Nature Says It All

Lilies

(Lilium)

Lilies are one of the most beautiful flowers in Earth's northern hemisphere. It is said that they are one of the top 5 loved flowers. Did you know that only the white lilies and tiger lilies actually have a scent? I learned this when researching for this posting. I did know that white lilies have a scent. In fact, the scent is so strong that I can't have them in the house. Some lilies are grown for their bulbs which are edible. The bulbs are root vegetables and we, along with mice, insects and other mammals, often eat them.

When we drove down to Sanibel Island, Florida this past spring, we noticed day lilies growing on the side of the highway. They always make me smile. They add beauty to the barren lands.

Let's learn about the make up of a lily. It has been on earth since 1580 B.C. The flower has a male and female part. The large piece in the middle is the female part. The male part is the filament is stem-like and holds the flower together. Ever touch the filament and get pollen all over the flower and your hand? That's the male part of the flower.

The flower is made up of 3 parts: the male and female parts as well as the petals. Would you like to have the flowers last as long as you can? Simply remove the pollen from the plant and it will last up to 2 weeks longer than normal in a vase.

It can grow up to 6 feet tall and can hold up to 8 flowering blooms. Lilies have an oil that, when you remove it from the lilies are used for cracked/dried skin.

Do you have a cat? If you do, do not bring lilies home as they are poisonous to cats. You may be tempted at Easter time to bring home an Easter Lily. There are hundreds of types of lilies. Just so you know, calla lilies and water lilies are not related to the lilies growing in gardens, fields, greenhouses and more. Each color represents a different significance.

Lilies are exquisite. They add beauty to any bouquet. They bring smiles to our faces. There is so much more to hear about them. This is just a window to their world.

Coming next week: learn about the Dark-eyed junco.