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ST. PAUL, Minn. (4/2/2007) – The intense fragrance and elegant form of the Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) with its white, trumpet flowers makes it a holiday favorite.
The primary market for Easter lilies in the United States is as a potted, flowering holiday plant. How can you choose the best plant and help prolong its life, even after the holiday?
When buying a potted Easter lily, choose a symmetrical, sturdy plant with a high flower bud count. Pick plants with dark green, healthy foliage. Poor watering practices can lead to root rot and the loss of lower leaves. Growers often remove yellow foliage and use colorful foil or pot covers to hide the base of poorly-grown lilies.
Pick a plant with just the first flower or two opening to have more time to enjoy the floral display. Avoid those with signs of insect or disease damage.
To ensure proper care of your Easter lily, water regularly, letting the soil dry slightly between waterings. Place the plant in a cool location with bright, indirect light. Remove anthers (the part of the stamen that releases pollen) from opening flowers. The bright, yellow pollen can stain the white trumpet. In addition, if pollen reaches the tip of the pistil and pollination occurs, it can reduce the life of the petals.
In Europe and Asia, Easter lilies are forced into flower and enjoyed throughout the year as a cut flower, much like Asiatic and oriental lilies. What should you do with your Easter lily post-holiday? To prevent the spread of “lily symptomless virus,” carried by commercial lilies, discard it.
If you decide to plant Easter lily outside, remember it’s not reliably hardy in Minnesota. If planted in spring, it can produce one or more shoots which often flower by early October. Easter lily does best in locations receiving half a day or more of full sun.
The hybrids of the Easter lily with Asiatic or oriental lilies -- including LA (longiflorum-asiatic) and LO (longiflorum-oriental) lilies, respectively -- are exciting possibilities for Minnesota gardens. Most LA and LO hybrids are hardy in zone 4 and some are even hardy in zone 3. The LA hybrids tend to have larger flowers and darker, larger foliage than most Asiatic lilies. Through the persistent efforts of breeders, LA lilies now come in a wide assortment of colors.
-------Media Contact: Julie Christensen, U of M Extension, (612) 626-4077, reuve007@umn.edu
NOTE: News releases were current as of the date of issue. If you have a question on older releases, use the news release search (upper left-hand column of the News main page) or the main Extension search (upper right of this page) to locate more recent information.
URL: http://
www.extension.umn.edu/extensionnews/2005/lilies07.html This page was updated April 2, 2007
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