The Easter Lily
The Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum), is endemic to Taiwan and Japan. It bears a number of trumpet-shaped, white, fragrant, and outward-facing flowers. Plants typically grow from about 2 to 3 feet tall. During flowering season from April to June, it produces pure white flowers on top of the stem.
This Lily is known as the Easter lily because in Christianity, it is a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. The "lily” has always been highly regarded because Jesus referenced the flower. Furthermore, after Jesus' death and resurrection, some of these beautiful flowers were found growing in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus went to pray the night before His crucifixion. Legend has it that these flowers sprung up where drops of Jesus' sweat fell as he prayed.
The Easter lily is a symbol of the resurrection in Christianity. In traditional Christianity there is the Lenten Season of 40-46 days before Easter and then there is the Eastertide (Paschal) season following Lent for a period of 40-50 additional days. There are seven “Sundays of Easter” during Eastertide until the Day of Pentecost. Each Sunday has its own special title. Many Christian churches are adorned with Easter lilies throughout this Eastertide Season after Easter. Traditionally Eastertide concludes on the day before Pentecost called Whitsunday (White Sunday).
Pentecost, known in Europe as Pinksterdag, (Pink Monday), is celebrated on the seventh Sunday of Eastertide. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, enabling them to spread the teachings of Christ in various languages. In the Netherlands, Pinksterdag has evolved into a celebration of spring renewal, with traditions like decorating fountains with flowers and birch branches. It also has historical significance in the U.S., where Dutch settlers brought the holiday, and it was a festival among African American communities in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Eastertide is a festal season in the liturgical year of Christianity that focuses on celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are several traditional customs across the Christian world, including sunrise services, the wearing of Easter bonnets by women, and decorating Easter eggs, a symbol of the empty tomb. Additional Eastertide traditions include egg hunting, the Easter Bunny, eating special Easter foods and watching Easter parades.
A Modern History of Lily Production
The lily has been cultivated extensively in Bermuda. In 1929, the USDA's Agricultural Research Services started a breeding program, and released one of the first dwarf cultivars for potted-plant production. Prior to USDA's effort, lily bulbs were mostly imported from Japan until the 1940s. The supply of bulbs was suddenly cut off after the attack on Pearl Harbor and Easter lilies became extremely valuable in the United States.
Currently, nearly all Easter lily bulbs sold in North America are grown on coastal bottom lands in northwestern California (and southwestern Oregon), in the town of Smith River, California which is known as the "Easter Lily Capital of the World." This small town in the northwest corner of California is home to fertile land, redwood trees and a cool, foggy climate, ideal for growing Easter lilies. Around 95% of the world's Easter lily bulbs are grown here, primarily on five farms owned by four families. The bulbs are cultivated with care, taking about three years to reach commercial size.
04/20/25