Black Beauty Lily visited by Silver Spotted Skipper

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Black Beauty Lily is one of the most beautiful lilies in our garden.
Called indestructible by Old House Garden Bulbs, it can take full sun or part shade, most soil types and is cold hardy in zones 5 to 8. 

The stalks are 6 to 8 feet tall in our garden and have to be staked if they are in too much shade. The faded flowers are snipped off to prevent seed set. Then, when the stems start to turn yellow they are cut off.

Each bulb will make bulb offsets that can be dug and moved to create large swaths of plants. Black Beauty is an Orienpet variety. Orienpets are a cross between Oriental lilies and Trumpet and Aurelian hybrids. There are more to enjoy at the Lily Garden site.

 Though his real claim to fame is the Stargazer Lily, Lily breeder Leslie Woodruff is credited with bringing Black Beauty into the world of flower lovers.

Woodruff lived a life of dedication to crossbreeding begonias and lilies and lived in a "ramshackle home and greenhouse." Read more about him at this link.

The Silver Spotted Skipper on the flower is abundant in our flower beds, though we are at the end of its range.

Bug Guide Silver Spotted Skipper
I'm not aware of seeing the caterpillars or chrysalis around the garden but I suspect they must be nearby since there are dozens of adults on the flowers.

Butterflies and Moths of North America's site has the entire scoop on Silver Spotted Skippers.









Comments

Unknown said…
Thanks for the mention Martha, our Black Beauty Lily has tons of buds this year and ready to bloom soon!
-Vanessa, Old House Gardens
July 21, 2014 at 7:54 AM
Molly Day said…
Hi Vanessa - I'm surprised yours are behind ours in blooming since we're in the same zone 7 as you are.
The butterflies LOVE these lilies!
Jealous that yours are still ahead of you.
M
July 21, 2014 at 2:50 PM
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