There appears to be to be a growing interest in Tetraploid lilies. This information comes to me from numerous conversations I have with some of my customers.
What is a Tetraploid lily? This is fairly easy to explain. It is a lily that has four sets of chromosomes vs the two sets (diploid) of chromosomes that normally appear in plant material.
Why would you want a Tetraploid Lily? Because plants having four sets of chromosomes (also called 4n’s) generally are more vigorous and floriferous that it’s diploid counterpart.
How does one get a Tetraploid lily? This is where the subject gets heady!! It is usually a result of chemical introduction during the fertilization and growth of the embryonic cells. The most common chemical used is colchicine. However, this condition can also happen naturally in plants,
Okay, that’s about as technical as I am going to get! Please excuse me as I do not have a degree in Botany or Genetics. So it’s probably not a good idea to discuss such a technical subject!!
Dr, Robert Griesbach, among others, has worked with Tetraploid conversion. Known Tetraploid lilies currently available from http://www.farawayflowers.com/ are:
The Pearl Collection (Asiatic)
Rosella’s Dream (Asiatic)
Chiara (LO)
Tanita (LO)
Vandella (LO)
el Condor (LO)
Santa Rosa (LO)
Faith (LLA)
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