Lily Care
Before we talk lily care, let's talk lily types! There are three different kinds of lilies we use here at Farmgirl: oriental lilies, roselilies, and asiatic lilies. Below is a bit more about each variety!
What is an oriental lily?
Oriental lilies aka lilium orientalis are a showy star shaped flower with an unmistakable natural perfume and a vase filling average of 3-5 blooms per stem! They've been a Farmgirl staple since day one because of their effortless elegance and the structure and vase life they bring to a mixed bouquet!
Oriental lilies come in almost every color of the rainbow. Peach, orange, pink, burgundy and white are a few Farmgirl favorites!
What is a roselily?
Roselilies are a special double variety of lilium orientalis aka oriental lily – double because they have a second (and sometimes a third) layer of petals as opposed to the single layer of six petals that their non-double predecessors possess. Roselilies come in a wide ranges of pinks, cool pinks, and whites.
Roselilies are also slightly more subtle when it comes to their natural fragrance and most varieties *do not* produce the pollen-bearing stamens typical of lilies that can stain clothes and tablecloths. They also happen to be one of Farmgirl Founder and CEO Christina Stembel's all time favorite flowers!
What is an asiatic lily?
Asiatic lilies are fragrance-less oriental lily lookalikes that are shorter in stature with proportionately smaller blooms.
Although we don't turn to asiatics as often as we do roselilies and oriental lilies, we can't deny asiatic lilies' value – they're the steal to roselilies splurge – and are absolutely obsessed with some of the varieties unique coloration! Case in point – the rusty rose of the asiatic lilies pictured here!
Now that we know a little more about the types of lilies, let's get down to brass tacks about how best to take care of them!
How does Farmgirl ship lilies?
Lilies come wrapped in paper and burlap, tied up with a ribbon, and zip-tied into a Farmgirl branded shipping box.
We ship lilies in as close to a budded stage as possible – they sort of look like little green umbrellas! We do this because budded lilies are much better travelers than bloomed lilies.
Lilies are shipped *without* a water source. We do this because lilies start to bloom once they're given water and we don't want them to start doing that until they're safe at home with you or your recipient!
What should I do once my lilies arrive?
Please receive your lilies as soon as possible after delivery. This is especially important if you're expecting a delivery in exceptionally hot or exceptionally cold weather!
Once you've popped your box of lilies, free your flowers from the zip tie with scissors or shears and discard and/or recycle the paper wrap, burlap, and box.
Next, choose your vase or vases and fill it/them about halfway with cool, clean water! We think something cylinder shaped that's 7-8" tall with a 4" opening is perfect for ten stems. Scale the opening size down or up if you have less or more! Pro tip: A dirty vase shortens vase life so make sure your vase is *clean* by giving it a good scrub with a sponge or brush, warm water, and soap.
Working one stem at a time, trim at least 1/2 - 1" off the stem end with a pair of floral shears, kitchen scissors or a sharp kitchen knife and pop in your water filled vase or vases. Make sure whatever you're using is sharp enough to cut through the stem cleanly with little effort. Wanna go for gold? Cut at a 45-degree angle! Doing so creates more surface area for drinking water and hydrated flowers are happy flowers!
Once all the lilies are trimmed and placed in the water-filled vase, remove any foliage that touches or is submerged in the vase water.
How should I style my lily arrangement?
One reason why we love an all lily arrangement is that it requires little to no styling to look like a million bucks. All you need to do is wait for the lilies to bloom!
For a slightly more designer look, we like to pull up on a lily or two on the left and right side of the arrangement to create a V-shape that's slightly taller on the left. Just make sure that the stem end of each flower remains submerged in water!
How long does it take lilies to bloom?
Lilies may take 2-3 days to blossom but sometimes bloom quicker or slower depending the variety, time of year, and ambient temperature.
If you're ordering lilies for a special occasion, please choose a delivery date about 3 days ahead of the big day to make sure your lilies are ready for their close up the day of the event. Pro tip: For Farmgirl photoshoots, we typically have lilies arrive a week before their picture day to make sure they're camera ready! We monitor them daily for openness and move them to a cooler room if they're blooming too quickly or someplace warmer if they're opening too slowly.
To encourage stubborn blooms to blossom a little quicker, give the stems a fresh trim, remove most or not all of the foliage (if you haven't already), and refresh the vase water with warm, not hot, water. Repeat a couple of times!
What's a lily stamen?
Lily stamen are the pollen laden parts in the center of a lily that are only revealed after a lily blossoms. The pollen can easily transfer to clothes or shake loose onto tabletops, so we recommend removing the stamen as soon as they become visible and accessible. We like to use a damp paper towel as the pollen can also stain your hands!
Are lilies pet safe?
Attention pet parents! While there are no good flowers for your furry friends to eat, lilies are known to be especially toxic to pets. If you’re sending lilies to, or keeping lilies in, a household with canines or kitties please take care to keep these well out of their reach!
