfect plant for this title, please let me know! Regardless, enjoy the welcome rain, and look for all those bulbs that are about to erupt from the ground!
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