Lilies have long, upright stems, so they need a deep vase to accommodate their height. A short, wide vase will not adequately support them. Look for a narrow vase that lets the buds open gracefully without restriction.

Clean the Vase

Wash and rinse your vase to remove any bacteria or dust that might contaminate the water and block water flow into the stems.

Remove Foliage Below the Water Line

Leaving leaves sitting in the water will shorten the vase life of your lilies. Carefully strip off any leaves falling below the water line before placing the stems, paying attention to the lower part of the stem, where leaves are the densest.

Cut the Stems at an Angle

Trim each lily stem at a 45-degree angle with a blade or shears to allow more surface area for the stem to absorb water and remove any leaves or secondary buds that would sit below the water line in your arrangement.

Fill the Vase with Lukewarm Water

Lilies do best when hydrated with lukewarm water, which moves up the stems faster than cold water. Fill your cleaned vase about halfway with lukewarm water before arranging the lilies. The water level should reach about 2-3 inches below the stem ends. Too little water will lead to dehydration and wilting. Too much can leave foliage submerged.

Add Your Flower Preservative

Flower preservative is essential for keeping cut flowers like lilies fresh longer. The preservatives inhibit bacterial growth and provide nutrients to the blooms. Use the correct amount for the volume of water per the product directions.

Place Your Lilies in a Dry, Cool Spot

Once arranged in the vase, display your lilies away from direct sunlight and away from heat sources like appliances or heating vents.

Replace the Water Every Two Days

Over time, the water in your vase will develop bacterial growth. Freshening the water every other day gives your lilies a new water source. You can also retrim the stems by about half a centimetre each time to expose fresh parts that can take up water.

Asiatic Lilies

Asiatic lilies are shorter plants under 3 feet tall. They bloom in early summer with 3-6 flowers per stem. Colours include red, yellow, white, pink, and orange. Most lack fragrance but have beautifully coloured blossoms.

'Netty's Pride' has deep purple petals fading to white tips, facing upward on 2–3-foot stems. 'Rosella's Dream' bears pink blooms with cream throats. For dark drama, 'Night Rider' has nearly black petals. 'Starlette' combines red and orange. 'Enchantment' has vivid orange petals with spots.

Smaller dwarf varieties like 'Orange Pixie' and 'Denia Pixie' reach just 8-18 inches with abundant colour. Asiatic lilies work well in bouquets and as accent plants.

Oriental Lilies

Oriental lilies are intensely fragrant, blooming in midsummer. Flowers nod downward and may be spotty. Plants reach 2-4 feet tall.

Popular varieties include 'Casa Blanca' with large white blooms, 'Muscadet' in creamy white with pink markings, and pink 'Magic Star'. 'Tiger Moon' combines cream, yellow, and red.

These make excellent cut flowers, releasing scent into arrangements. The large blooms also stand out in gardens.

Longiflorum Lilies

Longiflorum lilies are commonly called Easter lilies. They produce elegant white trumpet-shaped blooms on 2–4-foot stems in summer.

'White Heaven' has pure white trumpets with yellow throats. 'White American' is a tougher hybrid with orange anthers – ideal for floral weddings and events.

The Easter lily traces its origins to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, with Lilium Longiflorum bulbs brought from the Ryukyu Islands to the United States.

At first, the temperamental lilies did not thrive in the U.S. climate. After years of effort, Louis Houghton was the first to force the lilies into bloom around Easter in 1919.

LA Hybrids

LA hybrids combine traits of Asiatic and Longiflorum lilies. They lack fragrance but produce vividly coloured, upright-facing flowers on tall stems.

'Corleone' has bright red blooms with orange shading on 4-foot stems. 'Big Brother' bears huge 10-inch white and yellow flowers on 5-foot plants. 'Forza Red' has a bold, solid red colour on thick stems. These make stunning focal point cut flowers.

Trumpet Lilies

Trumpet lilies have large, intensely fragrant flowers in summer, with the blooms facing outward on upright 2–6-foot stems.

'Regale' is known for elegant white blooms with pink and yellow. 'African Queen' bears huge orange blooms with tropical appeal. 'Golden Splendour' lives up to its name with golden yellow petals. The 'Pink Perfection' group offers bright pink or purple options.

The powerful scent makes trumpet lilies ideal for cut flower arrangements and perfumed gardens alongside smaller flowers like gerbera daisies.

Stargazers

First introduced in the 1970s, these blooms face upward, displaying their vibrant colours with striking crimson and pink with tiny white edges. A dusting of reddish spots adorns the centre of each flower, which can reach up to 6 inches across.

Their vivid colour makes them stand out in floral arrangements. Stargazer lilies also emit a lovely scent, filling any space with their fragrance.

Martagon Lilies

Martagon or Turk's cap lilies produce nodding flowers in summer on very tall 4–6-foot stems. Colours include red, yellow, orange, pink, and white, sometimes with spots.

'Dalhansonii' is a popular antique variety with honey-coloured blooms. The profuse flowers and height make martagon lilies ideal back-row plants for borders and cutting gardens.

Canada Lilies

Native Canadian lilies thrive in the shade with pendant flowers in yellow and orange. Plants reach 2-4 feet tall with whorled leaves and 5-20 blooms per stalk.

This versatile North American native adds its own charm to wooded gardens and arrangements. The nodding flowers and cool colours stand out.

Consider bloom time, colour, height, fragrance, and direction when choosing lilies. With so many classics, finding the perfect lilies for floral designs is easy.

Lilies are such elegant flowers with their trumpet-shaped blooms on their tall, slender stems having a majestic aura. But each type of lily has a special meaning based on its colour and look. Take the classy white Calla Lily. It's all about purity and holiness. No wonder it shows up in paintings of the Virgin Mary so often!

Then you've got the bold orange tiger lily representing confidence and prosperity. Pink stargazers are said to mean abundance, while red lilies scream passion. And how cool are black lilies, with their deep burgundy colour symbolising rebirth? There are loads more, too.

Sunny yellow lilies stand for joy, pinkish and purple Asiatics for femininity, the trumpet-blowing Easter lily for new beginnings - lilies really cover it all. Even multi-colour lilies like the red and yellow Brindisi lily can signify friendship.

With all the different hybrids out there now, the options are endless. A ruffly pink Rosato lily whispers refinement, while the two-toned Two Face mixes scarlet and yellow for an upbeat vibe ideal for thank you and get-well-soon flowers.

Cut flowers that last longer | What a vase, what a flower