Easter is only days away and one of my favorite things about this time of year is the emergence of the Easter Lily, all over the place — stores, homes, churches. It got me wondering, why the Easter Lily? They are beautiful and fragrant, but so are other flowers. Here are some interesting tidbits I found out about this beauty…

• The Easter Lily symbolizes joy, hope and life.

• The Easter Lily is also called “The White-Robed Apostle of Hope.” They are said to have been found growing in the Garden of Gethsemane where Christ’s tears touched the ground.

• World War 1 soldier, Louis Houghton, is responsible for introducing the Easter Lily to the United States. He brought the hybrid lily bulb to the southern coast of Oregon (which is climatically similar to its native Ryukyu Islands of Japan) and the rest is history.

• 95% of all bulbs grown for the Easter Lily market are produced by ten farms in a narrow coastal region along the California-Oregon border.

• The potted Easter Lily is the fourth largest potted crop plant in the United States taking its place among the powerhouse poinsettias , mums, and azaleas.