Easter Lilies

Latin Name: Lilium longiflorum

Native to: The Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan

The white trumpet shaped flower that represents the Easter season, as known as the Easter Lily. This beautiful flower symbolizes hope, new beginnings and life.

Description: The Easter Lily has shiny, dark green, lanceolate leaves around the central stout stem. It has large, fragrant, white trumpet-shaped flowers at top of leafy green stalk.

Some more Information about Easter lily

Flower color: White

Available: March to May

Light: Low, medium, high. Tolerates most light levels well.

Water: Normal. Water thoroughly, let soil dry to touch to a soil depth of ½”.

Temperature: Cool-medium. 50-70(degrees F) days, 45-65 nights.

Humidity: Average

Fertilizer: none while in flower.

Soil Mix: 1 to 2 parts sphagnum peat moss, 1 part vermiculite, 1 part clean coarse

Sand or Perlite.

Propagation: Bulb

Information provided by http://www.ext.edu.com

The Easter Lily is a very challenging flower to grow and care for. It is a very attractive flower when it is in full bloom. But is difficult to cultivate year round and you may have troubles getting the flower to rebloom. You know when the blooming is over because the color begins to fade. They are harvested in the fall(the bulbs) and then are packed and shipped to greenhouses. They are then planted in pots and forced under controlled conditions to bloom for the Easter holiday.

Interesting Facts

· In 1996, 11.5 million Easter Lily bulbs were shipped to commercial greenhouses in the US and in Canada.

· 95% of all bulbs grown for the potted Easter lily market are produced by just ten farms in a narrow coastal region straddling the California-Oregon border

· The states that produce the highest number of potted Easter Lilies according to the U.S.D.A. are;

1. Michigan

2. California

3. Pennsylvania

4. Ohio

· According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Easter Lily had a wholesale value of $37.4 million in 1995.

· The Easter Lily is the fourth largest crop in wholesale value. It is behind Poinsettias, Mums and Azaleas.

o Out of these four plants the Easter Lily has the narrowest holiday sales window of only two weeks.

The Spiritual Essence of the Easter Lily

By: Louise Lewin Matthews

Easter morn with lilies fair

Fills the church with perfumes rare,

As their clouds of incense rise,

Sweetest offerings to the skies.

Stately lilies pure and white

Flooding darkness with their light,

Bloom and sorrow drifts away,

On this holy hallow’d day.

Easter Lilies bending low

In the golden afterglow,

Bear a message from the sod

To the heavenly towers of God.

So brighten up your Easter Holidays with an Easter Lily!