As I was processing the flowers today that arrived from California, I was debating between writing about the LA Hybrid variety of lily or the multi bloom Oriental variety since I introduced the orientals in a previous blog. As you can see by my title I couldn’t decide between the two, and have decided to do both. I have worked for Lund Floral for 12 years now (wow! That’s hard to believe that many years has passed) and lilies are probably our biggest seller and most requested flower of them all. Well maybe roses. And gerbera daisies Roses might still have the lead. Anyways lilies are The IT GIRL of the flower shop and people are becoming more educated on how awesome the lily really is.
There are 3 type of lilies. Asiatic, LA Hybrid, and Oriental. The Asiatic lily is the smallest of the 3 lilies and also hold the shortest vase life 5-7 days. On a positive note asiatic lilies come in the widest variety of colors out of the three types and also have the smallest price tag. 💲
LA Hybrid lilies are my absolute favorite. They have strong thick stems, come in bright vibrant colors and are middle in size. My favorite LA Hybrids are the White Royal Bach from Sun Valley in California or the Hot Pink variety from Skyline Flowers. The LA Hybrid lilies have a vase life of 7-10 days and are offered in more varieties then I can count.
Lastly the Oriental Lily the most fragrant and the largest of the 3. Also offering the longest vase life of 10-14 days. They have become extremely popular for Valentines Day and special events for their massive blooms and aroma. My favorite being the Casa Blanca. Because of its ridiculously large blooms offering the most scent of them all and it’s pure white color.
3 Things to look for while selecting your lily.
-
Count the number of buds rather than the number of stems. Cheap stem price doesn’t equate to quality lilies.
-
Look for thick sturdy stems. Lilies are top heavy and need a good support system.
-
Lookfor healthy leaves. Yellow leaves could mean ethylene damage.
Ethylene Damage is caused by the lilies sitting in their packaging for too long. It will cause the stems to turn yellow.
Remember when dealing with lilies to remove the lily pollen as discussed in our Previous Blog. Also keep a close eye on the water level especially in flower bouquets that use Orientsl Lilies. These babies LOVE their water!
Here are some examples of bouquets that utilize these lilies
Asiatic Lilies
LA Hybrid Royal Bach
Oriental lilies
Next time you come visit our flower shop, menchoin this blog and I will even throw in a Free Lily to your bouquet.
Now get out there and Bloom!