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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Lilies pose growing challenge


Keep your lilies in a bright, indirectly lighted location, with an ideal temperature of between 60 and 65. 
 (SXC / The Spokesman-Review)
Pat Munts Correspondent

Easter lilies have been a part of Easter festivities since the late 1880s. The majestic trumpet-shaped blooms herald the message of the season.

We have an American tourist to thank for that. In the early 1880s, Mrs. Thomas Sergeant fell in love with the majestic plants while on a spring visit to Bermuda. She took a few bulbs back to Philadelphia where a local nurseryman began growing them. They became very popular and by the late 1890s Bermuda was producing most of the bulbs used in the trade, hence an alternative name of Bermuda lily. A virus destroyed the Bermuda production and today most of the bulbs are grown in the coastal areas of northern California and southwest Oregon

While the lilies bloomed naturally in the spring in Bermuda, they normally don’t bloom in our more northern climates until midsummer. To get them to bloom in the spring, growers have to carefully manipulate temperature and light in their greenhouses to tweak the plants into blooming in the spring rather than the normal period in the midsummer. An added challenge for the growers is that Easter can fall between March 22 and April 25 which means even more tweaking.

How to choose

When buying an Easter lily, look for plants that have both tight buds and almost open flowers. The foliage should be a dense, dark green color that covers the entire stem. Skip any plants that show signs of yellowing or drooping as this is an indication of poor care. The plants should be about twice as tall as the diameter of their pot.

Keep them blooming

Keep the plants in a bright, indirectly lighted place away from drafts and heat sources. The ideal temperature should be a 60 to 65 degrees.

Lilies are sensitive to being left in standing water for too long so water the plants only when the soil feels dry to the touch and remove any standing water left after the pot has drained. Remove or poke numerous holes in any pot wrappings that can hold in water so any excess can drain away quickly. To prolong the life of the bloom, pinch out the yellow anthers to remove the pollen. If you get the pollen on fabric, don’t wet it; remove it with sticky tape as it will stain when wet.

Be aware: Easter lily leaves can be toxic to cats, so keep Fluffy from chewing on the leaves.

Grow your own

Unfortunately, planting Easter lilies in our Inland Northwest gardens is, at best, iffy.

Most of the bulbs commonly used in the floral industry are hardy to maybe Zone 6 or higher. But take heart; in recent years plant breeders have worked on crosses of the Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) and close cousins the Asiatic lilies, that combine the hardiness of the Asiatic lilies (Zone 3) and color range with the fragrance of the Easter lilies.

These hybrids, called L.A. hybrids, can be planted like other lilies in a sunny spot with well-drained soil and ample water.

They will not bloom, however, until about the middle of July.