Introduction
White lilies are stunning herbaceous plants with large, white bulbs that have a scaly exterior. It has a bulbous underground stem and an aerial herbaceous stem that is covered with leaves; some of the leaves are broad and spreading, while others are erect, lanceolate in shape, and undulate sparsely at the edges. The Liliaceae plant family includes the genus Lilium. Even though their common names include the word “lily,” species like the Peace lily and the Day lily are not lilies at all.
“Lilium candidum” is the Latin name for the white lily. It is classified as a genus and family member of the lily (Liliaceae) by the USDA PLANTS database (Lilium). White petals with a yellow base characterize this flower with six stamens. According to Desert Tropicals, it was first developed in the Middle East and the Balkans.
White lily flowers are hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, and trimeric; they are found at the very tip of the herbaceous stalk; their perianth consists of six white petals; the petals are free of each other and are equipped with nectaries, and the flowers are positioned at the very end of the stalk. The blossoms take the form of trumpets. It is a good species for intense growing due to its periodic flowering over several years. Tricarpelema and multi-ovulated flowers have an androecium made up of six stamens, and a gynoecium with a superior ovary (the additional whorls are placed into the receptacle below it, making these flowers hypogynous). A loculicidal dehiscent capsule represents the fruit. Developed seeds have a whitish hue.
Plants of this type have a rigid stem and are up to a meter in height; their trumpet-shaped flowers bloom in clusters of 8–12. The white lily petals are bent in the opposite direction from the stamens and the flower’s center. White lilies, especially those that bloom at night, often carry a delicate, intoxicating perfume. The white color of its blossom, which is commonly used in bridal bouquets, stands for honesty, majesty, and purity. White lilies have been a source of fascination for humans for thousands of years; they can be seen in sculptures at Solomon’s temple and in religious art from the Middle Ages.
Both fresh and dried bulbs, as well as the derived oil, are utilized therapeutically.
The white lily is a flowering plant of Asian and North American origins. The Mediterranean region was hit somewhat later. It is widely cultivated due to its low maintenance requirements and long vase life.
Brighten up your flower bed or container garden with some lilies (Lilium spp.). About 100 different kinds of lilies belong to this category, and they may flourish in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9.
Lily Varieties
There are so many different types of lilies and lily hybrids out there that you’re bound to find one that thrives in your yard. Flowers on lilies tend to be huge and fragrant, and they typically bloom between June and August. Flowers typically contain six tepals and can be found in almost every color except blue. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, their height can range from 1 to 8 feet, and their width can be as much as 2 feet.
Choose a lily species that can survive the cold winters in your area. The University of Vermont recommends planting Lilium bolanderi, which has red trumpet-shaped flowers with dark markings and is hardy to USDA zone 5. The hardiness of Lilium canadense extends to USDA plant hardiness zone 4. There are golden, drooping blooms on this species. Lilium washingtonianum, with its bowl-shaped flowers, white petals, and purple dots, is hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 4.
If you want to stick to a certain color scheme, there are a wide variety of cultivars to choose from. Some to consider are ‘Anastasia,’ which blooms in zones 5–9 with pink flowers that have white tips, ‘Black Dragon,’ which blooms in zones 5–8, with dark red, trumpet-shaped flowers that are white on the inside, ‘Embarrassment,’ which blooms in zones 5–8 with light red, spotted flowers, and ‘Sterling Star,’ which blooms in zones 5–8 with cream flowers that have brown spots.
A Few Suggestions for Developing Lilies
Lilies are a type of bulb that can be planted in either full sun or partial shade. Soils rich in organic matter and with good drainage are ideal. You may plant bulbs indoors at any time in a pot or container, but the best times to plant them outdoors are in the early spring and the fall, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. Bulbs should be planted between 4 and 6 inches deep in groups of three, with about 12 inches between each group
Be sure to water frequently throughout the year to prevent the soil from drying out and killing your bulbs. However, make sure the soil doesn’t get too soggy or the bulbs will rot. To prevent the lilies from self-seeding, remove the spent blooms promptly once they have finished blooming.
Leave the foliage and stems until they have completely died back and turned yellow after the growing season. According to South Dakota State University Extension, if you prune your lilies too soon, they won’t have time to store enough nutrients to make it through the winter and grow back strong in the spring.
Considerations Regarding Lilies
Planting lilies often requires little care. You may want to stake your lilies if your garden is in a shady spot or if you live in an area with high wind speeds. Keep an eye out for aphids and lily leaf beetles. Aphids pose a particularly serious threat since they can spread the incurable and fatal lily mosaic virus to your flowers.
Although lilies are generally harmless for your yard, some types can be highly harmful to cats, as stated by Colorado State University. There is a lack of information regarding the actual toxic substance. Even while the entire plant is potentially poisonous to cats, the blooms appear to be the most dangerous. Lilies are highly toxic and can be fatal if not treated for their nephrotoxicity. The symptoms proceed from vomiting and profuse salivation to generalized weakness.
Theological Import
Especially in Roman Catholicism, the white lily is closely associated with the chastity of the Virgin Mary and is therefore also known as the Madonna Lily.
Song of Songs Interpretation
It has been widely assumed that the word “Shoshannah” in the biblical Song of Songs refers to a rose, however other scholars, such as Abraham Bin Ezra, argue that it refers to the white lily. So the narrator says, “As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.”
White lilies are a common flower that has been given deep symbolic importance by many different cultures.
Common flowers all had specific Victorian connotations that were shared between neighbors. White lilies, as described by Kate Greenaway in “The Language of Flowers,” stand for virtues like humility and gentleness.
Lily of the Sego was planted
The sego lily is a single-bulb plant that produces gray-green, thin leaves that radiate outward from the bulb’s center. The exquisite blossom can reach a diameter of 3 inches and has three rounded petals in a goblet shape. For your garden, it’s best to buy a sego lily plant already established in a pot or a dormant bulb rather than try to cultivate one from seed. At the beginning of spring, dig a hole for your plant that is the same depth as the soil in the pot. It can take a sego lily bulb several years to store enough nutrients to produce a flower, thus it may not bloom every year. If these are a problem where you live, you can protect your bulbs by burying them inside a small-holed fence made of chicken wire or another material.
It appears that lilies are not poisonous to canines, rabbits, or rats. After ingesting large quantities of Easter lily, these animals showed no negative reactions.
True lilies, unlike their imitators, feature huge, showy flowers that can be either solitary or grouped, and leaves that are long and narrow and grow along the length of the stem. Their growth originates in scale-covered bulbs. Many of these species are exceptionally fragrant, and their heights range from 30 to 120 centimeters (1.2 to 47 inches).
Habitat
There are numerous Lilium species, each of which has a unique geographic origin. European countries like Turkey and Spain are the birthplace of species like Lilium monadelphous and Lilium pyrenaicum, whereas Asia is home to species like Lilium auratum and Lilium lancifolium.
Availability
Because there are so many varieties of lilies, the time of year when they bloom varies. The UK is home to a plethora of garden centers and stockists that carry a wide variety of the Lilium genus.
Species
The fragrant white Lilium Candidum, also known as the Madonna lily, and the Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum), both of which are native to Taiwan and feature dense clusters of trumpet-shaped flowers and glossy foliage, are two of the most popular lily species.
How to’s
When the bulbs of lilies are dormant in early fall, that is the time to plant them in the garden. From early spring through the growing season, water and feed regularly. Staking the stems of your tall lily variety is a must if you want to keep it safe from the wind. Even if you grow your lilies in a pot, you need still to provide them with some shade at the base of the plant by using a large container. Varied species within the genus require different amounts of sunshine and all do best in loamy, permeable soil with good drainage. In general, lilies flourish when their stems can soak up some shade while their leaves soak up the sun.
There are few garden plants as impressive as lilies. The rewards of hundreds of years of selective breeding in the genus Lilium may be seen in their stunning variety, long blooming season, exquisite scent, tall, graceful stature, and dependable nature. Whether you have acres of diverse borders or just a few pots on a city balcony, your garden needs Lilies.
Incredibly showy trumpet-shaped blooms are born on sturdy stalks that grow from bulbs composed of scale-like segments in lilies. Variety-specific height ranges typically fall between 2 and 6 feet. All of them look great when planted in a perennial border, and the shorter types can even thrive when kept in containers. If you’re growing taller varieties, plant them in a sheltered spot and prepare to stake them.
Cutting lilies is a must, and a single stem in a vase creates a timeless statement. However, since pollen from lilies can leave unsightly stains, it’s best to remove the stamens before arranging the flowers. Plant rows of lily bulbs in a cutting bed or a sliver of the vegetable garden if you choose not to cut from your lovely borders.
Light/Watering: Most modern lilies enjoy full sun, although they will flower in moderate shade, which may help the blooms retain their color as well. Some lily and related plants require afternoon shade in the hottest temperatures, whereas others like it. Even in dry summers, lilies benefit from consistent irrigation.
Fertilizer/Soil and pH: Lily bulbs won’t make it through the winter in soils that don’t drain well. Some will develop new roots at the nodes along the buried stems; these plants benefit from a side dressing of organic matter and all can use mulch throughout the summer to keep their roots cool. Soils that are light and loamy, drain easily, and have a pH of about 6.0 are perfect. Except for L. candidum and its cultivars, which only need an inch of soil, lily bulbs should be planted three times as deep as the bulb is high. Early in the spring, when new growth is emerging, and again right before flowering, are the best times to feed. To promote healthy bulb and root development, amend the soil with muriate of potash or another high-potassium fertilizer if tests reveal deficient potassium levels.
The Lily leaf beetle is a new issue for Northeast gardeners to keep an eye out for; the larvae and adults of this beetle feed on Lily leaves, buds, and flowers. The adult can be identified by its vibrant crimson body, black head, and appendages, and measures little about half an inch in length. The larvae are orange, brown, or greenish yellow with black heads and pile their black feces on their backs while they feed, making them look a bit like lumpy slugs. Search the undersides of leaves for the orange eggs from March to June. If there are only a few plants, you can remove them by hand. If you have a larger planting, you can use Neem products, which are beneficial for early larvae and will deter adults, or you can use pesticides containing spinosad to suppress the insect (but avoid using these when bees are active). The Lily mosaic virus, which causes yellow streaking or mottling of the leaves, is spread mostly by the bites of aphids. Keep an eye out for aphids and give yourself a good soaking.
In addition to their widespread distribution in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Australia, lilies are also one of the most widely recognized flowers worldwide. They are grown for their beauty throughout the world, but there are some unexpected applications for the flower that you should know about.
Even though the white lily is one of the most popular wedding flowers in the world, there are some interesting lily facts that you may not know. Thankfully, we’re here to show you some of the most fascinating information about lilies:
Blooming lilies As perennials, the Wild Lilies can make it (and thrive) in the wild without much in the way of human assistance. They are actively growing and blooming between spring and summer, and then they are completely dormant between fall and spring. They’re adaptable, too, as different species can grow from bulbs or seeds to a height of two to six feet.
The lily’s enormous, vibrant blossoms and sweet nectar are a magnet for pollinating insects. There are lily species that rely on wind pollination and others that need bees.
Lilies can have enormous petals that are of several different colors, including white, yellow, orange, red, purple, and pink. Even freckles are acceptable for them! The orange Tiger Lily is spotted with brown, hence the name.
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Bouquets of lilies
Pollen removal from the centers of lilies is a skilled technique that can extend their vase life even further, yet lilies already have one of the longest in-vase lifespans of any cut bloom. Likewise, the petals won’t get stained if you do this.
In contrast to felines, people can safely enjoy lilies. You should not let your pets near these flowers. Extremely low doses can cause kidney failure.
The white lily and the tiger lily are the only two species of lily that do not produce any aroma, despite popular belief to the contrary. Grab one of those two flowers if you’re thinking about making an indoor Bouq.
We’ve got you covered if you want to know how to lengthen the time your lilies last in a vase.
Assorted Lilies from Different Parts of the World
There is a wide range of meanings associated with lilies in different cultures. Several meanings are attached to lilies of various hues. The white lily stands for innocence, while the tiger lily symbolizes self-assurance. Good fortune is symbolized by lilies in Japanese and Chinese culture, whereas in Greek mythology they are associated with maternity. White Peruvian lilies symbolize loyalty, while pink Stargazer lilies indicate optimism for wealth and happiness.
Despite being poisonous to our furry friends, lilies have been utilized for ages in both medicine and food. Both China and Korea plant edible bulbs, with the former seeing greater success in the country’s northern and central regions. Wood lily roots are used to cure stomach ailments and fevers, and dried lilies have a long history of use as a laxative or diuretic.
The anti-inflammatory and antiseptic characteristics of dried or fresh bulbs can be used to treat wounds and sores.
To Call a Flower by Any Other Name
There are more than a hundred different kinds of lilies, and they are all classified under the genus Lilium. That being said, lilies can be found in a wide variety of sizes, hues, and forms.
Be wary of pretenders: Some flowers that are commonly referred to as lilies are quite different. Water lilies are members of the Nymphaeaceae family, while calla lilies are part of the Calla genus of flowering plants. Recognize the distinction between lilies and Callas.
You need not be an expert on lily facts, though, to appreciate their fragrance and beauty. Here at The Bouqs Co., we love a good floral fact sheet, and we won’t pretend otherwise! If you’ve been inspired by these fun tidbits about lilies as much as we have been, don’t wait to get a bouquet of these beautiful flowers to display in your home. The Bouqs Co. is the best online flower shop to order your favorite varieties of lilies, including stargazer lilies, white rose lilies, and more, as well as other types of fresh flowers directly from local farms.
Is That So?
For thousands of years, people have been aware of the therapeutic and aesthetic value of the Madonna lily (Lilium candidum) bulb, which was originally farmed to manufacture a medical ointment and was especially popular among the ancient Greeks and Romans.
The white Madonna lily is said to have sprouted from Hera the goddess’s milk, which is where the name “lily” originates.
Nowadays, lilies are commonly given on the 30th anniversary of marriage.
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