The Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) is botanically a perennial plant, meaning it can live for more than two years and return annually. However, it is frequently treated as an annual, especially when purchased as a potted plant for holiday decorations. This article clarifies its true nature and offers guidance on how to encourage its return in your garden.
Understanding Annuals and Perennials
An annual plant completes its entire life cycle, from germination to seed production, within a single growing season, then dies. Common examples of annuals include marigolds, petunias, and zinnias, which provide continuous blooms throughout a season but require replanting each year.
Conversely, a perennial plant lives for more than two years, returning year after year. Many perennials go dormant during winter, with new growth emerging in spring. Examples include peonies, daylilies, and hostas, which can establish long-term presence in a garden.
The Easter Lily’s True Nature
The Easter lily, Lilium longiflorum, is an herbaceous perennial, growing from a bulb that allows it to go dormant and re-emerge for multiple years. Its natural cycle involves summer blooming, followed by winter dormancy. The common misconception of it being an annual stems from its cultivation and sale as a temporary holiday plant. Growers “force” these lilies to bloom for the Easter season, which is outside their natural summer flowering period.
After the holiday, many people discard the plant, unaware of its perennial capabilities. For the Easter lily to thrive as a perennial, it requires rich, well-draining soil and can grow in full sun to partial shade, ideally with its roots shaded. Easter lilies are hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9, where they can return and bloom annually.
Caring for Easter Lilies Beyond the Holiday
To encourage your Easter lily to return as a perennial, begin care immediately after its holiday bloom. Once the flowers fade, gently pinch or snip off the spent blooms. This prevents the plant from expending energy on seed production and directs it back into the bulb for future growth. Do not remove the green foliage, as these leaves continue to photosynthesize and replenish the bulb’s energy reserves.
Once the danger of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures consistently remain above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, you can transition the plant outdoors. Acclimate the lily by gradually exposing it to outdoor conditions over several days before planting. Choose a location with good drainage and at least half a day of sun, planting the bulb about 6 inches deep. Incorporating compost or organic matter into the soil can improve drainage and fertility.
For ongoing care, ensure the soil remains consistently moist but not waterlogged, watering when the top inch of soil feels dry. Avoid letting the plant sit in standing water to prevent root rot. Fertilize periodically with a diluted solution to provide necessary nutrients. As fall approaches and the foliage naturally yellows and dies back, cut the stems down to soil level. In colder climates, apply a 3-inch layer of mulch over the planting site to protect the bulb from winter temperatures, removing it in spring as new growth emerges.