Rio Grande Botanic Garden - Species of the Month

Easter Lily

Lilium longiflorum

Where in the garden? Easter lilies are blooming in the Mediterranean Conservatory as part of the Bulbs in Bloom floral show during March. Along with these trumpeting flowers, visitors can enjoy the color and fragrance of thousands of hyacinths, tulips, muscari, daffodils and calla lilies.

Where in the world? Easter lilies are native to the southern islands of Japan.

Identifying characteristics:  Dark green leaves and white, trumpet-shaped blossoms grow from upright stems that usually reach 1-2 feet in height. The stems grow from underground bulbs.

Did you know?

• Over 95% of the Easter lilies for sale as potted plants began life in a small region along the west coast of Oregon and California, known as the "Easter Lily Capital of the World."

• If grown outside, these lilies would bloom during the summer in most places in the United States. Commercial growers put potted bulbs in cold storage for a false winter, which allows them to "force" the lilies to bloom early for Easter.

• The bulbs in the Mediterranean Conservatory were "forced" by the horticulture staff of the BioPark. A large walk-in cooler provided cold storage, then the plants were moved to greenhouses located behind-the-scenes at the Rio Grande Zoo to begin their growth. When flowering began, the plants were moved into the Conservatory to provide visitors with an early hint of coming spring!

Species of the Month Archive

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