Keeping your Easter Lilies Looking Fresh

March 31, 2015
Stephanie Fleming
Bulbs
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When your flower opens, we recommend that you reach into the flower and remove the anthers: these are the 6 yellow pieces that surround the sticky, bulb-like pistil in the center of the flower. We do this routinely at Behnke’s, so any open flowers on your plant have already been “cleaned.”

If not removed, after a day or two, the pollen will ripen and become dusty, and it will fall on the flower and stain it yellow. All it takes is a gentle tug. If the pollen is already dry, it will come off on your hands. If it gets on your clothing, you will have to wash the garment; so best remove the anthers when they are young.

A note to cat owners: lilies are poisonous to cats. Plant some “cat grass” for them to chew on.

Stephanie Fleming

Stephanie Fleming was raised at Behnke’s Nurseries in Beltsville. Her Mom, Sonja, was one of Albert & Rose Behnke’s four children. She was weeding from the moment she could walk and hiding as soon as she was old enough to run, so many weeds, so little time. Although she quickly learned how to pull out a perennial and get taken off of weed pulling duty.