Are Lilies A Misunderstood Flower?

I recently saw another flower farmer poll her client base about lilies. She asked if clients liked them, why or why not, and if they liked them in bouquets. What many people said was that they loved them as a garden flower, but that as a cut flower they were too smelly and too messy. Which got me thinking about our own flower loving community and how they feel about them. Do they feel the same way, and are they correct in feeling that way? I really hope you continue reading if scent and messiness are the reasons you choose to avoid lilies.

It's important to note that there are many varieties of lilies. Each variety has certain characteristics. The variety that most people are familiar with is Oriental Lilies. They are the kind you find at the grocery store or your local flower shop. Stargazers and giant white or pink flowers with a strong scent. Some people love them, and others don't. And that's okay! But that's just one variety of lily.

Here on our farm, the most common variety of lily we grow is the Asiatic Lily. They come in a huge variety of colours, last extremely well in bouquets, and get this; they have no scent! We never put scented lilies in our farmers market, subscription, or any other bouquets. We know people can be sensitive to scent, so we avoid scented lilies all together. There are so many incredible scent-less lilies that we just don't need to grow the other varieties for our bouquets.

So, what about the mess? The mess comes from the stamen of the lily. As the flower ages, the stamen becomes a dark red colour and can shed its powder all over. So, what to do about that? We remove the stamen from every flower as soon as it begins to open. It takes about 2 seconds to remove and is simple. I like to sandwich the stamen between my fourth and third finger and gently pull, but you can really just grab them and pull them off. They come right off, and I never need to worry about any mess. As the buds open, I do it again. It's simple, easy, and avoids any mess.

The good news is that lilies are coming back into style. Yes, you heard that right. Just like any fashion, flowers have styles that come in and out, and lilies are coming back in! It's something I'm happy to hear because I personally love lilies. They are an under-appreciated cut flower, and there really is a variety for everyone!

I hope this helps you understand lilies a little better so that next time you see them in a bouquet you don't immediately turn the other way or look for one without lilies. They really are beautiful, and I encourage you to give them a try!!

M