Easter has a religious significance, of course, but also a secular one, as it symbolizes spring. So, whether it takes place under the snow or under a bright sun and mild temperatures, for many Easter is the beginning of the warmer season!
There are, of course, dozens of flowers on the market for the Easter celebration – azaleas, hydrangeas, pots of daffodils and tulips, primroses, etc. – but none is as closely associated with Easter as the white lily. It is the Lilium longiflorum, a trumpet lily with long, very fragrant white flowers, that we prefer as the Easter lily. However, there are dozens of other white lilies that could have played this role, including the Madonna lily (L. candida), another white lily which is also the lily that we see in old paintings as a symbol of purity, but the latter is not easily forced and it is difficult to get it for the right date.
A Recalcitrant Bloom
Even the Easter lily (L. longiflorum) does not naturally bloom at Easter. On the contrary, it normally blooms almost in the fall. On the other hand, if it is potted up in the fall and subjected to an early artificial winter, it is possible to “wake it up” earlier than normal and make it flower in the spring. This is called “forcing”: it encourages a plant to flower ahead of time… and it’s a whole science!
Every winter, lily growers have to make careful calculations. Depending on whether Easter is early (March 22 to April 2), mid-season (April 3 to April 15) or late (April 16 to April 25), the grower has to plant the bulbs at different times. They must then be subjected to cool temperatures to simulate winter: the pots are placed in a barely heated greenhouse for about a month. After a month, the temperature is raised a little and the plant begins to grow, little by little. If growth accelerates too quickly, the temperature is lowered; if it is delayed, it is raised or artificial lighting is added.
The grower must also take into account the habits of consumers. Some want to buy their Easter lilies for Palm Sunday, others for Easter itself. And no one wants to buy an Easter lily on Easter Monday! It’s a matter of days between selling all your lilies at the right time or messing up completely. It’s not easy being an Easter lily grower!
Tips for the Consumer
On the other hand, it’s easy to be a lily buyer. You don’t have to consider your purchase months in advance. Go to the store or market on the day that suits you: there are hundreds of lilies, and at all kinds of prices! How then to choose?
First of all, you should know that lilies are mainly graded according to the number of buds they have. A cheap lily will have fewer flower buds, sometimes much fewer, than a more expensive one. Generally, 3 lily bulbs, sometimes even more, will be grown per pot, in order to offer a maximum number of flowers. But pots with a single bulb are also produced for the supermarket market and other non-specialized shops, where the consumer prefers a bargain to a lot of flowers.
Another factor to look at is the quality of the pot and especially the condition of the leaves. On a quality lily, the leaves are shiny dark green, there are no yellowed leaves and the stem is covered with leaves from top to bottom. Also, there should be no sign of insects. If you buy a lily a week before Easter, look for a pot with lots of white flower buds, but no open flowers.
If, on the other hand, you plan to buy a lily today or tomorrow, always choose a pot with lots of buds, but this time with at least one open flower. On the other hand, if there are already 3 or more open flowers, and especially if the pot is fully in bloom, the flowering is quite advanced and will last less time in your home. In general, it is preferable to choose a plant with few open flowers, but many buds: this will make the pleasure last longer.
How to Keep Your Easter Lily
Make sure the lily is wrapped well if it is cold (at the beginning of April, it is far from rare to have temperatures below freezing)! At home, unwrap the plant without delay and above all remove the aluminum foil or other covering on the pot that prevents you from knowing when the plant needs watering. For long-lasting flowering, place the plant in a moderately lit and very cool location (between 15 and 18 °C, 59 to 64?°F), as full sunlight and warm temperatures will cause the flowers to wither earlier. As it is not always possible to keep your house at these temperatures, you can at least avoid direct sunlight and place the plant somewhere cool in the evening. Above all, avoid placing it near heat vents or the fireplace.
Make sure you water the lily as soon as the soil feels dry to the touch. Even during normal growth, the lily hates drought: imagine in full bloom!
You can also remove the yellow anthers from the flower, as the yellow pollen that falls on tablecloths or clothes is staining. Sadly, however, this considerably diminishes the appearance of the flower.
Finally, remove wilted flowers as they go so that the plant always looks its best.
Will It Flower Again?
Sad news: the Easter lily is neither a good houseplant (it requires a cold winter) nor a good outdoor plant (it cannot tolerate the very cold winters in our regions). If you wish, you can keep it as a green plant for a few weeks after flowering (until the temperature warms up a little) and then transplant it into the ground, but there is little chance that it will produce anything other than foliage.
In Northern Latitudes
Although widely cultivated in pots for the Easter holiday, the Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) is not very hardy in our northern latitudes. It has difficulty tolerating the harsh winters,such as those in Canada, unless it is carefully protected from frost and planted in well-drained soil. In zone 5, its survival from one winter to the next remains uncertain. However, in milder regions – particularly in zones 7 and above – it can behave like a faithful perennial and bloom again and again in the ground. It has also been reported to have naturalized in certain southern and western states of the United States, such as California, Oregon, Florida and Georgia. These populations, originating from ornamental cultivation, have established themselves locally, often near dwellings, without yet presenting an invasive character.
Alternatively, you can dispose of the plant by putting it on the compost heap once it has finished flowering. But at least it will have given you two good weeks of beautiful, fragrant flowers beforehand… and you can always buy another one at Easter next year!
Larry Hodgson published thousands of articles and 65 books in his career, in French and English. His son, Mathieu, has made it his mission to make his father’s writings accessible to the public. The text was originally published in Le Soleil on April 7, 2007.
This was a useful article. I have had limited success in planting my Easter lily in zone 5 and, given the information you’ve provided, I will give up trying and just stick to enjoying it indoors for as long as it blooms. Thank you and Happy Easter!