Minnesota's Lily Hybridizers
Frans Officer
Bloomington, Minnesota
Lily 'Fallen Angel'
'L. Fallen Angel'
Frans Officer - hybridizing

Photo of lily: Sassy Sandy
L. 'Sassy Sandy'

Frans and Sandy Officer built their home in Bloomington, MN, on a shady lot with many mature trees. Landscaping the shady garden provided many low-growing plant opportunities, but few taller plant candidates to provide vertical structure -- Until Frans discovered Martagon Lilies!

Soon the landscaping efforts gave way to a passion for collecting and growing as many different Martagon varieties as possible. Hybridizing became a routine part of his growing season. Being an avid traveler, trips to Canada and Europe included visits with other Martagon aficionados. And so his collection grew to well over 50 named varieties and countless unnamed seedlings.

A passionate photographer, Frans created the “Martagons!” CD for NSLS.  This CD included photographs of over 120 martagon hybrids and species as well as articles and other information about martagons.  In those pre-internet days, the CD was also distributed in Europe by the RHS. The content of this CD is still available today at the NALS website on the “Resources” tab. Frans is also the instigator of the Lily Photo Contest that is part of the annual Lily Shows for both NSLS and NALS. In 2004, NALS honored him with the Slate-MacDaniels Award for his contributions to NALS and its Seed Exchange.

Frans is a recognized martagon expert in NSLS and is a frequent speaker on this topic as well as on photography. His audiences have included many local area Minnesota and Wisconsin garden clubs, NALS conventions in both the US and Canada, and the Northern Tasmania Lilium Society. His talks are well attended not only because of the great photography and useful information but also because of Frans’ sense of humor. He has written Martagon articles for NSLS, NALS, the Minnesota State Horticultural Society and The American Hosta Society.

Along the way, Frans’ pollen dabbing and seed growing has resulted in numerous Martagon seedlings. In 2018, he registered two of these seedlings with the RHS: ‘Fallen Angel’ and ‘Sassy Sandy.’  More registrations are expected.