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Easter FlowersTraditions and SymbolismEaster in the northern hemisphere is very much a spring festival. As such it is closely associated with life and rebirth, whether it be the pagan rebirth of nature or the Christian resurrection.Freshly blooming flowers are clearly an appropriate symbol - the word flower itself is connected with Flora, the ancient goddess of plants, flowers and spring.
The Easter LilyOf all the Easter flowers the Easter Lily is one of the most popular in America. People buy Easter Lilies either to decorate their own homes or as gifts. It is one of the most grown flowering pot plants grown in the US with Michigan growers alone producing more than a million a year!Easter Lillies are usually forced in greenhouses to ensure that they bloom at the right time of the year. The lily has long been considered a symbol of life and has been associated witrh various fertility godesses. In the Christian religion the white lily represents purity and the plant is a symbol of Easter and the resurrection of Christ.
What Is The Easter Lily?The name "Easter Lily" is given to a number of plants, sometimes even the daffodil. However it is most commonly used to refer to the Bermuda Lily - Lilium longiflorum. The most widely grown cultivar is the "Nellie White". This has white trumpet shaped flowers and is especially popular in church decorations and floral arrangements.
The Pasque FlowerThe pasque flower is another plant closely associated with Easter. It is also sometimes called the Easter Lily although it is in fact from the genus Pulatilla, sometimes considered a subgenus of the Anemone.The pasque flower blooms in the spring and its name comes from the French for Easter. It has also been known as the "pash flower" or "passion flower".
The Easter cactusThe Easter Cactus produces red flowers in the spring.
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