What Makes a Lily So Royal?

 We absolutely love lilies here at Sun Valley.  We offer hundreds of colors, species, shapes, and sizes under a handful of brand names. One of our most popular brands is our line of Royal Lilies.  These flowers are a special kind of hybrid that demands an exploration into their greatness.

And what makes our Royal Lilies so special? First off, they are our exclusive brand of Asiatic-Longiflorum Lilies, better known as LA Hybrids.  These are not your average garden variety lilies; these are a man-made flower species, hybridized for better performance, and bred to meet and exceed the needs of flower lovers, connoisseurs, and novices alike.  Their blooms are bigger than traditional Asiatics, their vase life is the longest of any lily, and they boast the widest variety of colors.  Not only that, they are virtually scentless--perfect for those who have sensitive noses or allergies. We have been growing LA Hybrids year-round for years, and our dedication, experience, and first-rate finished product is why we have named them Royal Lilies--they are fit for a king or queen, indeed.

Just take a look at the photos--these babies boast extra-large, smooth blooms in a vibrant spectrum of hues.  Their outstanding vase life and distinct trumpet-like shape are both traits they take from their Longiflorum side.  Their Asiatic blood guides the blooms to face upward while also being responsible for their warm, super-saturated hues. 

Besides their excellent breeding history, Royals also need a quality growing environment to really shine.  This, of course, means giving them what they want every step of the way.

The first step is getting the bulbs into the ground.  Royal Lilies love moist, rich soil, so we make sure to pre-water the terrain to achieve the perfect level of moisture.  Next, our planting team places the bulbs directly into the ground.

Baby LA Hybrids with drip tape and wire

Once all the bulbs are planted, our team lays down drip tape, which provides a consistent, measured supply of water and fertilizer directly to their root systems, without wasteful runoff.  Finally, the team lays a wire grid, which is raised with the Royals as they grow (see photo above).  This support system keeps them growing tall and straight.

Lilies in one of our hoop houses

Royals like warm days and cool nights, which is why we grow them our hoop houses in Arcata (thanks cool, coastal breezes!) for three seasons and in Oxnard hoops in winter (thanks warm, SoCal weather!). The two locations allow us to produce continuous, dependable, true-to-type crops year-round.  
 

Large crop of LA Hybrids growing in our special hoop house, known as "The Cravo"

We use our space well, and don't rush the flowers. We grow them slowly, taking about 12-16 weeks to reach the perfect time to pick (still closed, showing some color on the buds).  This style of growing allows enough time for all the energy and nutrients from the bulb to reach the buds, so their vase life is incredible and the colors really pop.

Once picked,  the stems are bunched into groups on soft tables (to prevent damage), and then placed in buckets of water, which is the start of their post-harvest journey.

Once the lilies have been bunched, the next step is to place them in a sleeve, which we have coded with the name of the lily and its color.  This is necessary as we ship our lilies in closed bud form, allowing them to bloom for you.  Once sleeved, each bunch is trimmed to an ideal height and then placed into a bucket of special water on a cart.  Each cart is mapped to show exactly which variety (and how many) are in each bucket and how many buckets are on each cart.  This data allows every team member on all levels (sales, packing, shipping, etc) to have the most accurate information. At the end of the day, we don't just grow flowers, we live and breathe them!