If you are in one of the areas with excessive heat this season, deadheading may or may not prolong the bloom, I'm not sure many have put them quite to this harsh test. In normal years, it would extend blooming some.

But these aren't really a true lily where using energy to set seed could reduce the vigor of the bulb - no bulb, but more like tuberous roots, and they are more closely related to iris than anything.

A lot of people grow them as much for the ornamental value of the seed heads as the flowers whether they are interested in collecting the seeds or not. You could do some both ways, deadheaded and otherwise, let us know how much - in the unusual heat - you may find it increases blooming. Either way, it shouldn't change the performance of your plants next season.

Thanks Morz. I did deadhead a little bit (maybe a third of the stems that were done flowering and just starting to form pods for those blackberry looking seeds). So far I've not seen any new flowers, but you never know...

The 2/3 of stems that are left are going to give me a ton of seed for trade. I am NOT going to miss harvest them this year. I am going to watch carefully. I am . I am . I am .

Nancy

nan-6161 - please keep us posted as your BLs form the distinctive seedheads that give the plants their common name. I'm also growing these from WS seed ('10) and they are blooming profusely as well as setting seedpods already.

On a side note, Diane's Flower Seeds website says to refrigerate any leftover seed so I guess they lose viability if not kept chilled. Just a tip if you're planning to trade seed.

I am glad to have found this information on the blackberry lily as I have aquired some seed from the MTPS this past weekend. gardenweed I am glad to hear from you that ws'ing these does well
tom