The Meaning of Lily Flowers

Lilies have been known and grown since antiquity. White lilies were cultivated in ancient Crete and Greece. According to the florists at Teleflora.com., the lily was revered by the Greeks as sprouting from the milk of Hera, queen of the gods. In Christian traditions, the white Easter lily symbolized the purity of the Virgin Mary. As more colorful lily varieties were developed, they brought with them additional symbolic meanings. Today, lilies are the May birth flower and the flower for a 30th wedding anniversary.

Lily Type Meanings
The type of lily you give has meaning, said Teleflora.com. Alastroemeria lilies from Peru represent friendship and devotion. Pink stargazer lilies represent wishes for prosperity while white stargazer lilies express sympathy. Day lilies stand for devotion and freedom from worries. Tiger lilies stand for pride.

Wedding Lilies
Calla lilies symbolize magnificence, beauty and chastity, making them popular in wedding bouquets, said Teleflora.com. Lily of the Valley symbolizes sweetness and gentleness, making this the traditional flower for second wedding anniversaries.

Lily Color Meanings
Lily colors also carry special meanings, according to florists at FlowerExpert.com. White lilies symbolize innocence, modesty and purity. Orange lilies symbolize excitement and passion. Yellow lilies mean gaiety. Pink lilies symbolize youth and joy.

Lilies for Funerals
Lilies commonly are associated with funerals, said Teleflora.com, as a symbolic wish that the soul of the deceased was restored to innocence and received divine grace after death. Any variety of white lily also symbolizes majesty and purity.

Preserving Your Lilies
To preserve your lily bouquet for as long as possible, the National Gardening Association advises that you recut the stems at an angle with a sharp knife while holding them underwater. Then transfer them to a clean vase filled with water to which you've added a commercial cut flower preservative. Or you can use a homemade preservative solution made from 1 cup of regular (not diet) lemon-lime soda such as 7-Up plus 1 cup of water plus a half-teaspoon of household bleach. Change the water every other day.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/about_6584911_meaning-lily-flowers.html

History of the Lily Flower

The lily traces its historic roots back to Biblical times. It's mentioned in the Old and New Testaments in association with chastity and virtue. Historically, both the Romans and the Greeks dedicated the white lily to the Madonna.

Mythological History

Greek mythology relates the lily as originating from the milk of Hera's breast (Hera is the wife of Zeus). In the Roman mythology version, Venus was jealous of the lily's beauty and caused it to sprout a pistil from the center of the flower.

Biblical Roots

Christians dedicate lilies to the Virgin Mary because of its pure connotation. They were traditionally used to represent the loss of children and martyrdom of the saints.

Elizabethan Times
While the lily has no real medical use, the Elizabethans used lilies for cleaning wounds, burns and sores and even to treat fever. Some herbalists today believe the lily has healing qualities.

Easter Lilies

Easter lilies originated in Japan. Legend has it that a soldier in World War I loved the plant and brought bulbs back to Oregon to populate the plant, and its popularity grew in the United States.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6823818_history-lily-flower.html