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Once again plant shops, garden centers and florists are full of beautiful Easter Lilies (Lilium longiflorum) to celebrate Easter. This member of the lily family, with its large, showy, pure white, trumpet-shaped, fragrant flowers ranks 4th most popular of seasonal potted plants, exceeded only by the poinsettia, Chrysanthemum ('Mum') and Azalea. It is also known as Bermuda lily or St. Joseph's lily and is native to the Ryukyu Islands south of Japan. It closely resembles the Madonna lily (Lilium candidum), the oldest lily in cultivation.
In Colorado, the Easter lily is generally sold as a potted plant, ready to bloom mid-March to mid-April. Once flowers have faded, the plant is most often discarded. But, it can be removed from the pot and the bulb planted in organically rich, well-drained soil in a sunny location in the garden. The bulb should be fertilized monthly during the growing season and should be well mulched to help it survive the winter dormant period. With these practices, the lily should bloom next summer.
 Easter lilies and many other members of the lily family have one potentially hazardous feature that a person needs to be aware of when cats live in the household. Easter lilies are one of the most poisonous houseplants to cats who chew or eat any part of the plant, including the leaves and petals. After eating as little as a single leaf or petal, a cat may start to vomit 24-48 hours later, and unless treated aggressively with intravenous fluids and even dialysis, it will die from severe kidney failure. Despite on-going research, the specific toxin in lilies is unknown. It is important to remember that many of the common members of the lily family including daylilies (Hemerocallis sp.), tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium) and the Asiatic and Oriental hybrid lilies are all poisonous to cats. If a cat is a "plant eater," it is unwise to place an Easter lily or any other lily, in the cat's environment.
If a cat is observed or known to have eaten parts of a lily, it should be taken to a veterinarian immediately, especially if it has started to vomit. It is important to inform your veterinarian that your cat has access to lilies in your home or garden, especially if the cat is vomiting repeatedly, and is diagnosed with signs of kidney failure.
Timely treatment is essential for the cat to recover from kidney failure induced by the Easter lily. Dogs are not affected by Easter lilies or other lilies.
Photograph credit: Easter lily, taken by Tony Knight
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