'L. speciosum rubrum 'Uchida'' (Lilium)

A select form of Lilium speciosum rubrum, the named variety 'Uchida' is probably the one most commonly found now in commerce. Protected by Hirotaka Uchida and his eldest son Machao during the war years, they had been ordered by the Imperial Japanese Government to destroy their ornamental plant farm and to grow potatoes for the army. They defied those orders and kept bulbs of 'Uchida' hidden throughout the war years. In 1963, 'Uchida' was awarded a gold medal at the 1963 Internationalle Gartenbau Ausstellung in Hamburg, Germany, as they say, the rest is history.

Inset is of another Lilium speciosum selection named 'Cinderella' selected and named by F. H. Wilson circa. 1950.