True lilies belong to the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae. The genus contains between 80 and 100 species, all native to the Northern Hemisphere. Lilies have six-part flowers—three petals and three sepals (modified leaves) colored alike—and usually six stamens. The flowers of some species are quite fragrant, and they occur in a wide variety of colors. The white lily stands for purity and is also the sign of the Resurrection of Jesus.
Different species of lilies vary in the amount of sunlight they require. Most bloom in July or August. Plants of most species range in height from 1–4 feet (30–120 centimeters), although certain species exceed 8 feet (2.5 meters) in height. Some familiar colored lilies are the dark-red tiger lily, of Japan; the Siberian coral lily; the gold-banded, or Japan, lily, with yellow-banded purple-spotted white flowers; and the Japanese showy lily, with red-dotted pink flowers.
The bulb of a true lily is made up of loose scales that easily peel off. The bulbs never become completely dormant and must be kept moist in peat moss until they are planted. Professional breeders pull the bulbs apart and plant the scales. Each scale grows into a small bulb that in two or three years produces flowers.
Lilies are among the oldest cultivated plants: during the 2nd millennium bc, the bulb of the Madonna lily was cultivated for use in a medicinal ointment, and some types were raised for food. The lily family includes many food plants—asparagus, onion, leek, garlic, and chives. Some of the flowers are the lily of the valley, mariposa, sego lily, tulip, hyacinth, and yucca, all members of different genera. Additional plants commonly called lilies but not considered true lilies include day lilies, which belong to the genus Hemerocallis; the plantain lily, or funkia, which comprises the genus Hosta; and calla lilies, which belong to the unrelated Araceae family.
