Description
(syn. maculatum dauricum rebunense, dauricum Rebun Form)
Short, stout stems densely clothed in narrow dark green leaves. At the summit there is a bowl-shaped, up-facing flower of orange-yellow with some purple spotting in the throat. Bright cinnabar filaments carry ruby-red anthers in the centre of the flower and this sympathetic darker colouring is picked up on the outside of the flower.
This is an extremely rare and very dwarf form from Rebun Island which sits about 30 miles off the north-western tip of Hokkaido in Japan. It is an island famed for its plethora of dwarf and miniature, endemic species and forms which have evolved in response to the very cold weather and the windswept terrain there. In extreme cases this Lilium can bear its more-or-less normal sized flowers on stems just 5cm tall when grown cold and in good light, they only rarely make 10-12cm unless forced.
This likes a humus-rich soil but one with good drainage also. Grow it in full sun (and no more than very light shade). The secret to keeping it dwarf is to keep it cool and light, ensure a humus-rich soil but with the plant growing in an open, exposed position. Get it right and this is very dwarf, very cold hardy and a very good plant indeed
