The trumpet-shaped blossoms of the Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum), which is most commonly used as a traditional Easter adornment, represent spring. The huge, fragrant white or pink flowers of this perennial bulb are produced. The long, thin, dark green leaves cover the robust, stiff stem of the plant, which grows upright. With its eye-popping flowers and an abundance of foliage, this plant is a spectacular addition to any garden.
Easter lilies are sown in the fall and, like many other bulbs, they sprout swiftly each spring. Furthermore, gardeners have developed lily kinds that are made to bloom sooner in order to coincide with Easter, even though lilies normally bloom in the summer. However, after planting bulbs in the autumn, don’t count on having flowers for the holiday because lilies may not bloom until their second year in the ground. It’s also crucial to remember that cats cannot handle Easter lily plants, either indoors or outside.
Easter Lily Plant Overview
| Common Name | Easter lily, trumpet lily, Bermuda lily |
| Botanical Name | Lilium longiflorum |
| Family | Liliaceae |
| Plant Type | Perennial, bulb |
| Mature Size | 2–3 ft. tall, 1 ft. wide |
| Sun Exposure | Full, partial |
| Soil Type | Loamy, well-drained |
| Soil pH | Acidic, neutral |
| Bloom Time | Summer |
| Flower Color | White, pink |
| Hardiness Zones | 4–8 (USA) |
| Native Area | Asia |
| Toxicity | Toxic to cats |
Easter Lily Care
These are the primary guidelines for Easter lilies’ upkeep.
- Easter flowers should be kept by a window that gets bright, indirect sunlight.
- Keep the plant away from heat sources and cold drafts, such as vents, fireplaces, and appliances.
- Take off the decorative foil surrounding the watering pot and fill it with water until the bottom of the container is visible. Re-cover the foil after letting the pot empty completely.
- Cut spent flowers off with a clean, sharp pair of scissors to remove them.
Light Requirements
Easter lilies thrive best in full sun to light shade, with afternoon sun protection to avoid scorching temperatures. Foliage is prone to scorching in bright light. Try to arrange your Easter lily so that the top gets full sun but the soil and leaves remain shaded, keeping the roots cool. In order to lower the soil temperature around a lily bed, you can also grow shorter plants, a ground cover, or apply a layer of mulch.
Soil and Potting
Easter lily blossoms may thrive in a range of soil types as long as there is adequate drainage, although they prefer well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Although they can withstand a small amount of alkalinity, lilies prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH.
Watering
Easter lilies prefer their soil to be evenly moist, so water the plants until water begins to run out of the bottom whenever the top inch of soil dries out. While the soil shouldn’t entirely dry up, never let the plants sit in water. Watering in the morning is best since it allows the leaves to dry in the sun. In any other case, mildew issues could arise for the plant.
Temperature and Environment
The ideal growing and flowering conditions for Easter lilies are between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, with overnight lows of no less than 55 to 60 degrees. They prefer between thirty and fifty percent relative humidity. Humidity and heat stunt the growth and flowering of this plant.
Fertilization
When new growth starts to show in the spring, use a slow-release, balanced fertilizer at a rate of one tablespoon for each major stem on the plant. It is also useful to fertilize your lily again in the summer if your soil is lacking nutrients. The ideal nutrient source for lilies is organic fish fertilizer, applied at a ratio of 1/2 ounce to 1 gallon of water. To keep the plant happy, cover the top of the soil with a 2-inch layer of mulch in addition to this.
Types of Easter Lily
Large white blossoms are produced by the typical Easter lily, while some cultivars produce cream- or pink-colored blooms, as seen in the ones below:
L. longiflorum ‘White Heaven’:Â The traditional pure white Easter lily has 7-inch-long blooms and reaches heights of 2 to 3 feet.
L. longiflorum ‘Nellie White’:Â Usually, this cultivar is coerced into blooming during the proper holiday season. Growers who sell their Easter lilies commercially grow this most popular cultivar.
L. longiflorum ‘Deliana’:Â Depending on the amount of soil in the blossom, this variety’s hue can range from bright yellow to creamy yellow to green. Fragrant blossoms cling to 3- to 4-foot-long stems.
L. longiflorum ‘Elegant Lady:’ This hybrid lily is Dutch in origin and has lovely pink blossoms. It’s occasionally referred to as the “pink Easter lily.”
L. longiflorum ‘Trimphator’: This striking cultivar usually blooms in July and features dazzling white flowers with rosy pink centers.
Pruning Easter Lily
Cutting back on brown foliage and deadheading blossoms are the two main methods of midseason lily pruning. To do this, trim flower stalks at the base using sterile garden shears. Removing the bottom branches of the plant will enable it to focus its efforts on developing new blossoms. The majority of the brown leaves’ stems should be removed, but the yellow leaves can be left intact as they won’t harm the pants.
Propagating Easter Lily
Bulbs sown in the spring are used to propagate Easter lilies. If your desire is to enjoy lilies in a different area of your garden, you can dig them up, separate the bulblets, and replant them after they have grown for a few seasons. Take these actions to achieve that:
- Compile compost, a hand trowel, and a spade shovel.
- Dig up your lilies in the fall so the bulblets (little bulbs) are visible, then divide them in half or thirds. Alternatively, you might buy bulbs from your neighborhood nursery.
- Dig holes in your garden that are 4 to 6 inches deep and at least 6 inches apart before planting bulbs. Insert the pointed end of the bulblets’ stem into each hole.
- Backfill the holes holding your bulbs after combining the removed soil with compost.
- After the final frost in the spring, give your bulbs a light watering and watch them sprout. Your lilies might not bloom for two or three years after they reach maturity.
How to Keep an Easter Lily After Easter?
Your Easter lily will blossom more successfully if you leave it outdoors in the yard as opposed to indoors in a pot if you want to keep it flourishing even after the event.
Early June is when the plant normally finishes flowering. sever the stem at the base. Before removing the bulb and dividing the bulblets, allow the soil to dry. Keep chilled and dark until autumn, at least two weeks ahead of the first frost.
Plant bulblets about a foot apart, 4 to 6 inches deep. Till the first frost, keep the ground surrounding the bulbs moist, and be sure to amend the soil to provide proper drainage and avoid rot. When your Easter lilies sprout in the spring, they might require staking to remain upright in the garden. During the growing season, remove deadheads from flowers and cut the stem to the ground as the leaves turn yellow in the fall.
Alternatively, after the last chance of spring frost has passed, you could move your Easter flower right into your garden bed. To accomplish this, move the plant in its pot outside and allow it to become acclimated for a few days. After that, it ought to be planted in an area that gets filtered sunshine. Fill the hole with compost for the backfill and cover it with mulch after planting it. The hole should be as deep and wide as the pot.
It won’t rebloom if you simply leave your Easter flower in its pot indoors. All you can do is take in the lovely flora.
Overwintering
Although lilies can withstand strong winter freezes in zones 8 and higher, they can nevertheless lose their blooms to the ground in the spring. Because of this, some gardeners would rather prune their flowers and foliage, remove the bulblets, and store them in a root cellar, basement, or garage that stays below forty-five degrees Fahrenheit. After that, bulblets are replanted in the spring rather than the fall.
Don’t water your lilies in the late fall if you would rather leave them in the ground. This will aid in the plant’s dormancy so it can withstand the upcoming winter.
It is improbable that a potted Easter lily kept indoors over the winter and transferred outdoors again in the summer will bloom again on the same stem. After the plant has finished flowering, you can dig out the bulb and preserve it in a cool, dark spot until roughly two weeks before the first frost. The bulb can then be planted at that stage.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Aphid infestations can occasionally cause lily plant deterioration of the leaf. You may manage aphids by simply blasting your lilies with powerful water blasts to reduce their population. Insecticidal soap is another option for eliminating the culprits.
Aphids can carry the lily mosaic virus, which can infiltrate your lily patch and degrade and discolor your leaves. As there isn’t a treatment for this illness, you have to remove and destroy the afflicted plants to stop it from spreading.
Easter lilies can also be impacted by botrytis blight, leaf scorch, stem rot, and various forms of bulb rot. Take daily care of your Easter lilies and make the necessary corrections right away to avoid these scenarios. Overwatering is a common cause of stem rot and blight, while summer heat can scorch leaves.
How to Get Easter Lily to Bloom
You probably want your Easter lilies to bloom on Easter, whether they are in a pot or not. But it’s not an easy task, this. One type of lily that is cultivated in greenhouses and brought to the store to be sold is one that blooms around Easter. Furthermore, the lighting conditions the plants are placed in prior to transportation replicate those required for them to blossom. Easter lilies can also be impacted by botrytis blight, leaf scorch, stem rot, and various forms of bulb rot. Take daily care of your Easter lilies and make the necessary corrections right away to avoid these scenarios. Overwatering is a common cause of stem rot and blight, while summer heat can scorch leaves.
How Long Do Easter Lilies Bloom?
After flowers open, Easter lilies usually keep their blossoms for two weeks. Keep your Easter lily away from heat sources, such as radiators or heat vents, to make the most of your time indoors. To prolong the life of the flower, you can also cut off the anthers as they emerge. Additionally, by taking this precaution, any potential staining from the bright yellow pollen grains that often fall from the blossom is avoided.
Common Problems With Easter Lily
Easter flowers are scarcely a nuisance when planted outside. The plant cannot blossom again indoors, but the foliage can be salvaged and moved outside. Where they might encounter a few obstacles along the road, much like unpotted bulbs.
Yellowing Leaves
After a few seasons, an Easter lily planted in a garden may experience plant crowding. When a lily is overcrowded, its lower leaves turn yellow and eventually die. The lily will climb higher. Divide your lilies in the fall and preserve half of the bulblets to avoid this issue, or give them to another grower. Your lily bed will have plenty of space for robust blooms in the spring.
Stunted Growth
In the gardening community, Easter lily root rot is a recognized issue that can spread to a bed that has been overwatered. Small leaves and blossoms, a decrease in the height of the foliage, yellowing at the base, and finally plant death are signs of root rot. Make sure to water them only when the top inch of soil feels dry to avoid this.
Also Read: Calathea Orbifolia Complete Guide To Grow And Care
