An Easter Lily by Any Other Name Would Be Lilium Longiflorum

One sure sign of spring is the appearance of Easter Lilies almost everywhere! Floral and garden stores work hard to force Easter Lilies to bloom by Easter morning. As you know, they are shooting at a moving target; Easter falls anywhere from the last part of March to mid-April. Fortunately, the stores have mastered the art of forcing these blooms to open right on time!

Before purchasing an Easter Lily for your home or as a gift for someone else, be aware that these beautiful plants and cats don't mix. Pets are often prone to nibbling on the leaves of houseplants and flower arrangements and in the case of cats and Easter Lilies this can prove fatal, so be careful to keep your Easter Lilies and pets separated. When selecting Easter Lilies, buy plants that are just beginning to open. Blooms will only last a few days so selecting a plant that is about to open will allow for maximum bloom time in your home. After the blooms have died you can continue to grow the Lily in its container until the last frost in your area, then transplant into a flowerbed. These plants prefer somewhat rich soil, fairly well drained, and full sun. Like other spring bulbs the plant will naturally die off as hotter weather arrives. In the fall, apply bulb fertilizer on top of the soil where your Easter Lily bulb was planted. Carefully work the fertilizer in without disturbing the bulbs. In colder climates, add a layer of mulch on top of the soil to protect the bulb from freezing.

Transplanted Easter Lilies should awaken the following spring and bloom in late spring. However, it may not bloom until the second year after it is transplanted. Many bulbs that have been forced to bloom need a year to recover and return to a normal bloom cycle. Then again, maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones to see a transplanted Easter Lily bloom during its first spring!

Since Easter Lilies are grown from bulbs, it's easy to expand your flowerbed. After the plant has died back for the season, dig up the bulbs and separate the baby bulbs. Re-plant the bulbs in the fall 10 to 12 inches apart or together in small groups. To achieve maximum growth, avoid overcrowding.

For more information on Easter Lilies or other bulb plants contact the consultants at OLM!

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Answer: Pilgrims