A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The House Plant Forum Easter Lilies?

Does anyone know if Easter Lilies are poisonous to pets/small children?

And, what is the best way to care for them after the bloom is past?


Merme

The pollen from any lilies are very poisonous for cats. I have never heard anything about children, it is a cat thing.
For care after the bloom is gone you keep watering regularly and when the leaves begin to yellow and die on their own you treat like any spring blooming bulb and let rest for winter. They can be planted outdoors also. But may be best away from other lilies because they often have their own diseases that they can spread.

Hello, Merme! Hi tina!
Yes, only cats are affected by lillies, cats have very different metabolisms than people or dogs. It turns out, though, that it's not just the pollen, I think the reason people stress the pollen issue is because it falls onto everything else and can deposit on a cat's coat easily, and be consumed during grooming. All parts of the lilly are poisonous to cats.
I'd agree with everything tina said as to caring for them, but I don't know what zone Easterlillies are hardy to for outdoor planting, they're pretty tough in general.

Merme, one thing you want to know is just like any other forced spring bulb that you buy in flower (tulips, etc...) they might take a year or two to get back to its annual blooming cycle. It takes a lot to push out a flower before it's supposed to come out!

Traditionally, Easter lilies were Lilium longiflorum, but I'm not sure if those are still being sold when you get an Easter lily. Lilium longiflorum is hardy to zone 7b. I'm not sure if Maine would be too cold. If it's too cold, you'll have to overwinter it inside like you do with cannas. growing it in the ground will give you a 'bigger' plant but in a container you get more control as to when to force it into dormancy. You have to repot in a bigger pot most likely if you see rots blocking or coming out of the drainage holes.