Bulb Team

Ron Beck
West Coast Flower Bulb
Marketing/Facilities Manager
12400 SE Hwy 212
Clackamas, OR 97015
(503) 655-0908
FAX: (503) 655-0979
[email protected]

Martha DeRidder
Flower Bulbs/New York Office
1-800-345-3787, ext. 140
FAX: (914) 698-0848
[email protected]

Longiflorum Hybrid Lily Bulbs
Pot Plant Production

Back to Main Pot Crops

The Hybrids of Lilium longiflorum are primarily grown in the United States as pot plants at Easter time, and have become known as The EASTER LILY.

Since World War II, commercial bulb production of Longiflorum cultivars suited for pot plant production has centered in the United States along a small geographical region of southern Oregon and northern California along the Pacific Coast. The commercial importance of the Easter Lily has led to considerable breeding and/or selections. Initial Easter Lily cultivars were 'Creole', 'Croft', and 'Estate'. Clark Slocum selected 'Slocum's Ace' (often called just Ace) in 1935. Ace was the predominant potted Easter Lily cultivar in North America during the 1960's-1970's. The cultivar 'Nellie White' is currently (1980's to present) the primary Easter Lily grown for potted plant use in North America. In Europe, cultivars of Longiflorum are grown for cut flower production year round. Few Longiflorum are grown as pot plants for the European Easter market.

The primary potted Easter Lily cultiver grown commercially today is still Nellie White. There have been numerous introductions during the last 20 years. Yet, none have thus far replaced Nellie White. Below we offer our Comparative Analysis of the Longiflorum varieties suited as pot plant subjects for the USA Easter market.

The Fred C. Gloeckner Company offers a complete Forcing Guide for Lilium longiflorum Nellie White for Easter Pot Plant Production, updated each year. This comprehensive forcing manual includes not only complete forcing requirements, but also includes current information on such topics as fertilizer and fungicides application, as well as current data on the latest research practices that will help you grow the best crop. Helpful tips on topics such as Graphical Tracking, Leaf Counting, and the ever-useful Easter Lily Bud Meter are also included. Our Easter Lily Production Manual also includes helpful production schedules that will aid in the timing of the crop to help ensure that you bring your crop in on schedule.

Please be sure to ask your Gloeckner Representative for our latest edition as soon as it becomes available in October.