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Liliaceae
Lily
Lilium
Purity, renewal, devotion, royalty.
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Genus
- Lilium
- Native to
- Northern Hemisphere temperate regions
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- bulbous perennial
- Height
- 60–180 cm
- Sunlight
- Full to partial sun
- Soil
- Well-drained, rich in organic matter
- Water
- Consistent moisture, not waterlogged
- Hardiness
- 3–9
- Lifespan
- Perennial
Did you know
- Lilies have been cultivated for over 3,000 years; they appear in Minoan frescoes from 1580 BCE.
- The Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) became commercially popular after WWI when a returning soldier brought bulbs from Bermuda.
- Most lilies are highly toxic to cats — even pollen licked off fur can cause kidney failure.
- True lilies grow from bulbs; daylilies (Hemerocallis) are not true lilies.
- The Madonna lily is one of the oldest cultivated flowers, sacred to many ancient cultures.