Easter Lily – Nothing can beat the magic of Easter lily among all Easter flowers. This white, charming flower captures the attention of everyone with its breathtaking beauty and sensual fragrance. Easter lily, technically called Lilium longiflorum is a flower from Japan that was brought to the US after 1941.
Related: Find What is the Story Behind Easter Cactus?
Since then, the trend of the Easter lilies has been increasing in the US and Canada with millions of potted Lily flower plants sold every year. However, Easter Lily flower blooms only in the spring season and once when the flower dries, it can be a challenge for you to decide whether to keep the plant or throw it away.
More on Easter:
But do not worry as you do not have to throw your plant away. You can transplant Easter lily in the garden outside once the spring season is over. Before that, you must also take care of the plant properly. So, find these Easter lily care tips below before you can move for transplantation and reblooming:
Easter Lily Care
Make sure you put Easter Lily where it can get bright but indirect sunlight.
If you have cats in your house, take extra care to keep the Easter Lily away from them as it is highly toxic to cats.
Protect the plant from heavy drafts and heat sources such as electronic appliances, fireplaces, and heaters.
Remove the foil cover of the plant or at least ensure that water does not get clogged in the soil due to it.
Overwatering does more harm to Easter Lily than under watering. Only water the plant when the soil has become dry to touch. However, do not leave the soil dry for an extended period of time.
The ideal temperature of growth is on a colder side. You need to maintain a temperature of 60-65 F in the daytime whereas night time must be even cooler than daytime. 55-60 F is the ideal temperature for Easter Lily during night time.
Remove the yellow anthers (pollens) from Easter Lily flowers when you bring them home. This would increase the lifespan of the blooming flowers. It will also prevent pollens from falling on and staining leaves, flowers, hands, clothes, and any other thing it comes into contact with.
Also Read: Indoor Gardening You Can Try to Grow Easter Lillies.
Transplantation & Reblooming- How to Grow Easter Lily Outside
This is also known as forced blooming of floral plants and success rates vary from person to person. However, you need to keep the following points in mind before you do that:
– Wait for all flowers to dry out completely. Remove these withered flowers before you take the plant outside. Till then, keep the plant in indirect sunlight and continue watering it like earlier.
– Do not take the plant outside if it is still chilly weather. Easter lilies do not do well in frosty conditions. So, wait until there is no danger of frost.
– Once the conditions are ready, choose a spot in the garden that is sunny with well-drained and nutrient-rich soil. You can use organic matter to enrich the soil such that its pH is somewhere around 6.5 to 7.
– Plant the Easter Lily flower bulb deeper than it was in the pot or container. This will be around 6″ deep into the soil.
Also Read: Container Gardening.
– Cover the area around the bulb with soil and mulch. Make sure that roots or stem do not get covered completely by mulch as they can rot. Spread them evenly over the ground.
– During the winter season, add some more mulch as cold winds and harsh conditions adversely affect the Easter Lily plant. You can use leaves, wood chips, pine needles, and thick layers of straws for mulching. Remember to remove this mulch once the winter season is over.
The reblooming of Easter lilies from transplantation will take time as the plant needs to build resources before it can set flower bud growth. So, you may not get Easter flowers in the next Easter and it may be two years before you can see the results of transplantation!
Follow the above tips of Easter lily care and enjoy these magnificent spring flowers in their prime. If you are patient enough, you can also go a step further and transplant the Easter lily outside in the garden.
This lovely plant can completely transform your Easter decorations and give your house a beautiful look for the spring. You can also use them to add a natural look and fragrance to your Easter baskets for loved ones!
Also Read: Can I Grow Lilies in Balcony?