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Easter lily

Lilium longiflorum

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Easter lily · Lilium longiflorum

Pure white trumpet flowers, richly scented and blooming seasonally.

Care and placement

Needs bright indirect light indoors or sun to part shade outdoors (shade from late sun), cool roots and moist but not soggy soil; EXTREMELY TOXIC TO CATS.

Draft mature dimensions

Maximum height (cm): 90 cm · Maximum spread (cm): 30 cm

Things to consider

EXTREMELY TOXIC TO CATS: every part (even pollen licked off fur) can cause vomiting, inappetence, lethargy, kidney failure and death from small amounts (ASPCA, Easter lily). Dogs and people usually get only digestive upset. Snip off the anthers; do not keep lilies in homes with cats; if a cat may have eaten any, go to a vet at once.

Unknown evidence does not mean safe. Decorative plants are not automatically edible.

Information is compiled from multiple reputable sources for reference. If you spot an error, please contact us so we can check and update it.

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How to grow and care for it

  1. Planting and pot

    Plant bulbs 10–15 cm deep in sun to part shade (shade from late sun) in humus-rich, well-drained soil with cool roots; use a tall pot with drainage holes. A potted gift plant can go outdoors after the cold passes.

  2. Light

    Indoors: bright indirect light away from drafts and radiators; outdoors: full sun to part shade, about 6–8 hours of sun with the base shaded.

  3. Watering

    Keep soil moist, not soggy; overwatering yellows leaves and kills the plant. If the pot is foil-wrapped, remove it when watering so it drains fully. Keep watering after bloom until the foliage dies back.

  4. Feeding

    While blooming indoors one source feeds every 2 weeks; after flowering keep the green leaves to feed the bulb and fertilize every few weeks; outdoors fertilize twice over summer and mulch.

  5. Pruning

    Snip off the pollen-covered anthers to prevent stains, extend bloom life and reduce pollen exposure for cats (University of Minnesota Extension); remove spent flowers but keep green stems and leaves.

  6. Propagation

    Separate bulblets in autumn, store in peat over winter and replant in spring (2–3 years to flower); scales can also be separated and packed in moist medium at 18–27 °C for 45–60 days. Seed is uncommon for named cultivars.

  7. Pests and common problems

    Yellow leaves usually mean overwatering; bulbs rot in soggy mix. Ask local extension about local pests and disease (aphids, botrytis).

  8. For more flowers

    For long-lasting white trumpets: bright indirect light, cool temperatures, moist soil, regular feeding in bloom and removing anthers; after flowering feed the foliage so the bulb stores energy (in cool regions it may bloom again next season).