Easter Lily Care: Keeping Lilium longiflorum Fresh and Planting Outdoors

Botanical Name: Lilium longiflorum

With a few Easter lily care tips, you'll keep your flowers fresh for 3 weeks or more.

Pots of big, beautiful trumpet-shaped blooms are a traditional Easter decoration or gift. The pristine white flowers symbolize purity and life. Here's how to get the most from your potted lilies.

When you bring your plant home, remove the plastic sleeve immediately for good air circulation. Also remove the foil pot covering so drainage holes aren't blocked—this plant won't tolerate soggy soil, which rots the bulb.

Deadhead spent flowers to keep the plant looking its best.

Easter lily bulbs won't bloom again indoors. If you want to keep them, replant outside. They're cold-hardy to Zone 5. Although greenhouse growers force them for the spring holiday, outdoors they'll bloom in early summer—their natural time.

Tips for Planting and Growing Easter Lilies Outdoors

• Plant bulbs in the garden as soon as frost danger passes. Don't store them—lily bulbs don't go dormant.
• Choose a bright location with at least a few hours of direct sun.
• Plant bulbs 6 inches (15 cm) deep in rich, well-drained soil, 12 in (30 cm) apart.
• Water well and fertilize monthly in spring and summer.
• Deadhead faded flowers and cut stems back after foliage yellows.
• Mulch in cold climates in winter for protection. Remove mulch in spring to allow new shoots.

When replanted outside with good care, you'll enjoy flowers for many years.

Easter Lily Care Quick Reference

Origin: Japan

Height: To 3 ft (90 cm)

Light: Bright indirect light

Water: Keep soil lightly moist

Humidity: Average indoor humidity

Temperature: 60–75°F (16–24°C)

Soil: Any good potting mix

Fertilizer: Not necessary unless transplanting outdoors. Feed monthly with balanced liquid fertilizer.

Propagation: Bulbs