Is this… Is that… No, this is a true lily!
- Liliums, or ‘lilies’ as they are commonly known, are true lilies from the Liliaceae family, and are plants that are grown from scaly bulbs.
- Lillies are often confused with other ‘lillies’ that are not from the lily family, especially day lillies, that have foliage coming from the ground, rather than leaves growing up a stem.
- Lilies are native to mostly temperate areas in North America, Europe and Asia, and are typically found in woody or grassy environments.
- Lilies grow up to 60 to 180 centimetres (2 to 6 feet) in height, with the stem being very long and strong.
- A lily plant forms large flowers at the top of the long stem of the plant, that are often marked with patterns and are generally red, white, pink, yellow, purple and orange in colour and are sometimes fragrant.
- Some lilies are poisonous to cats, fatally damaging the kidney and its functions, and the pollen can also be hazardous to them.
- Lilies are commonly grown as a decorative flower in the garden or in pots, and are important in the cut flower industry, often featuring in bouquets.
- The bulb of a lily can be eaten like a vegetable, eaten in luxury in China, although can be sometimes quite bitter and unpleasant.
- Since the 1100s, lilies have symbolised ‘purity’, with specific varieties symbolising many things, and more recently, they have been a traditional addition to a bouquet on a couple’s 30th wedding anniversary.
- Lily flowers are usually shaped like a trumpet or bell when partly opened, often opening out to a star shape, and they generally bloom from spring through to autumn, depending on the species.
Bibliography:
Lilium, 2013, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilium
Lily – Lilium candidu, 2013, Flying Flowers, http://www.flyingflowers.co.uk/about-flowers/Flowers/FF_About_Lily,default,pg.html
