We’ve moved Larry Hurley’s terrific  overview of spring-flowering bulbs to our website – so just click here.  Thanks!

The Easter lily, Lilium longiflorum, is a symbol of the Easter observance all around the world. Well, actually, as it turns out, it’s more of an American tradition. And here is how it came to be.

Lilium longiflorum is native to the southern islands of the Japanese archipelago, and was first described by a western botanist in 1798. Samples were sent to England, and eventually bulbs were sent to Bermuda, where commercial cultivation was carried out in the late 1800’s. As time went by, plant virus problems resulted in the demise of the industry. But, by that time, there was an established market for the bulbs in the United States.

Japanese farmers began to grow the plant for export, and they became the primary supplier until World War II caused an end to trade between Japan and the United States.

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We’ve moved this useful article by Jim Dronenburg to our website - just click here.

We’ve moved this super-useful article by Randy best to our website - just click here.  There you’ll learn about snowdrops, Scilla, Winter Aconite, Iris reticulata, Chinodoxa, Grape Hyacinth, Crocus, Anemone AND Fritillaria!