What is an Easter Lily?
The Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) is a perennial bulb with large, white, trumpet-shaped flowers and wonderful fragrance. Often known as the trumpet lily among gardeners, this plant is called the Easter lily in its role as a traditional Easter-time treat. Roughly 95 percent of the 11.5 million Eater Lilies sold each year are grown by one of a handful of growers located along the border of California and Oregon, an area labeled the “Easter Lily Capital of the World.”
– Marie Iannotti at The Spruce
What do Easter Lillies look like?
Easter lilies have beautiful white flowers that look like the speaker on an old crank tune record player or as most people see them trumpets. Some call these particular lilies, trumpet lilies. The insides of the Easter Lily are yellowish and their stamens are golden. Typically, the plants will have two to six of the flowers with lengths between 5 and 7 inches. They have a potent and sweet scent, I actually did not smell them when I first brought them home but once I smelled the aroma, it was so captivating that it stopped me in my tracks. Beware of direct sunlight for long periods of time since it will make the flowers sag.
How to Care for the Easter Lily?
- Cool temperature between 55-70 degrees
- Bright indirect sunlight
- Water when soil is dry to the touch
- They can be hazardous to cats
- Keep moist but not soggy
- Do not leave in decorative foil while waters because water will sit inside and cause the soil to be soggy at the bottom
- Remove the anthers, it can prolong life and can keep pollen from staining the flowers
- Prune, prune, prune