by Josh Grossman
Flowers play an important role during Easter time. Lily plants can be found on the altar and in many homes, with the beautiful trumpet-shaped white flowers symbolizing purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life – the spiritual essence of Easter. But, few people know how these flowers came to play their part for the holiday.
Easter lilies are native to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan, and the islands of Okinawa, Amani and Erabu. It was referred to in an old Japanese gardening book, which was published in 1681, and a drawing of the lily can be found in another old gardening book published in 1719. The flowers were introduced to England in 1819. In 1853 a Japanese missionary gave it to a friend in St. George, Bermuda who later marketed it. The Bermuda Lily was introduced to America in 1880, but a severe virus in 1898 ruined the Bermuda lily industry. Lily bulb production came to the U.S. in the late 1800s, and was centered in both Japan and the southern U.S. after 1898. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, the Japanese source of bulbs was cut off. As a result, the value of lily bulbs greatly increased and many people who were growing lilies as a hobby went into business. The Easter Lily bulbs at that time were called “White Gold,” and growers everywhere attempted to cash in on the crop. By 1945, there were around 1,200 growers up and down the Pacific coast, from Vancouver, Canada to Long Beach, California. Over the years, the number of Easter Lily bulb producers diminished to just ten farms in an isolated coastal region on the Oregon-California border called the Easter Lily Capital of the World.
Lilies themselves can be found mentioned prominently in the Bible. When Eve left the Garden of Eden she shed real tears of repentance, and from those remorseful tears sprung up lilies. Often called the “white-robed apostles of hope” lilies were also found growing in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ’s crucifixtion. White lilies are said to have sprung up where drops of Christ’s sweat fell to the ground from the cross. Traditionally, Easter Lilies are arranged in churches, to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In most Catholic countries, white lilies are dedicated to Mary, and have been a symbol of purity since the 12th century. In early paintings, the Angel Gabriel is pictured giving the Virgin Mary a branch of pure white lilies, announcing that she is to be the mother of the Christ Child. In other paintings, saints are shown bringing vases of white lilies to Mary and the baby Jesus. It is said that when Mary’s tomb was opened to show Thomas that her body had been assumed into heaven, it was filled with these flowers. Lilies became the emblem of the Annunciation, the white petals signifying her body and the golden anthers her soul. The flower is also associated with St. Catherine, who converted her pagan father to Christianity when the previously scentless lily produced a wonderful perfume.
One of the greatest challenges for Easter lily producers today is to get all the plants to bloom at the same time and just in time for Easter! This is especially difficult because Easter comes at a different date each year. Growers measure the progress of Easter lilies every day. They look for certain signs of development, such as when the first flower buds appear, the number of new leaves that unfold everyday, and the height of the plants. These progressions determine whether or not the plants will be ready for sale at just the right time. For example, by counting the leaves on each plant, growers can predict how many days until that plant will flower. If the plants are growing too slowly, or too fast, the grower must adjust the humidity and temperature of the greenhouse. If some plants develop faster than others, those plants may have to be placed in a cooler until the other plants catch up.
Nowadays, other flowers have come to be associated with Easter, such as tulips, iris, gerbera, and even roses. Generally spring time colors such as yellow and orange are popular. You can even send flowers online with websites such as http://ww.beyondblossoms.com for a hand-tied Easter bouquet.
About the Author
Josh Grossman is cofounder of online florist Beyond Blossoms (http://www.beyondblossoms.com). The company’s mission is to let customers buy flowers and send flowers fresh from the farms at low prices and with great designs.
