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Lilium longiflorum
Also called Trumpet Lily, White Trumpet Lily
Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) is a bulbous perennial with fragrant white trumpet flowers, widely grown for cut flowers and Easter displays. Give it bright light, moist but not soggy soil, and forced or timed blooming is easy to manage.
Lilium longiflorum, often called the Easter lily, is a species of plant endemic to both Taiwan and Ryukyu Islands (Japan). Lilium formosanum, a closely related species from Taiwan, has been treated as a variety of Easter lily in the past. It is a stem rooting lily, growing up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high. It bears a number of trumpet-shaped, white, fragrant, and outward-facing flowers. This species, along with most other true lilies, are highly toxic to cats.
A variety of it, L. longiflorum var. eximium, native to the Ryukyu Islands, is taller and more vigorous. It is extensively cultivated for cut flowers. It has irregular blooming periods in nature, and this is exploited in cultivation, allowing it to be forced for flowering at particular periods, such as Easter. However, it can be induced to flower over a much wider period. This variety is sometimes called the Bermuda lily because it has been much cultivated in Bermuda.
The Easter lily is a rich source of steroidal glycosides. It also contains bitter principles such as 3,6′-diferuloylsucrose.
Lilium longiflorum is known as the Easter lily because in Christianity, it is a symbol of the resurrection of Christ, which is celebrated during Eastertide. The "lily has always been highly regarded in the Church", as Jesus referenced the flower. Furthermore, "after Jesus' death and resurrection, some of these beautiful flowers were found growing in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus went to pray the night before His crucifixion. Legend has it that these flowers sprung up where drops of Jesus' sweat fell as he prayed". In many Christian churches, the chancel is adorned with Easter lilies throughout the Paschal season.
Gold Rayed Lily · Orange lily · Canada lily · Madonna lily · Columbia lily · David's Lily · Formosa lily · Hanson's Lily · Henry's lily · Humboldt lily · Tiger lily · Shirui Lily
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lilium longiflorum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
