Lily flower Profile

is a perennial herbaceous bulbous plant of the lily family. It is native to temperate regions of almost every continent in the northern hemisphere, mainly distributed in eastern Asia, Europe, and North America. More than 110 varieties have been found worldwide, of which 55 are In China. In recent years, there have been many new varieties produced by artificial hybridization, such as Asiatic lilies, lilies, perfume lilies, and sunflower lilies. The lily flower is elegant, the leaves are verdant and the stems are slender, it is a rare cut flower rookie.

Lily flower morphological characteristics

The appearance of scales of lilies is one of the bases for species classification. The scales of most lilies are lanceolate and have no joints, and the scales are mostly arranged in complex tiles on the bulb plate to form bulbs. The surface of the stem is usually green, with brown markings, or full brownish-red. The stems are usually cylindrical and glabrous. The leaves are arranged in a spiral shape, with few whorls. The leaf shape is lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate and oblanceolate, oval, or strip. Leaves sessile or short-stalked. The whole leaf may have small papillary protrusions. The flowers are large solitary, clustered, or in racemes. The flowers are erect, drooping, or flat, and the colors are often bright. There are 6 tepals, divided into 2 rounds, free, and often close together to form a bell-shaped or trumpet-shaped. There are many colors such as white, yellow, pink and red. There are 6 stamens, slender filaments and larger anthers.

Lily flower growth habit and growing environment and distribution

Lilies need moist water for cultivation, which is conducive to the growth of stems and leaves. If the soil is too moist, stagnant or poorly drained, the lily bulbs will rot and die. The watering of potted lilies should be gradually increased with the growth of the plants, the water supply should be sufficient during the flowering period, and the water should be reduced after flowering. Lily likes to shine with soft light. It is also resistant to strong sunlight and semi-shade. Insufficient sunlight will cause the flower buds to fall off and the number of flowers to decrease. The light is sufficient, the plants are strong and short, and the flowers are bright. The lily increases the light time by 6 hours a day to bloom earlier. If the light time is reduced, flowering is delayed.
The soil requires fertile, loose and well-drained sandy loam, and the best soil pH is between 5.5 and 6.5. The potting soil is a mixture of leaf mulch, culture soil and coarse sand.
Lily is hardy, but the optimum growth temperature is between 15 and 25 degrees. Lower than 10 degrees or higher than 30 degrees will not grow well. Lilies generally prefer acidic soils with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5.

The symbolic meaning of lilies

Because of its elegant and pure appearance, the Catholic Church uses the white lily as the symbol of the Virgin Mary, while the Vatican uses the lily as the national flower.
At present, lilies are mainly used for ornamental purposes, especially cut flower varieties exported from the Netherlands and Japan. For example, lily musk and its hybrids are one of the most important cuts flower varieties. The bulbs of lilies are rich in starch, and some of them can be eaten as vegetables. In China, the bulbs of lilies can be used to cook soup after drying, and many parts of the plant can be used as medicine. The bulbous roots of lily, mountain lily, and especially brown lily are grown on a large scale in China. The taste and texture are similar to potatoes. They are often sold as dried lilies, which can clear away heat and detoxify and are considered healthy foods. People soak the dried lily and fry it, then crush it for soup or extract starch.

Lily flower cultivation

Sowing reproduction

1. Harvest seeds: 10-15 days after lily pollination, the ovary begins to swell, 60-150 days before the fruit matures and cracks, it can be harvested.
2. Can be sown in spring and autumn. For spring planters, plant the seeds when the temperature exceeds 30℃ in the second spring. Place the seeds in front of the light before sowing, and pick out seeds with fully developed embryos for sowing. The suitable temperature for germination is 12-15°C. The seeds germinate faster above 15℃, but the seedlings are thin and weak; while below 5℃, they do not germinate.
3. Two parts of fertile loam, one part of coarse sand, and one part of peat soil are used for sowing soil. Add 1 gram of superphosphate per liter.
4. Cover soil 0.5-1 cm after sowing, and cotyledons are unearthed in about 20-30 days. It will bloom after 6 months.
5. In autumn, the plants wither and form small bulbs, which become flowering bulbs after 2 to 3 years of cultivation.