Easter Lillies: Nature’s Synchros

Posted on April 4, 2010 by Trish and Rob

 About 95 percent of the 11 million Easter lillies sold each year are bought during Easter week. Most are grown in Oregon and California. They’re usually in bloom by Easter Sunday because their bulbs are “forced” in greenhouses, which means their environmental conditions are constantly adjusted so the flower blooms in the spring rather than during the summer.  After an Easter lilly has bloomed once, you can plant it outside and it will then bloom as nature dictates, during the summer.

 So four years ago, we bought an Easter lilly and after it had bloomed, planted it along the fence in our garden. Every year as Easter approaches, we wonder if it will bloom again. Easter, after all, doesn’t always fall on the same date and can vary by as much as five weeks.  But invariably, year after year, this beautiful plant is in bloom in our garden by Easter Sunday. This year, we’ve had an unusually cold winter for Florida and Easter falls on April 4. Two weeks ago, the buds were hard to find and it seemed impossible that the flowers would bloom by Easter.

Here’s a photo of it on Palm Sunday, March 28. It certainly looks as if it’s going to be in bloom again by Easter Sunday! So how does it know when Easter is?

The last photo was taken this morning, Easter morning  The lillies are in full and glorious bloom.

                                                          


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12 Responses to Easter Lillies: Nature’s Synchros

  1. Natalie says:
    April 5, 2010 at 10:36 am

    How great thou art???? Very clever lillies. 🙂

  2. gayle says:
    April 5, 2010 at 2:54 am

    oh my Beautiful!!

  4. Jingle says:
    April 5, 2010 at 2:20 am

    very fresh and beautiful!

  5. Gemel says:
    April 5, 2010 at 1:49 am

    Perfect, just as the Universe intended 🙂

  6. JamaGenie says:
    April 5, 2010 at 1:16 am

    Beautiful! As to why your lillies always bloom by Easter, just consider it a miracle and enjoy!

  8. Trish and Rob MacGregor says:
    April 4, 2010 at 7:37 pm

    Here's an interesting article on the origins of Easter, going back to Ostara, the Germanic goddess of fertility, who has a lot more to do with the Easter bunny than does Jesus.

    https://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art49504.asp

  9. Trish and Rob MacGregor says:
    April 4, 2010 at 5:38 pm

    I love that theory, terri. Now, if we could get the global intent off war etc, we'd be in tip top shape!

  10. terripatrick says:
    April 4, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    The global intent is for lilies to bloom at Easter, so they do. 🙂

    word verif: unkittif

  11. Nancy says:
    April 4, 2010 at 3:15 pm

    The same thing with a Christmas Cactus. It does not bloom all year, until Christmas. Amazing gifts, arent't they? Happy Easter!

  12. 67 Not Out (Mike Perry) says:
    April 4, 2010 at 2:15 pm

    That's lovely – it's magic! Have a great Easter.

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