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In today’s world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

Lilies give life and color to any garden and brighten it up beyond your expectations. These hardy bulbs need very little care but can surprise anyone by eventually growing into a large cluster of flowering stems.

To have a longer-lasting series of blooms, you can choose a combination of early, mid-season and late-blooming cultivars. This way, you can have flowering lilies for months on end.

Asiatic

The two most popular types of lily plants for your garden are the Asiatic and Oriental lilies. The Asiatic variety is the easiest to grow.

It is hardy and there is no need for staking. It is also not very choosy when it comes to the soil it grows as long as it has good drainage.

Orientals

Oriental lilies, on the other hand, are getting to be popular. Credit this to their large, exotic blooms with their heady sweet scents. Orientals can be successfully grown if the soil is organic and acidic, with good drainage as well, and heavily mulched each fall.

One should always consider the plant height and bloom season when choosing them for cultivating. For those not very familiar with each individual plant’s characteristics, try to visit them in public gardens during bloom time to see them in their full glory.

Planting

Lily bulbs may be planted in spring or fall. If there are hardy plants in containers, include them in your garden.

Choose only firm and plump bulbs with roots in them. Bulbs don’t go completely dormant and have to be planted before they dry out.

Full sunlight

If your Lilies facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don’t let important Lilies information slip by you.

Both the Asiatic and Oriental lilies are best planted where there is full sunlight. In reduced sunlight, they grow taller and spindly ? not very good looking. Martagon hybrids, however, can bloom well in the shade, which makes them prized by some growers.

For some effects, you can plant your lilies in groups of three or five identical bulbs. Space the plants 8 to 12 inches apart.

Depending on the vigor and size of the lilies, keep the groups 3 to 5 feet apart. Small lily bulbs are planted 2 to 4 inches deep, and the larger bulbs about 4 to 6 inches deep.

Soil

Your garden soil for your lilies should drain well. Mix in lots of organic matter to the clay soil to have a raised area with improved drainage.

Finally, add this organic matter into light and sandy soil. This will help hold on to nutrients and prevents fast drying. It is also safe to apply winter mulch. Wait until the ground begins to freeze before spreading it.

Plant food

Leave the mulch in spring until the danger of hard frost is over. Fertilize the soil with a phosphorus formula like the 5-10-10.

Follow the instructions to the letter in fertilizer application. Slow-release fertilizers work very well with lilies.

Pests

Lilies have few enemies, but aphids and botrytis blight (a fungal disease) can cause problems on the buds and leaves, respectively.

Spray the aphids off your plants with strong water jets. Water your plants early in the day and provide adequate space between plants for good air circulation, thus preventing fungal disease.

Choosing, planting and caring for your lilies are not that exacting or that rigid in exchange for all that beauty and fragrance of their flowers.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Lilies are among the most beautiful and elegant looking flowers, which makes them popular for different occasions, whether it is for alleviating a sad soul or for a joyous occasion like a wedding. Coming from the lilium family, there are about 100 species of lilies. And the lilies’ history could be traced since its 3,000 years ago and they became popular in Egypt during the 18th century.

There are different kinds of lilies found in Europe, India, across in Asia, from Japan to the Philippines. With the abundance of lilies in some areas, locals have developed creative and interesting uses of lilies and water lilies. There are some species found in the United States which can be planted or propagated by using bulbs. You could also cultivate lilies, using seeds.

Lilies aside from great decorations and gifts, can also be a great use inside the house. Peace lilies are considered by several studies as one of the best household plants since they are great air purifiers. Peace lilies’ leaves would absorb molds and then transport them to serve as food for the roots.

Aside from these, there are some interesting uses of lilies and lily buds.

? In China, dried lily flower buds which are called golden needles or ?jin zhen? in China are used in Chinese cuisine. They are soaked and cooked with mushrooms. In China, ?baihe gan? or the L. brownie bulbs are considered to be a health and luxury food. They are used to make soups thicker and are used in stir fried food.

? The Chinese also used dried lily bulbs as a medicine. In their tradition, it could cure sore throats, build the lungs stronger, help address heart problems and improve kidney functions. They could also be used to lower down fever temperatures. Some would use lily bulbs to help them relax and improve sleep.

? European history also showed that they have used lily bulbs for medicinal purposes like fevers, cleaning wounds and sores.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and Lilies experts is time. If you’ll invest a little more time in reading, you’ll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to Lilies.

? There are some countries that grow lilies in pots and are used as a patio plant.

? The Easter lily is indispensable in Easter trade and are considered to be important cut flowers.

? In the Philippines, water lilies or water hyacinth and bamboos are used to clean polluted rivers. It is used as a biological filter helping the water get cleaned of pollution and heavy metals. Other Southeast Asian countries have been using this, prior to the Philippines.

? Still in the Philippines, water lilies are used and converted into fibre which can be used in textile manufacturing. Water lilies are transformed into hand-woven products like slippers, handicrafts and placemats.

? If you have a pond with fishes in it, then try adding some water lilies. They provide a habitat for micro-organisms that fishes feed on, according to the Texas A&M University. By doing so, your fish would not require too much artificial food.

? Aside from food sources, Langston University recommends using water lily for fish ponds since they may provide shade and also hiding places for fishes.

Lilies are not just flowers meant for decoration, but they play an important role in other country’s culture. It just makes the flower and the plant more valuable.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Lilies, like most other beautiful flowering plants, need not be appreciated only in gardens or in the wilds. For those less-than-hardy varieties of lilies, growing them in pots can be the only solution in surviving the winter outdoors.

It is also an excellent idea to help beautify your surroundings and other parts of your landscape. Dwarf lilies are an excellent choice for pot gardening. They can make such beautiful accents to your rooms.

Potting

Potted lilies can be as healthy as those that are grown under natural conditions in the ground or gardens. Potting the lilies can start around late March all the way to the first week of May.

After potting, take care to water them thoroughly. (Water should come out of the drainage holes in the bottom.) After which, slow-release fertilizer is to be added on top of the soil.

Storing

Move the trays of potted lilies to an unheated place so they can sit for a minimum of 2 weeks to root. Keeping them in the cold stimulates them to have healthy and extensive root systems before they send out shoots.

There is no need to water them now because they are kept cool, and they don’t dry out because they are in the dark. When they start poking out of the soil, it is time to move them into the sunshine outdoors.

Sprouts

There may be some frost yet before they can really start out growing in May. Once the sprouts are out, protect them from freezing if temperatures go below minus 5 degrees Celsius.

By the middle or end of June, dwarf lily varieties are ready to bloom. Watering should be daily, depending on winds, temperature or rains. Then, the flowers bloom.

You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about Lilies. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?

Pots

Bigger pots are best. They hold more soil and there is less chance for the bulbs to be frozen or baked inside.

All pots must have the all-important drainage hole at the bottom. Another concern would be the depth of the pot. Lily bulbs need at least 4 inches of soil on top and another inch at the bottom of the pot.

Soil

Lilies love sandy soil. The bulbs grow bigger in the sandy mix than in regular peat mixes. Drainage is also assured against accidents of over-watering. Ideally, the soil composition can have 40% sand, 30% peat and 30% compost.

Because sand cannot hold many nutrients, fertilizers become an important issue on potted lilies. They are the best part in making a success of your potted beauties.

Plant food

Regular feeding of fertilizers results in healthier plants, bigger flowers, and better abilities for the lilies to resist pests and diseases. They are especially important in the early parts of the lily’s growing months.

For bigger blooms, apply tomato fertilizer at least once right after blooming is finished. (Use the water-soluble type, and read the instructions very carefully.) Any vegetable fertilizer is okay.

Water

Over-watering is the biggest monster for potted lilies. They can kill. Lilies love moisture but only with a good drainage available. Waterlogged bulbs rot and simply die. You would not even know it until they do or the plant would look sickly.

However, there is no doubt potting your lilies can be just as much fun as growing them in your gardens.

That’s the latest from the Lilies authorities. Once you’re familiar with these ideas, you’ll be ready to move to the next level.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Hardy lilies are mostly under-utilized in perennial gardens and container plantings. Not all people know that lilies are tough perennial plants. Once they have established themselves in your garden, they will continue to astound you for years even with very little care.

Like the other summer plants (dahlias, peonies, gladioli), lilies can be planted in the spring which can then blossom that very summer. Actually, the best assortment of varieties of the hardy lilies is available in the spring.

Also, the bulbs of these hardy lilies are very easy to plant and cultivate. Planting a wide variety of them will enhance your perennials and shrubs. Or, maybe you can start a new landscape garden.

Bloom time extension

One exciting way to extend the bloom time of your flowers is to plant a group of Asiatic lilies with a group of Oriental lilies. The surprise comes in with their different bloom time frames.

Once one group has finished its blossoming, the other group will begin a cycle of their own. (Also, try planting lilies in odd number groups of 3, 5, or 7 bulbs and watch the color combination of their flowers later.)

Some stats

Lilies are herbaceous flowering plants that normally develop from bulbs. There are about 110 species in the lily family.

All of them are large, showy perennial flowering plants that make great cut flowers for bouquets, table centerpieces and other arrangements. They are available in almost every color from the pure white fragrant Casa Blanca to the Landini, a nearly black lily.

Planting basics

If you don’t have accurate details regarding Lilies, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don’t let that happen: keep reading.

Lilies thrive most in well-drained soil in sun-filled areas (or partly shaded depending on the variety). Ideally, the lily flowers and leaves are out in the sun while their roots are shaded from the heat. They need to be kept moist, too.

You can plant them either in the fall or spring, whenever the bulbs are available. After planting (6 to 10 inches apart and 4 to 6 inches deep into the soil), fertilize them lightly every month with 4-8-4 organic fertilizer just as the shoots emerge.

Stake and protect tall lilies from the wind. Remove blooms when they die and cut off the stems at ground level only when they are already brown, not still green.

How famous ones look like

Easter lilies have that classic trumpet-shaped flowers and that heavenly fragrance. They love hot coastal climates.

The flowers of Asiatic lilies are famous for their softest pastels to fiery reds and oranges. They can bloom for a long season and they like cool places. They are unscented.

The most popular cut flowers and garden perennials, the Oriental lilies have large flowers in white, pink and reds with a very intense fragrance. Cultivars vary from 18 inches to 6 feet tall.

Another tall lily, Trumpet lilies can grow up to 6 feet, sporting large fragrant flowers in midsummer. They also love cool temperatures.

Tiger lilies carry some of the most exotic-looking blooms around in spotted white, yellow, orange and red. In some varieties, the petal edges have lighter shades than those inside.

Hardy lilies are some of the world’s most favorite flowering plants. Words are not adequate but you can see for yourself why.

Now you can understand why there’s a growing interest in Lilies. When people start looking for more information about Lilies, you’ll be in a position to meet their needs.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of Lilies, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of Lilies.

If you want to grow a plant that is easy to maintain, beautiful and colorful then lilies are the best option for you.

Studies show that lilies are considered as one of the most popular flowers in the world along with rose. In fact, it is the fourth most popular flower across the globe. Like other flowers, lilies come in different types, shapes, colors and sizes.

Commonly, they are used as borders or beds of other plants such as shrubs. Other varieties are perfect as accent plants while others are ideal for pool planting. The small ones are used by people in their alpine rock gardens or as indoor potted plants.

In landscapes, lilies can be combined with other early, mid-season, and late-blooming cultivars since its flowers usually bloom around middle of June until middle of September.

Finding ?true? lilies

For starters, it can be confusing to find lilies if they only rely on the name ?lily?. This is because there are so many plants that bear the word ?lily? as part of their common name but they are not really lilies. Some of these plants are ?daylily? and ?peace lily? which do not belong to the genus lilium.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Lilies. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

In finding true lilies, it is best to check their characteristics such as having stiff stems with narrow strap; large flowers that develop at the tip of the stem; either trumpet, bowl or bell shaped that come with petals that are reflexed. You will also know that the plant in front of you is a true lily if it nods downwards, faces outwards, or turns upwards.

After confirming that what you have is a ?true? lily, you may proceed with the kinds or types to find out which is the most suitable one for you. The most common?not to mention most popular?types are the ?Asiatic? and ?Oriental? lilies.

If you need the type that is easiest to grow and doesn’t need too much maintenance since they can grow with any type of soil that drains well, opt of for Asiatic lilies. But if you are very particular about size, fragrance and color, choose Oriental lilies because these have exotic and large as well as sweet perfume. Experts say that these two are ideal for northern gardens.

No matter what type of lilies you choose, make sure that you choose the ideal soil and containers where you will place it. Clay and sand are the best soil options out there. Because of its high retention properties, clay is preferred by first time gardeners of ornamental plants such as lilies.

When it comes to containers, lilies will grow best in those have tapered bottom and sides that will enable air and water to circulate properly.

Experts say most lilies are best grown outdoors because these need full sunlight for them to bloom perfectly. It is ideal for lilies to be exposed in sunlight at least 10 hours for them to grow taller and with larger foliage. However, if you want to keep lilies indoors, make sure that you choose smaller types and they have enough light to avoid them from being floppy.

Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO

Different plants require different planting and caring tips. If you intend to plant something that you have never tried before, you have to gather essential tips from those who have tried such, no matter how experienced you are as a gardener. Lilies may be nice to look at, but in order to get a good bunch, you have to follow essential pointers to get it successfully done.

Planting and Growing Tips

The most important rule that you need to bear in mind in this venture is that the plants have to be placed on the area where there is a good drainage system. You will never be able to grow these on spots where water gathers and stands.

Caring for these plants must also depend on the season. You have to keep a good eye on your garden in the winter. There may be some mice that are already habituating on your garden because they love nibbling on the tender bulbs of these plants. When the night is frosty, it is recommended that you cover the shoots with cardboard boxes or newspaper. Do not allow the shoots on the flower beds to get very long. You must know when is the right time to rake off the mulch. You need to take extra precaution in handling the plants’ new shoots. These are fragile and brittle. If anything gets broken, you cannot expect the flower to bloom for that season.

Most of this information comes straight from the Lilies pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

The flower bed needs sufficient amount of fertilizer to ensure the health of your plants. Once you see that the green leaves are starting to grow, you have to supply the plants with nitrogen. To help the plants bloom and to increase the production of bulbs, you have to fertilize these with phosphorous and potassium. The fertilizers must never come in direct contact with the bulbs, so you need to water in meticulously.

Water is very essential in growing these plants. You need to supply the flower bed with constant moisture. The best way to do it is through soaking. You must allow the hose to run gently near the flower bed until the ground is soaked at least six inches deep. You can also opt to use a soil soaker to manage several clumps at a time. It is not advisable to use overhead sprinkling because this might cause certain diseases to be acquired by your plants.

By planting these the right way, there will be higher chances that diseases are going to be prevented from befalling on your plants. If you still aren’t sure if you already have the skills to attain this the right way, you may want to check out similar gardens and try gathering ideas from what the owners have done in growing their plants.

There are many resources that you can check out to know more about this. It is essential to collect essential information before venturing out further to make sure that you will be making the right steps to successfully grow beautiful flower beds of lilies.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on Lilies. Compare what you’ve learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of Lilies.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO

When you’re learning about something new, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of relevant information available. This informative article should help you focus on the central points.

If you live in countries that don’t have tropical climate and you want to grow lilies, then you can keep these indoors. Potted lilies have been a popular option for people in cold places because these are easy to maintain and are very attractive when its flowers bloom.

Ideally, lilies should be grown outdoors because it needs a great amount of sunlight. But, to those who want to grow lilies inside their house, they can still do by ensuring that there is enough light or sunlight, air and moisture to keep these alive.

When buying and transporting lilies for the first time, make sure the plant is well-kept by placing it in a box or wrapped in newspaper to ensure its stem will not break or its leaves will not be torn in anyway.

Also, consider the span of time you will carry the lily to your car because it can damage the plant if the temperature is not right. Inside the car, make sure to place the lilies in front of the car before turning on the heater. Make sure that you do not place the plant inside the trunk because it’s too cold.

Taking care of indoor lilies

It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Lilies. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

If you plan to keep lilies inside your home, being familiar with indoor gardening is a must. This will ensure that you can take care of the indoor lilies plants properly. You can read up on basic gardening will help you a lot. You can also get reference from various gardening sites in the Internet or you can but agriculture and other gardening magazines.

Once you have basic knowledge on keeping a garden inside your house, you can now start growing indoor lilies on your very own space. The first consideration in growing indoor lilies is the type of ideal for the space. There are two popular types of lilies, the ?Asiatic? and ?Oriental.? These come in small species that are ideal for small and shaded spaces.

Since lilies are ornamental plants, you can place these in containers for easy maintenance. In choosing which variety to grow, make sure that you buy one of each first and try it out. If the type bloom and grow in your space well, that’s the time that you can buy additional potted lilies.

To ensure that the lilies will grow well, consider the amount of sunlight it needs. If you are in a cold place, you need to place the plant in an area where it can be exposed in sunlight the whole time.

Another major consideration in keeping indoor lilies is the soil that you will place in its pot. Since soil is the major lifeline of the lily plant, make sure that you choose the best quality to keep it thriving.

Experts say that clay is considered as the most ideal type for indoor lilies since this has high retention that can hold as many nutrients as possible. If clay is not available, you can use the ordinary garden soil. Just make sure that you supply it with organic matter such as decayed plants, fruit peels, vegetable stalks, and manure of animals to ensure that it can supply the needs of the indoor lily.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO

Coming from the lilium family, there are more than a hundred varieties of lilies available to gardeners and florists. There are different varieties and colors to choose form. Water lilies are also great for landscaping water gardens and other outdoor spaces.

Lilies are usually associated with funerals, especially white lilies. White lilies are said to symbolize the restoration of innocence after one’s death. But aside from that, Peruvian lilies also represent friendship. While stargazers, especially the pink colored-ones, would represent wealth and prosperity.

There are lily breeds which are popular choices for decoration and for weddings, like the Calla Lily. This elegant and fresh looking lily has different colors and sizes which makes it ideal for decorators and designers. Tiger lilies are also popular, you could easily look for one and transfer them to your garden.

If you are planning to buy lily bulbs to plant, then it is important to consider the time when you will be buying the bulbs. Spring and fall are the best times to buy lily bulbs. Since lilies do not go dormant for a long time, it is best to buy bulbs when it is already near planting time.

Here are some things to keep in mind when buying lily bulbs:

? When buying lily bulbs, check if the bulbs have any kind of sprouts. According to experts, it is best to buy a bulb with a sprout of not more than one inch. what you need are solid roots with the sprout just developing.

? Check those garden sacks that you buy from garden centers. Aside from checking the growth of the sprout, you also need to see if the bulbs are dried out. You need to avoid these bulbs.

Most of this information comes straight from the Lilies pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

? Watch out for any bulb discolorations, like grey and brown spots, since they are evidences of fungus and molds.

If you are looking for lily plants, then make sure to pick out lilies that have green leaves and firm stalks. Again look for insect damage and if there are any signs that the leaves and stalks were infested.

? Handle the bulbs carefully, since they have roots which are somewhat fragile.

? Where to buy? There are numerous garden centers. But if you want something guaranteed then contact your local grower or nursery. Just make sure that you are dealing with reputable growers in the area. You could even look for a specialty grower, someone who specializes in lilies and lily bulbs.

What about water lilies? There are different nurseries and online plant retailers that sell water lilies. As mentioned, stick with retailers that is guaranteed, check with your relatives, friends and even their retailer websites for customer feedbacks about their plants.

? When buying water lilies, check the bottom of the leaves for pests, discolorations or any evidence, like chew marks, of being infested. You do not want to invest your money in something that would not grow or will get sick and infest other plants later on.

? Buy water lilies which are not yet in full bloom.

? You may want to buy additional fertilizer to keep your lilies in bloom more often.

That’s the latest from the Lilies authorities. Once you’re familiar with these ideas, you’ll be ready to move to the next level.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you’ll find that the subject of Lilies is certainly no exception.

Lilies have been known to fascinate man for more than 3,000 years, gracing ancient gardens from Sumer, Babylon, Mesopotamia, and in old China and India as well. Of course, those old varieties have already been lost to us but their genes are still around.

With their beauty, color and their fragrance, you would be surprised that lilies require only the most minimal of planting needs. On average, their only need would be a well-drained location and half a day of sunshine at least.

Sunlight

Lilies love the sun as long as their bulbs are cool enough deep down in the soil. If it is too shady, they would stretch out their stems to catch sunlight. Trumpet lilies do not like shades.

For soil texture, plant them in places that are the first to dry out after a bout of rain. Like most plants, lilies would enjoy a good mulch, too.

Pests

In long stretches of cool and wet weather, lilies can be attacked by botrytis, a fungus that destroys lily leaves. You can take care of this by having plants correctly spaced among themselves in the garden.

The reason is air circulation for the leaves to dry out fast after the rains. (If there is fungus, apply any fungicide recommended for roses. It works on lilies just as fine.)

Planting time

Lily bulbs (in mild climates) can be planted anytime the ground is not frozen solid and dry enough to dig a hole. Fall and early winter planting will flower at the ?expected time? and planting in late spring will flower later than the ?expected time?.

Most of this information comes straight from the Lilies pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

Lily bulbs planted soonest grow and perform better. If not, store them where it is cool, but not frozen ? above 28 degrees Fahrenheit. (The garage or the refrigerator will make a fine storage. Keep the bulbs in the dark. Light will make them sprout.)

Planting techniques

As mentioned, well-drained areas work best for lilies. Place the bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep. (Deeper is better.) The bulbs like to stay cool in summer.

Another style would be to make a raised bed, with the same planting dimensions for the bulbs (4 to 6 inches deep). The raised bed is for superb drainage. The individual plant needs around half a foot of space (6 inches) around them (radius).

Fertilizer

The best time to fertilize lilies is giving a little well-balance fertilizer at the time the shoots emerge and the next application is a month later. Slow-release fertilizer works fine, too.

Unless your soil is poor, there is no need to feed your plants. If there is too much nitrogen, the plants will have lush leaves but with weak stems. (In hot, wet areas, nitrogen can cause rotting of bulbs.)

Water

After they flower, lilies don’t need much water like they used to. Some varieties (Asiatic, Trumpet, Orienpet) adapt themselves well to dry summer areas (if they had enough water during and until flowering time.)

Orientals, however, continue to require watering during the dry hot summer months. (This is because they do not flower until August.) Mulches on the lilies will keep the bulbs cool and watering is only minimum.

These are some of the simple methods on planting and caring of lilies. All the other side techniques you will soon discover as you go along.

There’s a lot to understand about Lilies. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his new GVO affiliate site: GVO

The best course of action to take sometimes isn’t clear until you’ve listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.

Like its movie namesake (but minus the politics and intrigues in the story), the Casablanca lily also evokes the kind of romantic feelings that can mesmerize your senses, and transport you to other places and other time periods.

Casablanca lilies (also known as oriental lilies) is the world’s most favorite wedding flowers, favored and adored by the brides, florists, the wedding planners and most of the guests. The reason is simple ? they are one of the most beautiful flower varieties of the lily family, itself nurturing some of the most beautiful types of flowers in the world.

Gardener’s choice

From the layman’s point of view, it is also one of the best-looking flowers ever to grace gardens and carrier pots (and flower vases). Among gardeners, Casablanca lilies top their lists as one of their favorites because of their beauty and their moderate maintenance needs.

This hybrid species of some of the East Asian lily species are widely famous for their robust growth and their extremely alluring fragrance (that can overwhelm the whole garden), including, of course, their elegant looks.

Casablanca lilies are often mistaken for other varieties, but their characteristics and features always stand out. Their flowers sometimes reach 10 to 12 inches in diameter and their irresistible sweet fragrance are distinctly their own.

Meanings

Because Casablanca lilies are among the most popular wedding flowers, people associate it mostly with happiness and serenity. Others say the flowers are a symbol of celebration and purity.

Still others associate the famous lily with majesty, pride, wealth and innocence, sweetness, and fondness of being with a loved one. (For less-informed people, the impression that Casablanca is a flower for mourning is farthest from the truth.)

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

Growing the Casablanca

For all its beauty and elegance, all your favorite flower needs is a warm condition and a fair amount of soil moisture. (Of course, the soil must drain well.) They are herbaceous plants, meaning they can be grown from bulbs.

However, they can not go completely into a dormant stage. This means the lily can also be cultivated using tubers for planting materials.

The plant body can grow from 4 to 6 feet in height. To get the right exposure to the sun, they need to have around 18 to 24 inches of space around them.

Midsummer is their bloom time. They grow very well in relatively warm places with good moisture-retaining soil that drains well.

Caring for the Casablanca

Talking garden techniques, the Casablanca would love a slightly raised soil bed mixed with a lot of peat moss and has a pH (acidity) of around 6.5 to 6.8. Plant the lily bulbs before winter arrives and cover them with at least 4 inches of soil. (Slightly deeper is better.)

Use a complete fertilizer mix to protect them from diseases and pests (lily leaf beetles). If you see them, immediately pick out the beetle eggs from the leaves and destroy them yourself. Fertilize at once.

Would the Casablanca in your garden needs some company? That would depend on you. As it is, Casablanca lilies are already marvelous by themselves. You could probably include some white petunias and hydrangeas and some others to make your garden look vibrant. Of course, there is no question the Casablanca is the queen of them all.