Updated at: 14-11-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

As the fourth most popular flower in the world, lilies are a popular choice for home gardeners, but how long do lilies last? Symbolizing purity, lilies have large, enchanting blossoms. They come in a wide range of colors and have a wonderful scent to go along with them.

Once you decide to plant your favorite flowers, you want them to last as long as possible. And to help you along the way, we’ve compiled a list of suggestions and methods.

About Lilies

You want your favorite flowers to endure as long as possible after you decide to plant them. In order to accomplish this, you may choose to make use of some of our pointers and methods.

There are a number of popular lily species, including Orientals, Asiatics, Orienpets, and Species types. Remember that Asiatic lilies bloom first, followed by Orienpets and then Oriental lilies in your garden’s flowering order.

  • After peonies, the first flowers in the summer season are Asiatic lillies (Lilium sp. – “Asiatic hybrids”). Unless the soil is poorly drained, they don’t mind. Their height ranges from 2 to 3 feet and they come in a wide range of hues, from pastels to tropical. Despite their lack of scent, they give a burst of vibrant color to the landscape.
  • Most people cultivate Easter lilies (Lilium longifolium) in their homes as a seasonal decoration. Their name refers to the fact that they’re usually coaxed into bloom around Easter. North America’s warmer locations are best suited for planting them in the garden after their blooms have faded.
  • There’s something about oriental lilies (Liliumsp., or “Oriental hybrids”) that makes them smell so good. They can reach a height of four feet and have a more leisurely growth rate, so they often bloom at the same time as Asiatic lilies (mid- to late summer).
  • There are numerous trumpet lilies (Lilium sp. – “Trumpet hybrids”) that have a pleasant aroma. Other lilies have larger, trumpet-shaped blossoms, but these are smaller and more compact.

Besides the aforementioned varieties, there are other additional lilies to choose from, such as the Tiger Lily (Lilium henryi) and the Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium superbum). Explore your favorite online gardening retailer’s catalog to discover what you enjoy best!

How Long Do Lilies Live - Krostrade

Get to Know the “True Lilies”

Additionally, there are numerous plants with the name “lily” in their name, and the most majority of these are not what we would call “real lilies!”. Lilium is the genus that includes the true lilies that grow from onion-like bulbs.

Even while daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.) look like real lilies, they are not. Many leaves sprout from the crown of daylilies, whereas the bulb of a real lily produces only one stem or shoot. Similarly, peace lilies, canna lilies, water lilies, lilies-of-the-valley, and calla lilies are not real lilies! Find out more about what makes a lily a lily by reading this article.

PLANTING

Lilies require a lot of sunlight in order to thrive. Lilies need 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day in order to reliably blossom. Too much shade causes the stems to tilt in the direction of the sun or become spindly and fall over.

Make sure the soil in the area where you wish to plant drains effectively. Is there any way to tell? Take advantage of the first place to dry out after a rainstorm. Lily bulbs are susceptible to rot if water is trapped beneath the bulb’s overlapping scales. Compost or well-rotted manure can help improve drainage in your garden soil. Find out more about soil amendments and planting-ready soil.

In general, lilies require acidic to neutral soils, however some types (such as Madonna lilies) are tolerant of lime and favor alkaline soils.

When to Plant Lilies

  • Planting in the spring may be preferable in locations with exceptionally hard winters. Take care to plant as soon as the risk of frost is over.
  • During the early summer, container-grown lily plants can be planted outside at any time.
  • The best time to buy the bulbs is right before planting. It’s not a good idea to buy lily bulbs in the fall and wait until April to plant them since they don’t become dormant.

How to Plant Lilies

  • To a depth of 12 to 15 inches, loosen the soil.
  • Plant the bulbs three times as deep as the bulb’s height and place them pointy side up in the hole. Using deep planting encourages the plant’s stem to grow roots, which may minimize the need for staking and stabilize the plant’s structure. When temperatures soar, lily bulbs benefit from deep planting.
  • Tamp the earth slightly once it has been placed in the hole.
  • Each bulb should be placed at a distance equal to its diameter (often 8 to 18 inches apart).
  • Plant lilies in clusters of 3 to 5 bulbs for visual appeal.
  • At the time of planting, be sure to water thoroughly.

GROWING

How to Care for Lilies

  • If rainfall is less than 1 inch per week, water freely during the growing season.
  • Keep the roots of lilies cool by mulching them. The mulch should be damp, but not drenched in water. Learn more about mulching by checking out the resources listed below.
  • For the first six weeks following flowering, use a high-potassium liquid fertilizer every two weeks.
  • A 2-inch layer of mulch should be applied over a thin layer of compost each spring.
  • Take care of your tall flowers.
  • You can remove the faded blossoms of lilies so that the plants don’t waste energy producing seeds.
  • You can even remove the lily’s stem after it has bloomed. But wait until the leaves have turned brown before removing them. It’s critical that you don’t cut back the leaves until the end of the season, as they feed the bulb with the nutrients it needs to thrive in the following year.
  • During late fall or early spring, cut down the stalks that are no longer viable.
  • When there is no snow cover in your area, it is important to maintain the soil hydrated during the winter months.
  • Remove the mulch gradually as the lily shoots emerge from the ground in the spring.
  • Plants should be divided every three to four years as new growth appears in the spring. Plants can simply be lifted and the clumps divided. Add some compost to the new bulbs before replanting them.

Varieties that are recommended

In the Garden: Oriental lilies are beautiful, easy to grow | The Spokesman-Review

Lilies come in a wide variety of varieties, each with its own unique blooming period. You may enjoy lilies all summer long if you prepare ahead and plant bulbs from a variety of species.

Unlike other types of lilies, Asiatic lilies bloom first and are the easiest to cultivate. As a result, they bloom from early spring through June. Asiatic lilies can be found in a variety of colors and are hardy in zones 4 to 9. Despite their lack of scent, Asiatic flowers are a favorite of floral arrangers because of their versatility.

  • ‘Crete’ is a deep pink, flowering from June to July, and is 3 to 4 feet tall.
  • orange ‘Enchantment,’ June blooms, 2 to 3 ft high

Midway through the summer, trumpet lilies burst into flower. They are hardy in Zones 5 to 9 and have trumpet-shaped blooms. Trumpet lilies produce an astounding 12 to 15 blooms on a single stalk! and exude a deliciously sweet, heavy scent.

  • It is white, blooms from early to late summer, and reaches a height of 3-4 feet.
  • Midsummer blooms of ‘Rising Moon,’ a pale yellow with pink margins, are about three to four feet tall.

Mid- to late summer is when Oriental hybrids come into their own, blooming just as Asiatic lilies are beginning to fade. Orientals come in many shapes and sizes, from small 2-footers to towering 8-foot-tall monsters (the shorter ones are great for patio beds or container gardens). After dark, the scent of Oriental lilies becomes even more enticing because to their large white or pink, crimson, or bi-colored flowers. Even the largest of spaces will be filled with their spicy aromas thanks to their beautiful cut flowers.

  • In late summer, the ‘Black Beauty’ is a 5 to 6 foot tall plant with dark red flowers.
  • White, 4 to 5 feet tall, and blooming August to September, ‘Casa Blanca’

HARVESTING

Displaying Lilies in Vases

  • When it comes to arranging bouquets, lilies are an excellent choice. But don’t remove more than a third of the stem at a time. The plant’s vitality and longevity can be harmed if you take more than that, as the plant relies on its leaf to produce energy.
  • Cut-flower lilies should be planted in a special cutting garden where new bulbs can be planted each year.
  • Cut lilies when the buds are just beginning to open and the blossom color is beginning to show. As the lower buds begin to fade, the higher ones will burst open.
  • It only takes a single stem of a lily in a vase to steal the show.
  • Trim the ends of the stems of the lilies with a sharp knife in a diagonal fashion as soon as they’re inside the house.
  • Snip the stamens in the center of the bloom to avoid orange pollen causing streaks.
  • It’s best to remove all of the stems’ lowest leaves before placing them in a vase.
  • Lily arrangements can survive for up to two weeks if they are properly cared for. Every few days, change the water in the aquarium.
  • Add cut-flower food to the water to extend the life of the blooms. The amount of nourishment needed for lilies is half that of other flowers.

Learn how to store fresh cut flowers.

WIT AND WISDOM

  • It’s easy to be misled by the term “lily,” as it’s used by a variety of plants other than real lilies. Lilies such as daylilies, water lilies, lilies-of-the-valley, and lilyturf are not true lilies. Identity theft has been happening for a long time, perhaps even before the days of computers and credit cards!
  • In the spring, Easter lilies can be transplanted into the ground. If you mulch them thickly in the fall, especially in northern climates, they may be able to last for several years. If they make it through the winter, they’ll blossom in the fall.
  • Lilies thrive in a flowerbed with low-growing plants that keep the lilies’ roots from drying out, which helps them thrive.

PESTS/DISEASES

  • Gray mold can be an issue, especially in the spring and summer, when the weather is rainy and chilly. Do not overcrowd the lilies; they need enough of space and air circulation.
  • Viruses transmitted by aphids can be a problem, however some cultivars can withstand the effects of infection.
  • The presence of red lily beetles, slugs, and snails is possible.
  • A deer or rabbit can consume an entire plant, as can a vole or groundhog. Plant the bulbs in cages made of buried wire if these vermin are a problem.

The Mythical Flower

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Lilies, scientifically known as Lilium, have trumpet-shaped blooms. The pistil, stamen, and carpel are all found inside the flower. It’s said that the goddess Venus was so envious of the lily’s beauty that she let a massive pistil to sprout from its core as a punishment.

Throughout history, lilies have been used as metaphors for many different things. The problem is that there isn’t a specific application for them. Fever and arthritis were thought to be helped by the flowers, however this is not the case.

In Asian cuisine, bulbs are still employed. Unlike turnips or potatoes, they are starchy and sweet.

Water lilies and calla lilies, for example, are two of the most beautiful flowers in the world. They’re not Liliaceae, which is a bummer.

Despite its exotic appearance, the lily is a rather straightforward plant to maintain. They naturally develop in warm, humid environments. Thanks to genetic engineering, we are now able to grow them all over the world. Lilies come in almost a hundred different varieties.

How Long Do Lilies Last In A Vase

You’ll get more use out of your cut-off lilies before they die. If you enjoy putting fresh flowers in vases about your house, be sure to take good care of them.

Make a 45-degree cut to the stems. Remove any leaves that might float to the surface. Remove the pollen by gently squeezing the stamens and then squeezing them again. An allergy sufferer’s worst nightmare: a pollen-strewn vase.

At all times, lilies need water to survive. They can take in as much water as possible with this style of cut on their skin. Add flower food to the vase after filling it with room temperature water. A ready-made solution can be purchased, or you can devise one on your own.

Combine 32 ounces of water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, little lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of bleach to make your own floral supplement. The flowers will be fed and protected from fungus with this formula.

Take care to keep the vase out of direct sunlight and out of the reach of any pets. Every inch of water lost necessitates a new fill-up. Your lily bouquet will be fresh for up to 14 days if you do it this way.

How Long Do Lilies Last In A Garden

Depending on the weather, your blooming lilies will endure longer or shorter in your garden. Blooming often begins in early summer and lasts until fall under ideal conditions. Blooming can take up to eight days, and each flower has a 14-day life span.

The earliest-blooming Asiatic lilies are well-known for this fact. They bloom in the spring and last into the summer. First year, your new lily may not bloom at all, which is surprising. Eventually, they will grow into a plant with leaves, but no flowers. For elder plants, the same holds true. The lily loses its blooming ability as it grows older. Small animals often eat the subterranean bulbs, causing damage to the flowers.

How To Make Lilies Last Longer

The best way to extend the life of your flowers is to plant them in the ground in a USDA zone that is conducive to their growth. Lilies can withstand the winter in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9. Lilies are classified as annuals in USDA zones 3, 10, and 11. Planting them in containers and bringing them indoors on the coldest days will help them survive the winter.

There is a two year life cycle for lily plants. Plant new bulbs every year if you want fresh cut lilies throughout the season.

Never remove more than one-third of the stem at a time while cutting flowers. This manner, the plant will continue to receive nutrients and grow. Cut bulbs that haven’t opened yet to lengthen the life of your arrangement.

From the time you sow the seed until six weeks after the last flower appears, give the plant a liquid fertilizer every two weeks. The lilies should be watered every day throughout blossoming. Replace the water in the vase on a regular basis.

Bloom Times for Lilies

What To Do With A Dead Lily

When flowers begin to wilt, remove them immediately. As long as the plant is feeding the blossom, it will continue to do so until it produces seeds. This means that the plant’s nutrients and energy will not be used to produce new blooms, but rather to nourish the deceased one. Don’t remove any leaf at the conclusion of the flowering season. The plant’s leaves are still able to absorb the sun’s rays. Afterwards, you can remove the bulbs and replant them somewhere.

Conclusion

Long-lasting flowers like lilies can be grown in a pot or a vase. You may be wondering how long lilies last, and the answer is two years. For at least two weeks, lilies in a vase will continue to thrive and bloom.

To be clear, these numbers can only be achieved with good care of your lilies. Lilies can be damaged by severe temperatures and harsh sunlight, thus the environment must be stable. Keep them hydrated and fertilize them as needed.

Lilies are one of the most stunning flowers for a table centerpiece. The stems should be clipped correctly to ensure that they endure as long as possible. As a last step, add cut flower food to their water and replace frequently.

Compared to the 3-week lifespan of a flowering lily planted in the ground, the vase life of a lily is around 14 days. They can be annual or perennial, depending on the USDA zone in which they are grown. During the late spring and early fall, they produce flowers. Your garden will bloom all year long if you give it the attention it needs.

Think about sending a lily arrangement to a loved one. Let them know about your favorite piece so they can keep reading and enjoying it.