Lilium longiflorum, the Latin name for the Easter Lily, is native to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan.
The Easter Lily, the traditional time-honored flower of Easter, is highly regarded as a joyful symbol of beauty, hope and life. The large, trumpet-shaped, fragrant white flowers make a meaningful gift that embodies the very essence of the celebration of Easter.To keep your Easter Lilies fresh and fragrant for as long as possible, purchase potted plants with flowers at various stages of opening and with abundant, dark green foliage. As the flowers open and mature, pinch off the yellow anthers before the pollen sheds. The yellow pollen will stain the other white flowers. Once a mature flower has started to wither, you may cut it off at the base to better showcase the new buds.Easter lilies thrive in moderately cool temperatures (no higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit) and enjoy bright, but indirect natural sunlight. Keep soil moist and well-drained. Avoid over-watering. Remove any decorative wrappings or coverings, which can trap standing water in the pot.You can expect your potted Easter Lily to bloom for 1-3 weeks around the Easter holiday. Despite its name, the natural bloom for the Easter Lily is actually during the summer. Under controlled greenhouse conditions, the lily is brought to an early bloom in time for Easter. If you want to continue to enjoy your lily for years to come, try planting the bulb and remaining greenery in your garden after the flowering is finished. Subsequent blooms will occur naturally in the summer.

Loveliest flower was I to see,
In the garden of Gethsemane.
My head erect, my pure white face
Such a delight for all to embrace.

For all who entered the garden gate,
I’d boldly lift my head and wait
‘Til they gazed upon my beauty fair.
All who came would see me there.

On the night before he was crucified,
Jesus entered. He passed me by.
He wept and prayed in silence there.
All my friends bowed their heads in prayer.

In pity and sorrow they gathered round,
Except for me. I could not be found.
I would not join in. I was much too proud.
Bow my lovely head? No, I would not allow!

News spread quickly, the very next day.
All ’round the garden, I heard everyone say
Jesus was going to be crucified.
Oh, I wanted to run. I wanted to hide!

I’d been much too vain to hang my head low,
That first Good Friday; long, long, ago.
I would not join the others who prayed with our King.
Now, how can I bear such a sorrowful thing?

No longer will I proudly face the sun.
My head will hang lowly, ashamed of what I’ve done.
My blossom forever will down turned be,
In honor of Jesus; at Gethsemane.

(by Dot McGinnis)

For many, the beautiful trumpet-shaped white flowers symbolize purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life—the spiritual essence of Easter.
History, mythology, literature, poetry and the world of art are rife with stories and images that speak of the beauty and majesty of the elegant white flowers. Often called the “white-robed apostles of hope,” lilies were found growing in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ’s agony.Tradition has it that the beautiful white lilies sprung up where drops of Christ’s sweat fell to the ground in his final hours of sorrow and deep distress.Churches continue this tradition at Easter time by banking their altars and surrounding their crosses with masses of Easter Lilies, to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and hope of life everlasting.A mark of purity and grace throughout the ages, the regal white lily is a fitting symbol of the greater meaning of Easter.Gracing millions of homes and churches, the flowers embody joy, hope and life.Whether given as a gift or enjoyed in your own home, the Easter Lily serves as a beautiful reminder that Easter is a time for rejoicing and celebrating.