Lilies of different species are usually found around the world. Lilies have different shapes, sizes and colors. Lilies are really excellent plant beds and borders. Lilies are applied to shrubs border, accent plants, cultivated in a formal or natural pool. Even some small species is very suitable for an alpine rock garden. Lily flowers symbolizes purity and elegance. Based on color and type, Day Lily can convey different meanings.
| Color/Type of Lily | Symbolic Meaning |
|---|---|
| White lily | modesty and virginity |
| orange lily | passion |
| yellow lily | gaiety |
| Lily of the valley | sweetness and purity of heart |
| Easter lily | symbol of Virgin Mary |
Due to its regal beauty and the variety in color and type that can symbolize a variety of meanings, Lilies are also popular flowers for gifting purposes. Among the flower bouquets of lilies, stargazer and cassablanca lily bouquets are the most sought after floral bouquets. Besides bouquets, lily bulbs as well as potted lily plants are also popular gifts.
What are True Lilies?
There are many kinds of flowers which have been called “Lilies” but many of these so-called Lilies such as the day-lily, water-lily, and arum-lily, actually belong to other groups of flowering plants.
Plants in the Liliales grow from bulbs or corms, both of which will store food over the winter or during the dry season. Unlike other Liliales, these vines produce their flowers in spherical clusters called Umbels, as in Bomarea.
True Lilies are composed of fleshy scales without a protective outer coating. True Lilies are never dormant.
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Lilium auratum | Japanese golden rayed lily | Lily from Japan, white bowl-shaped flowers with a golden ray down the center of petals and crimson spots. The flowers are fragrant and make a great cut flower. |
| Lilium bulbiferum | Orange lily | The bulbs are edible. Sweet and mealy, these lilies make very fair eating and can be used as a substitute to potato. |
| Lilium canadense | Canada lily | Scented use |
| Lilium candidum | Madonna lily | The bulb is employed for medicinal purposes, having highly demulcent and also astringent properties. |
| Lilium henryi | Henry’s lily | Relieves congestion and the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy |
| Lilium japonicum | Krameri | Nourishing and useful in diseases of the chest |
| Lilium tigrinum | Tiger lily | A lily from China with light glowing orange colored flowers, purplish black spots and protruding stamens. They are late flowering, black stem bulbils with stem rooting. |
| Lilium lancifolium | Tiger lily | Produce edible bulbs |
| Lilium longiflorum | Easter lily | Trumpet shaped, white and waxy flowers that flower early and have stem rooting. They are mostly used in flower beds |
| Lilium martagon | Martagon lily, Turkscap lily | The bulb has diuretic, emmenagogue, emollient and expectorant properties. They are used to relieve heart diseases, pain in the cardiac region and angina pectoris. |
| Lilium pardalinum | Panther lily | The flowers are 1.5 meters tall, red in color with a yellow center and maroon spots on it. The bulbs are edible. |
| Lilium regale | Regal lily | Plant in groups integrated in a perennial border. |
| Lilium speciosum | Japanese lily | The flowers diffuse a powerful sweet honey perfume. |
Growing Lilies
Lily is spread mainly through the bulb. They also range from seeds, scales, bulbs and bulbs. Lily bulbs or bulbs can be purchased online from local suppliers. Despite the fact that lilies begin to grow more resistant varieties from seeds, the only drawback from seed-growing lilies is that Lily plants take longer to bloom, perhaps, in some cases, even five to six years. Therefore, bulbs are very fond of lilies.
- Lilies are usually planted during fall or spring in the garden.
- Lilies can also be grown in containers or outdoors.
- A cool, porous and well-drained soil is essential for the good growth of lilies.
- Adding large amounts of organic matter will improve clay or sandy soils. The bulbs will stay in place for several years, so good bed preparation is an investment for the future.
- The ideal location for Lilies will provides direct sun all morning during the summer, with partial shade during hot afternoon hours.
- When selecting bulbs, be sure that they do not look dry or shriveled, and plant them immediately.
- Proper spacing is usually 12 to 18 inches apart but varies according to the variety selected.
- As soon as the soil has become consistently warm during late spring, apply a 3-inch layer of organic mulch around the plants. The mulch will conserve soil moisture and keep the soil (and bulbs) from becoming too hot during the summer.
Lilies Plant Care
- Lilies do not require daily watering, but when watering, be sure to water deep enough to reach the bulb.
- Feed the plants with a balanced fertilizer every few weeks during the growing season. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers.
- Remove seedpods when they appear.
- Also, remove stems and foliage when leaves become yellow.
- The mulch should be removed in late fall.
- Keep lilies blooming by removing blossoms as they fade. This prevents the plant from expending its energy in producing seed.
Other Uses of Lilies
- The oil extracted from lilies has healing and softening properties. Especially, when the lily fragrance oil is mixed with that of calendula, it works wonderfully for very sensitive skin.
- Lily oils can be used for massage, in a bath, after a bath, for babies, dry cuticles and elbows, as a facial moisturizer, under-eye oil and hot-oil treatment.
