What Are Easter Lilies?
Easter lilies are white, cone-shaped spring flowers popularly affiliated with the Christian Easter holiday. A symbol of hope and life, Easter lilies are also known as Bermuda lilies, or Lilium longiflorum eximium. The plant hails from Japan, arrived in England in 1819, and in the United States a hundred years later. Easter lilies are bulbs that prefer cool temperatures and moist soil. They can be kept indoors as potted plants, or planted outside in the garden, depending on the local climate. The Bermuda lily is between 18 and 36 inches (about 46-91 cm) tall, with deep green, glossy foliage and downward-facing, trumpet shaped flowers. Although lilies can be found in a wide variety of colors, the traditional Easter lily sports white, showy blooms with creamy centers and yellow stamens. Easter lilies are artificially forced by greenhouse growers to bloom in the early spring—their natural blooming time is actually later in the summer.
