Gil Cartwright of Flowers by Gil & Curt, who supplied the lily at left, suggests snapping off the anther on the end of the stamen to prevent pollen from staining tablecloths, rugs or hands. After the lily has finished blooming, it can be planted in the yard, and it will rebloom each summer.EASTER LILY SYMBOLISM• Its color, white, stands for purity.• Its tall, hanging bloom represents Jesus’ humility.• The trumpet-shaped blossom symbolizes the heralding of Jesus’ birth and resurrection.• Biblical scholars have written that lilies grew in the Garden of Gethsemane; folklore maintains lilies “sprang up where Christ’s tears fell” in his final hours of sorrow before the crucifixion.Sources: peopleoffaith.com and celebrations360.com
With its glossy, white blossoms trumpeting spring’s season of rebirth, the Easter lily (Lilium Longiflorum) is a favorite gift for its symbolism.
During the two weeks of the Easter season, sales of Easter lilies top more than $39 million nationally, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, making them the fourth-largest potted-plant crop in the country. Only poinsettias, mums and azaleas sell more.
But what happens to the plant once Sunday’s holiday passes?
With the right care, a lily can be transferred to the garden where it will return each summer.