How to Grow and Care for Easter Lily Plants

Easter Lilies Flower

About Growing Easter Lily Plants

Easter Lilies plants abound just in advance of Easter. They make a great gift for mom or grandma, or simply to decorate your home or office with a bright splash of early spring bloom. Shortly, after the holiday, recipients wonder how to grow and care for Easter Lilies. And, some recipients have never grown a flower before.  Sadly, the blooms don’t last long. But, when the weather warms up in your area, you can plant them in your flowerbed. Then, they will come back up and bloom every year!

The floral companies and garden stores have worked diligently to force Easter Lilies to bloom for you by Easter morning. As you know, garden nurseries are shooting at a moving target… in any given year, Easter falls anywhere from the last few days of March to mid-April. Fortunately, the floral companies have mastered the knack of forcing these big blooms to open right on time.

When selecting Easter Lilies, buy ones that are just beginning to open. The blooms will only last a few days, so selecting one about to open will allow you the maximum bloom time in your home.

Lilium Longiflorum

Don’t throw me away! After Easter when my blooms begin to fade and die off, plant me in a container or your flower bed. Easter Lilies will grow and bloom in your flower garden for years. How!? Read on……

Easter Lily Flower Plant

How to Grow Easter Lily Plants

Most people buy potted plants for Easter. So, let’s begin with a blooming plant, and discuss planting Easter lilies outdoors.

After the flower has died off, continue to grow the Lily in its container until the last frost in your area. Then, transplant your Easter Lily in a flower garden. It prefers somewhat rich soil, fairly well-drained, and full sun. It should be allowed to continue to grow. Like other spring bulbs, the plant will naturally die off as summer arrives.

In the fall, apply bulb fertilizer or blood meal on top of the soil where your Easter Lily bulb is resting. Carefully, work the fertilizer in without disturbing the bulbs. In colder climates, add a layer of mulch on top of the soil to protect the bulb from freezing.

Your transplanted Easter Lily should awaken the following spring. They will bloom in late spring in warmer areas of the country. However, it may not bloom until the second year after it is transplanted. Many bulbs that have been forced to bloom need a year to recover and return to a normal cycle. Then again, perhaps you’ll be one of the lucky ones to see a transplanted Easter Lily bloom the following spring.

Important Note: If you live in colder, more northern parts of the country. Your outdoor planted Easter Lily may not bloom until late spring or early summer.

Easter Lily Flowers

Easter Lily Plant Propagation

Easter Lilies are grown from Bulbs. After the plant has died back for the season, you can dig up the bulbs and separate the baby bulbs. Re-plant the bulbs in the fall. Plant bulbs 10-12″ apart. or together in small groups. To achieve maximum growth, avoid overcrowding.

Also, you can pot up the bulbs to force them to grow indoors. They will need a “chilling period” before bringing them indoors. This is a lot of fun. And, you can give them to family and friends as a gift.  More on Forcing Bulbs.

Note: Plants from smaller new bulbs may require a few years of growth before blooming for the first time.

Easter Lily Flower Plant 2023

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