10 Fascinating Facts About Lilies

While many flowers bare the word "lily" in their name, not all are actually related to true lilies. Imposters include the popular lily of the valley and calla lily — yup, neither is actually a true lily! Only the 108 genera within the lily family are really lilies.

Lilies naturally occur in a range of stunning colors, including delicate white, sunny yellows, vibrant oranges, pretty pinks, and even purples.

Besides just brightening your mood with their beauty, lilies are used in Asian culture to treat depression and certain types of toxicity.

These flowers love friends and do best when planted in groups of three to five similar-type bulbs.

Keep these stems away from your feline! If cats ingest lilies, they can suffer from kidney failure and even death.

While the color of the lily can tweak the meaning, lilies are predominantly said to symbolize purity, modesty, and refined beauty. It was even common during the Victorian era for women and girls to wear and pose with lilies.

Lilies can grow between two to six feet tall. That's quite a range!

These flowers aren't just pretty and sweet smelling; they're also world-renowned! Lilies are consistently listed among the top five most popular flowers on the planet.

Expect to see these lovely flowers bloom for about two to three weeks between June and August.

These delicate flowers can have a long vase-life if you remove the pollen and keep them out of direct sunlight.