Easter lilies, Lilium longiflorum, are a traditional Easter flower. Their white trumpet flowers give out a heady scent that you either love or hate.
These Easter lilies, also known as Madonna lilies, are so-called after Mary, Christ’s mother. They have been popular as a symbol of purity for hundreds of years. Other Christian tales have lilies growing in the Garden of Gethsemane, springing up from the ground where Jesus’ tears fell.
Madonna lilies are also found in Roman mythology, where they represent the spilt milk from when Juno, queen of the gods was breastfeeding Hercules. The milk that fell to earth turned into lilies.
Ninety-five percent of the world’s Easter lilies are grown in California. Or to be more precise, 95% of the Easter lily bulbs are grown in the northwest corner of California.
Lilies are often given as cut flowers for a present, but there is no reason why you shouldn’t give a potted lily plant. Potted lilies will have a longer flowering period and also give the opportunity to keep the bulbs for a flowering display next year.
Caring for Potted Easter Lilies Indoors
If you’re buying lilies in a pot:
- Select a plant no more than twice the height of the pot; taller and it may have been in the pot for some time and potentially be pot bound.
- Choose a plant with a good mix of flowers in bud and flowers in bloom.
- Look for dense green foliage all the way down the stem.
- Check for insects and signs of insect – nibbled leaves for example.
To keep your potted lilies looking good for longer:
- Water when the soil is dry to the touch, but before the plants wilt; overwatering is not good.
- Remove the blooms before they fully fade.
- Lilies like daylight but to extend the life of indoor plants, direct sunlight for long periods is not a good idea.
- You can remove the yellow anthers from the centre of the flower. This will reduce the risk of the pollen staining tablecloths, clothes and so on. It also reduces the toxicity of the plant. Lilies are toxic – especially to cats.
Lilies are perennials; growing new flowers each year in late spring or summer from an overwintering bulb. For the plant to be a true lily the Latin name should be ‘Lilium’. Lilies which are not true lilies include Calla lily (Calla palustris) and Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majus).
Easter or longiflorum lilies are not the only true lilies we enjoy. There is a wide range available, but some of the more usual garden hybrids are Asiatic, Martogon (Turk’s head or Turk’s cap types) and Oriental lilies.
Caring for Easter Lilies and other types of Lily in the Garden
Lilies can be grown as part of a mixed flower border or in pots. If in pots they can be added to spaces in the border where you may have had pots of spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips.
As they flower on tall stems, lilies are useful for adding temporary height to a summer border and they look good paired with tall agapanthus. You could have all white flowers which would be particularly effective in an evening seating area as white shows up well at dusk. Mixing blue agapanthus with yellow lilies would create a vibrant mix guaranteed to cheer up even a wet summer.
Growing lilies in pots gives you an advantage when it comes to finding and reducing the effects of lily beetles. Lily beetles are a stunning red insect that can decimate your lilies as soon as you turn your back. The mild winter we’ve had could well mean we see more of them in 2014, so be on the alert. Pick and squish is, as ever, a satisfying method of eradication.
There are lilies to suit all styles of garden from minimalist to cottage; formal and informal; in colours of palest pink and rich orange, spotted and plain.
Would you like a scented planting design? If you’re concerned about poisonous flowers and plants in your garden, we offer a Garden Advice Visit. Check the link for more details of this professional gardening service.
Personally I’m particularly fond of heavily scented white lilies and purple lilies. Nathan enjoys the scent and the architectural form of many of the flowers. This is something you may have guessed from the lily which adorns our website and Plews truck!
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