To keep a potted Easter lily blooming, take off or slit the foil sleeve so it drains, set it in bright, indirect light in a cool room, water only when the top inch of mix is dry, and pull off the yellow pollen anthers as each flower opens. After the flowers fade, keep the leaves growing, then plant it outdoors in a sunny, well drained spot once frost danger has passed; it often blooms again in later summer. Easter lilies are highly toxic to cats, so keep them out of any home with a cat.
The Easter lily, Lilium longiflorum, is a true lily grown in greenhouses to flower on cue. It is a hardy garden bulb in many areas, so the plant you buy in a pot does not have to be thrown away after the show.
Choosing a healthy plant
Look for a plant with deep green leaves all the way down the stem, several buds in different stages, and only one or two flowers open. Yellow lower leaves, a soggy pot, or wilted buds are warning signs. Check that the plant is not sitting in water inside its sleeve.
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Find My Plants →Care while it blooms
- Free the roots. Remove the decorative foil or plastic sleeve, or poke holes in the bottom and set the pot on a saucer. Water trapped in a sleeve rots the bulb.
- Bright, indirect light. A spot near an east window, or back from a sunny window, keeps flowers fresh. Hot, direct sun shortens the bloom.
- Keep it cool. Daytime temperatures in the 60s Fahrenheit and cooler nights make the flowers last longer. Keep the plant away from heat vents, fireplaces, and cold drafts.
- Water carefully. Water when the top inch of mix feels dry, let excess drain, and empty the saucer. A moisture meter helps.
- Remove the anthers. As each flower opens, pinch or snip off the six yellow, pollen covered anthers in the center. This keeps pollen from staining petals, clothes, and tablecloths, makes flowers last a little longer, and keeps loose pollen away from cats.
- Snip spent flowers. Cut off each flower as it fades so the plant puts its energy into the bulb.
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After the flowers fade
Once all the flowers are done, keep the plant in bright light and keep watering when the top inch is dry. The leaves feed the bulb for next time, so let them stay green as long as they will. A light dose of balanced liquid fertilizer every few weeks helps.
Planting it outdoors
Easter lilies are hardy in roughly USDA zones 5 to 8, and many gardeners grow them in colder areas with a deep mulch. Once the danger of frost has passed in your area:
- Choose a spot with full sun to light afternoon shade and soil that drains well. Lilies rot in soggy ground.
- Plant the bulb so the top sits about 6 inches below the soil surface, a little deeper than it sat in the pot, and space bulbs about a foot apart.
- Water well and mulch to keep the roots cool.
- Cut back the old flowering stem once it yellows. New shoots often appear and may bloom again in late summer or fall the first year. After that, the lily returns to its natural schedule and blooms in early to mid summer.
- Stake tall stems in windy spots, and mark the planting spot with a label so you do not dig into it later.
In cold zones, add a thick layer of mulch over the bed once the ground starts to freeze; see mulch after bulb planting. For other bulbs that return each year, see spring flowering bulbs to plant in fall.
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Bypass shears for cutting spent stems, disposable gloves for handling pollen, waterproof labels to mark the planting spot, and wooden stakes for tall stems. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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Common problems
- Yellowing lower leaves usually mean overwatering or a pot that cannot drain, especially inside a sleeve.
- Buds that dry up or drop often come from heat, drafts, or a pot that dried out completely.
- Aphids sometimes gather on new growth and buds. Rinse them off or see aphids on houseplants.
Safety notes
Lily pollen stains fabric and skin; wear disposable gloves when removing anthers and brush pollen off clothes with tape rather than rubbing it in. Keep sharp shears closed and stored when you are done.
Pet notes
The ASPCA lists the Easter lily as toxic to cats; even a small bite of a leaf or petal, pollen licked from fur, or a drink of vase water can cause kidney failure. Signs can include vomiting, drooling, lethargy, and loss of appetite. If you live with a cat, the safest choice is not to bring Easter lilies or other true lilies into the home, and not to plant them where your cat or neighborhood cats roam. If a cat has any contact with a lily, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away; early treatment matters. The ASPCA lists the Easter lily as non toxic to dogs, though eating it can still upset a dog's stomach. See what to do if a cat eats a plant and pet-aware gift plants and flowers.
Bottom line
Free the pot from its sleeve, give the lily bright, cool, indirect light, water only when the top inch is dry, and pull the anthers as flowers open. When frost danger passes, plant it in a sunny, well drained spot, and keep it far from cats.
Related reading
- Pet-aware gift plants and flowers
- Plants toxic to cats
- Forced bulb timing for indoor bloom
- Gift plant acclimation after purchase
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