Lilies and their history
Since when are there lilies? Where do they come from? And why are they so popular worldwide? Here you will find the answers to these and other questions.
Did you know that there are around 110 species of lily and countless lily types? No wonder lilies are so popular!
Here, they are among the most frequently requested cut flowers. They probably also count among the oldest existing flowers.
Their origins can be traced back some 12 million years.
The first species allegedly appeared in the Himalayas. Other species then gradually colonised every continent in the northern hemisphere.
Their beauty ensured that they were widely appreciated as ornamental plants, although they were also used as religious symbols.
Today, their main habitat is China,
followed by Japan, North America, Europe and the Caucasus. Lilies are still used as medicinal plants and even as edibles, particularly in Asia.
The most prevalent species is the Turk's cap lily (Lilium martagon), which grows from China across Russia right through to the Iberian Peninsula.
Lilies did not become commercially important as cultivated plants and cut flowers until the 20th century.
Further exciting topics about lilies
Lilies and their history
Since when are there lilies? Where do they come from? And why are they so popular worldwide? Here you will find the answers to these and other questions.
What does the word «lily» mean?
Today the lily has a similar name in many languages. But this name comes from ancient Egypt and originally meant something else.
Lilies for men and gods
Lilies stand for love, innocence, ephemerality and rebirth. That is why there are exciting stories about customs - but also anecdotes from the world of the gods.
Madonna lily
It enchants with its brilliant white and stood for paganism until the Middle Ages. Here we explain why this lily is now called Madonna lily.
Completely crazy for regal lilies
The strong perfume of the regal lily led to an almost ruinous purchase contract and even almost cost the life of a plant hunter. But read for yourself.
Fire lily
It wards off storms, makes it easier for the hens to breed, helps us find a partner and is even a beauty elixir: here you can learn a lot about the Fire lily.
The mysterious night life of the Turk's cap
Why does the Turk’s Cap only smell at night? And how is a lily pollinated with its flowers hanging down? The exciting answers to these questions can be found here.