Flowers › Lily
❀ Specialty Flower · Summer to Fall
Michigan Lilies
Few flowers make a statement like the Lily, its huge, sculptural blooms and famous perfume turning a single stem into an entire arrangement.
Seasonal Availability
About Lilies
The Lily is the grand, sculptural focal of the high-summer garden: enormous trumpet or bowl-shaped blooms carried several to a stem, often with a heady fragrance that fills a room. We grow both the fragrant Oriental types, with their broad, ruffled flowers in white, blush, and deep rose, and the cleaner-lined Asiatic and hybrid types in warm corals and creams. One well-grown stem, with three or four buds opening in sequence, can anchor a whole design.
True lilies belong to the genus Lilium and grow from bulbs, and while they are not Michigan wildflowers, they are wonderfully suited to our summers. Planted in our rich soil they send up tall, strong stems through July and August, and because the buds open in succession, a single cutting keeps producing fresh flowers over many days in the vase.
Lilies are treated as a specialty focal for their sheer presence and fragrance. A quick word of care: their pollen stains badly, so we and most designers gently remove the anthers as the flowers open, which also makes the blooms last longer and keeps clothing and linens clean.
Lilies From Our Farmers
Lily at a Glance
In season (MI)
July to August
Colors
White, blush pink, coral, deep rose, cream
Stem length
24 to 40 inches
Best for
Statement focal, fragrant arrangements, wedding work, tall designs
How to buy
Specialty DIY-bucket add-on, or custom design
Forms & Varieties
Cut lilies fall into a few main groups, each with its own look, scent, and place in a design.
Oriental lilies
The big, richly fragrant, ruffled blooms in white, blush, and rose, the classic statement lily.
Asiatic lilies
Upward-facing, unscented flowers in bright, clean colors, opening a little earlier in the season.
Roselilies (double Orientals)
Fully double, pollen-free blooms that look like a giant rose, ideal for weddings and tables.
OT and trumpet hybrids
Tall, vigorous crosses with huge flowers and strong stems for grand, architectural arrangements.
Care & Vase Life
- Expect 7 to 14 days, with buds opening in sequence for a long, evolving display.
- Gently pinch off the pollen-bearing anthers as each flower opens to prevent staining and extend vase life.
- Recut stems and place in fresh, deep water; remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline.
- Keep lilies away from cats, whose sensitivity to lily pollen and foliage is serious.
- Change the water every few days and keep the arrangement cool for the fullest run of blooms.
When We Have Lilies
Lilies come into their own in July and August, when their bulbs push up tall stems in the warmth of a Michigan summer. Because the buds open one after another, the season feels generous even though each stem has its moment. Every stem is grown by our member farmers.
Availability shifts week to week with the Michigan season, so colors and varieties vary. Reserve ahead for events, and check the shop for what our farmers have cut this week.
How to Get Lilies
Add lilies to your bucket
Lily is a specialty flower, so it isn’t sold on its own. Add lilies as a premium selection when you reserve a DIY bucket, ideal for weddings and events you’re arranging yourself.
Reserve a DIY bucketLet us design it for you
Prefer it done for you? Our floral designers create custom, lily-forward arrangements and full wedding and event work. Pickup is at the barn; buyer members can also arrange local delivery.
Request floral designLily FAQs
Are your lilies fragrant?
The Oriental types are famously fragrant, filling a room with scent, while Asiatic lilies are nearly odorless. We grow both, so you can choose more or less perfume to suit the setting.
How do I keep lily pollen from staining?
Gently remove the pollen-covered anthers from the center of each flower as it opens. This prevents stains on petals, linens, and clothing and helps the blooms last longer. Pollen-free Roselilies avoid the issue entirely.
Are lilies dangerous for cats?
Yes, seriously so. True lilies are highly toxic to cats, even the pollen and water, so please keep lily arrangements well away from them. If you have cats, ask us about safer alternatives.
Why is a single lily stem such a good value?
Each stem carries several buds that open in succession over many days, so one cutting behaves like a small bouquet all on its own, evolving as new flowers open.
Pairs Well With
DahliaFlower · August through October
Garden RoseFlower · June through September
SnapdragonFlower · June to September
DelphiniumFlower · June to July
HydrangeaFlower · July through September
EucalyptusFoliage · June through OctoberLilies Available to Buy Now
Ready to plan with lilies?
Reserve lilies for your event or ask our designers to build something around them, grown by our Michigan farmer collective.