The Lily Flower
Kathy Case The genus Lilium is the true lily and consists of about 110 species. They are in the Liliaceae family. Today many ornamental lilies are hybrids. Lilies are used for a few purposes, including flowerbeds, herbs, and cut flowers. True lilies are plants grown from flower bulbs that are a loose scaly type. Lilies have a leafy stem that can reach three or four feet tall. The flower has six petals and is found in a variety of colors. Many have spots on their petals. Some lilies are forced to bloom at certain times of the year for marketing. The Lilium longiflorum, a native of Japan, or Easter lily is probably the most popular. The Madonna, originally from the Balkans and West Asia, is widely marketed for cut flowers. Longiflorum hybrids are also commonly used for cut flowers. The Lilium bulb is a starchy herb that is widely used in China. Three types in particular are grown as a health food to reduce internal heat. The three types are Lilium lancifolium, Lilium pumilum, and Lilium brownii. They can be stir-fried and its taste is similar to potatoes. The bulbs can also be used to thicken soup when graded. Please take note, "Although they are believed to be safe for humans to eat, there are reports of nephrotoxicosis (kidney failure) in cats which have eaten some species of Lilium and Hemerocallis." Also some other plants with lily in the common name are also poisonous when consumed. Works Cited http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilium About the Author
Author: Kathy Case Website Address: http://www.QualityFlowerBulbs.com Website Information: At this website you will find information on flower bulbs and flower bulbs and tool for sale through our affiliate. We also have a photo gallery of many close up pictures of flowers grown from bulbs, rhizomes, and roots. Kathy Case may be contacted at http://www.qualityflowerbulbs.com. Click here to view more articles by Kathy Case. Reprinted with Permission from IdeaMarketers.com
|
