Easter Lilies

Lilium longiflorum, the Latin name for the Easter Lily, native to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan. The Easter Lily, the traditional time-honored flower of Easter, is highly regarded as a joyful symbol of beauty, hope and life. The large, trumpet-shaped, fragrant white flowers make a meaningful gift that embodies the very essence of the celebration of Easter. Whether you plan to give the potted plants as a gift or use them to decorate your own home, the following tips will help make your Easter Lilies keep on giving.

Two of the greatest charms of the Easter Lily are form and fragrance, so look for high quality plants that are aesthetically pleasing from all angles. Select medium-to-compact plants that are well-balanced and proportional.

To give longer life to the flower, as it matures, remove the yellow anthers before the pollen starts to shed. When a mature flower starts to wither after its prime, cut it off to make the plant more attractive while you still enjoy the fresher, newly-opened blooms.

In your home
 
• Do not place hear drafts or expose to excessive heat or dry air from appliances, fireplaces and heating ducts
• Indirect natural daylight not glaring direct sunlight
• Moderately moist, well-drained soil. Water when soil surface feels dry to the touch. Do not over water and do not let it sit in standing water.

To Plant your Easter Lily:

Once the danger of frost has passed and the lilies have finished flowering, place the potted plants in a sunny location outside. Continue to water thoroughly as needed, and add one teaspoon of slow-release Osmocote fertilizer every 6 weeks.

To plant your Easter Lilies outside, prepare a well-drained garden bed in a sunny location. Use a well-drained planting mix, or a mix of one part soil, one part peat moss and one part perlite. Good drainage is the key for success with lilies. Plant the bulbs 3 inches below ground level, and mound up an additional 3 inches of topsoil over the bulb. Plant bulbs at least 12 to 18 inches apart in a hole sufficiently deep so that the bulbs can be placed in it with the roots spread out and down, as they naturally grow. Spread the roots and backfill around the bulbs and the roots, leaving no air pockets. Water in immediately and thoroughly after planting.