Lilies are an amazingly diverse group of colorful flowers with large blooms and wonderful scents. There are over 100 types of lilies species, so a categorization system was devised to help keep them sorted. Keep reading to learn about these amazing classes and how truly special the lily is!
Lily Symbolism
A common story of the origin of the lily is from Greek mythology where the Goddess Hera created lilies on Earth when she spilled a few drops of her breast milk. Since Hera is the Goddess of marriage, women, and childbirth, the lily is often associated with rebirth and motherhood. In China, the lily is a popular flower in weddings because it symbolizes 100 years of love and good luck. In Christianity, the Madonna lily is linked with the Virgin Mary and represents her purity and chastity.
Other lily meanings are often based on their color as follows:
- White lilies represent virtue, virtue, and innocence.
- Pink lilies represent affluence and prosperity.
- Red lilies represent love and desire
- Orange lilies represent confidence, courage, and pride
- Yellow lilies represent happiness, gratitude, and good health
Basic Lily Facts
True lilies are a member of the genus Lilium, and they are easily identifiable by having six petals and six anthers, the brownish sack which holds the pollen. Lilies typically have large blooms and come in a wide range of nearly every color. Some lilies are extremely fragrant, while others have no scent at all.
Lily Classifications & Examples
Pink Pixie Lilies
Division 1: Asiatic Hybrid – Colorful and long-lasting, no scent. (Tango, Forever Susan, Pink-Orange Pixie)
Turk’s Cap Lily
Division 2: Martagon Hybrid – Dramatic and dainty downward-facing blossoms. Strikingly colored. (Turk’s Cap)
Madonna Lily
Division 3: Candidum Hybrid – Large blooms, love fragrance. Known for Madonna Lily which is white with a yellow base, elegant. (Madonna)
Tiger Lily
Division 4: American Hybrid – Includes hybrids of wild lilies in North America. (Tiger Lily)
Easter Lilies
Division 5: Longiflorum Hybrid – Famous for Easter lily, pure white, trumpet-shaped, sweet fragrance. Bloom during Easter. (Easter Lily)
African Queen Lily
Division 6: Trumpet and Aurelian Hybrids – Tall and elegant, stunning trumpet-shape, sweet fragrance. (African Queen)
Stargazer Lily
Division 7: Oriental Hybrid – Large, upright blooms with an enchanting fragrance. (Stargazer, Casablanca)
Orange LA Hybrid Lily
Division 8: Interdivisional Hybrids – Hybrids of the previous seven divisions.
Wild Yellow and Red Lily
Division 9: Species – Parents of the previous 8 hybrids. Wild.
ROSES & LILIES
The Purest Flower
Lilies have made an impact on many different cultures because of its diversity and beauty. There is nothing quite like the lily flower with all of its grandness, vibrancy, stunning shapes, and amazing fragrance. Not that you are more familiar with the different types of lilies, you’ll have no trouble finding one which is perfect for the special people in your life, or for yourself. Flowers By Leslie has a wonderful selection of bouquets featuring lilies, peruse them online here or give us a call!
