Red Asiatic Lily

FLOWER CARE

Bulk Lily flowers are shipped directly from our farms with no water tubes. Before shipping your flowers, we prepare them for their journey with proper hydration methods. If your flowers appear sleepy and thirsty after their journey it is absolutely NORMAL. Just follow these simple steps and your flowers will remain beautiful.

1. Remove flowers from box by cutting any straps and also remove all paper and plastic packaging. 
2. Fill your container with fresh, lukewarm water to the desired level and optionally add floral preservative.
3. Remove all leaves that fall below the water line.
4. Cut stems diagonally approximately one inch from bottom under running warm water with sharp scissors or knife.
5. Immediately after cutting, place the stems in the prepared container. 
6. Allow your flowers 24 hours to properly hydrate before arranging.
7. Keep flowers away from direct sunlight, drafts or excessive heat. 
8. Every 24 hours, be sure to re-cut the stems repeating the steps above to maximize the life and beauty of your flowers. 

Lilies are sensitive to ethylene gas which comes from fresh vegetables and fruits, especially bananas. Place Lilies away from fruit and vegetables.

IMPORTANT: Lilies have two parts to their stamen: the stalk and the anther. It is important for you to gently pull off the anthers from the stalk as the flower is opening. If you leave the anthers attached to the stalk, then a yellow pollen will form. This yellow pollen will stain everything it touches! It will stain your hands, the flower, and clothing. If pollen stains the bloom, remove with a pipe cleaner. If pollen stains your clothing, remove with sticky tape (DO NOT APPLY WATER).

TO OPEN YOUR LILIES: 

You will need to remove all leaves which can potentially touch the water to prevent bacteria from growing in your flower buckets. In order to do so, leave those leaves which you will want to incorporate into your arrangements in tact on the stem and remove those leaves which are extra. Cut the stems diagonally to the desired length. Place the cut flowers into 5-7 inches of warm water in a clean bucket. As the bloom opens, remove the orange stamens from the center of the bloom and drop them into the water (a professional florist trick which causes a natural occurrence that will help the lilies to bloom more quickly). After your Lilies have been in water for approximately 1 day, the blooms are ready to start flowering. In the event that you would like to speed up the blooming process here are 2 tips. Start with Tip #1 and in the event this does not work, try Tip #2.

Tip #1 Carefully pry open the very tip of the flower bloom, by lightly splitting the tips open.  You might hear a weird noise when doing this, which is natural.  Also take care not to bruise the body of the bloom by applying too much pressure. Once you have achieved opening the tip the slightest amount, place your lilies in a warm environment overnight and the blooms should pop open. 

Tip #2 If flowers have a very closed bloom, you can place plastic bags over the blooms and set them in a warm bathroom and start a steaming shower.  The enclosed heat will provoke the flower to bloom.