Why Are Asiatic Pollen-Free Lilies Significant?

The answer to this question is that allergies are often aggravated by pollen. Therefore any reduction in pollen in a flower should help allergin sufferers. Turner's Patch has selectively bred several pollen-free and reduced pollen-free asiatic lilies with the added benefit of being shorter in height---some are dwarf, -- which makes them excellent pot plants or border plants.

The results of the breeding are posted in this blog.  One of the seedlings that Turner's Patch has bred and grown, is now registered with the Royal Horticultural Society.  It is named "Dr. Thomas Massie".  This fine lily is being grown at a home that is still in the Massie Family.  The house was built by Dr. Thomas Massie for his son.  The home is located in Massie's Mill, Va and is called 'Pharsalia'.  The lily at this time is not available for distribution.

Semi-Dwarf Asiatic Pollen-Free Lily Seedling Data

Seedling Breeding Results

Lewis Turner, owner of Turner's Patch presents the results of years of breeding, which are listed below. The resultant seedlings are unique in that they are pollen free (pollen-free) or reduced pollen lily seedlings, and have wide single petals, and are semi-dwarf. They have been field tested for a number of years and have proven to be dependable, grow well, and are beautiful. In addition, they grow very well in pots.  Our experience with these lilies has also validated that they are an excellent choice for pollen sufferers ---those with allergies --- and those who do not want pollen to stain their cloths.  Please take time to review them.  Note: Asiatic lilies can be readily multiplied using bulb scaling techniques which can make them available relatively quickly for the market.  We are pleased to announce that we have after many years of testing, registered a semi-dwarf upfacing, almost completely free of pollen, Asiatic Lily.  It's name is "Doctor Thomas Massie".  It is described in the data below, paragraph 'A'.

Data:

A, Asiatic Lily seedling, Semi-Dwarf, Pollen Free, Wide Petals, Orange petals, 2-5 blooms per stem, petal length .62mm petal width .32mm, bloom date June 20, bloom stop date July 4, Characteristics: Almost completely free of pollen, Wide Petals, Semi-Dwarf, classification 1A, height .44m.  Note, This seedling lily, after many years of testing and growing, has been registered with the Royal Horticulture Society and been given the name "Doctor Thomas Massie".  It is being grown at a family home, Pharsalia, in Tyro, Va, near Massie's Mill, Va.  Pharsalia that was built by Doctor Thomas Massie for his son.  That home is still in the Massie family.    It is not available for distribution at this time.

B, Asiatic Lily seedling, Semi-Dwarf, Pollen Free, Wide Petals, Yellow petals, 3-7 blooms per stem, petal length .65mm, petal width .31mm, bloom date June 16, bloom stop July 10, Characteristics: Pollen Free, Wide Petals, Semi-Dwarf, classification 1A, height .58m

C, Asiatic Lily seedling, Semi-Dwarf, Pollen Free, Wide Petals, Yellow petals, 2-8 blooms per stem, petal length .67mm, petal width .30mm, bloom date June 18, bloom stop July 6, characteristics: Pollen Free, Wide Petals,
Semi-Dwarf, classification 1A, height .49m

Notes on the above seedlings:

• These lilies have been field raised and grown in pots, in America, and have survived a severe drought in Maryland that left our area with only thirty days of water. They have received no special protection, have been dependable, and have been consistent in bloom.

• These lilies are pollen free or essentially pollen free. The first one (A) has produced scant amounts of pollen which do not easily rub off. Because the pollen is significantly reduced, it should classify as an allergen reduced plant. All others are pollen free.