Easter Lilies, (Lilium longiflorum), with their large, white, trumpet-shaped flowers and wonderful fragrance are a traditional Easter time treat. More than likely your Easter Lily was grown by one of a handful of growers located along the border of California and Oregon, an area labeled the “Easter Lily Capital of the World”. Ninety-five percent of the 11 ½ million Eater Lilies grown and sold originate in this capital.

Lilium longiflorum is actually a native of the southern islands of Japan. A World War I soldier, Louis Houghton, is credited with starting U.S. Easter Lily production when he brought a suitcase full of lily bulbs with him to the southern coast of Oregon in 1919. He gave them away to friends and when the supply of bulbs from Japan was cut off as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the rising price of the bulbs suddenly made the lily business a viable industry for these hobby growers and earned the bulbs the nickname “White Gold”.

How to Choose an Easter Lily:

We’re all tempted to buy plants that are already in full bloom, but immediate gratification won’t translate into long term enjoyment. Here are some tips for choosing lily plants that will last through the holiday season and beyond:

* Choose a plant with flowers and buds in various stages of development, preferably from tight bud to partially opened flower.

* Make sure the foliage is dense, extends all the way down the stem to the soil line and has a uniform rich, healthy, green color.

* Check the plant for signs of insects (eggs, webbing, actual bugs, chewed leaves) and disease (dark spots, crinkling, wilting).

* Select a plant that is about two-times as tall as the pot. A plant that has outgrown its pot will be stressed.