Luscious Lilies - Page 2

Articles in this Topic Discussions in this Topic

Page 2

Apr 1, 2004

While I agree that some modern types are so large and luscious as to appear almost unreal, I adore lilies anyway-especially the Orientals. About the only thing I dislike about the flowers is their fragility. Lily petals crack easily. And, if accidentally broken off before it blooms, an Oriental is done for the year. It won't return until the following season. The pollen can also stain hands, clothes, and the lily petals themselves. But, still, some of us can't resist this flower's flashy, though brittle, good looks.

If you don't like the scent, you might want to try Asiatic lilies instead, since they have less of it. The Asiatics sport more open, upward-facing petals while, on the Orientals, the petals curl back from an often striped and freckled center. The Martagons are the smallest and most dangly of the clan--with the most tightly curled petals. Trumpet lilies look like their name, and a recent innovation in the lily world has been the crossing of them with the Orientals. The children of this marriage are known as Orienpets.

Daylilies would probably win the title of "most grown" and "most easy" of their family. They stand for "coquetry" in the Language of Flowers, probably due to the tantalizing briefness of their bloom. Orange tiger lilies also proclaim their hardiness by crowding our country roadsides in July. White lilies like candidum represent "purity" or "modesty," while yellow ones stand for "falsehood."

Lily bulbs were once ground and mixed with honey to make a soothing salve for burns or a cream to smooth wrinkles. A Persian lily oil known as sunsinion was a must-have cosmetic for ancient beauties. Many cultures have also eaten lily bulbs.

Spanish folklore held that the consuming of lily petals could restore humans who had been cursed to take the shape of beasts. Our white Easter lily certainly represents the sweet triumph of God's love over man's beastliness. That love, we are told, can also restore us to what we were meant to be.

Bibliography

Go To Page: 1 2

The copyright of the article Luscious Lilies - Page 2 in Historical Plants is owned by . Permission to republish Luscious Lilies - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.